When I was a baby
Times were kinda hard
And money was kinda scarce
And my mama told me
She used to hop a freight
Papa just pitch me up to her
And we'd hobo all around the South
Looking for work
Well, after I grew up a little
Mama told me about those hard times
And how they were the happiest times of her life
And now here's a song
About one of those people
He was just
An old railroad hobo
At a time
When trains were all but gone
With a tear in his eye
Sitting on a railroad tie
Talking to himself of going home
He said, "I've seen the world
From a freight train
I've hauled across the countryside
Now I'm just a tired, weary pilgrim
Waiting to take me one last ride"
He said, "Last train
Won't you take me to my home?
Make it fast train
Life is leaving these old bones
And I'm alone
Got no one to call my own
I'm looking for that last train for home"
He said, "Boy
I have had me some high times
And Lord, yes, I've had me some low
All across these open spaces
Bluffed my deuces, bet my aces
Take it easy come and easy go
But this old world
Kept growing up and going places
Until my way of life
Is lost in time
Now there ain't much left for me, boy
I'm riding to the end of the line"
He said, "Last train
Won't you take me to my home?
Make it fast train
Life is leaving these old bones
And I'm alone
Got no one to call my own
I'm looking for that last train for home"
Well, he tipped his hat
And he walked off to the mainline
Where he found an open empty car
As he pulled himself inside
Settled down for the ride
I could see he wouldn't be going far
And I thought
"Lord, ain't this world
Just like a train yard
Where each of us are bound to roam alone?
And ain't we all
Like some old railroad hobo
Just looking for that last train for home?"
He said, "Last train
Won't you take me to my home?
Make it fast train
Life is leaving these old bones
And I'm alone
Got no one to call my own
I'm looking for that last train for home
I'm looking for that last train for home"