"You were telling me the other day about an original version of 'Casey Jones' and you sang me a verse I hadn't quite heard. And, I-uh, I'd wish you'd sing it now and before you sing it, tell us a little bit about it, what you know about it."

"Well,  I learned this song in, uh, 1909, when I was switchin' boxcars in Memphis for the Illinois Central. And, uh, I heard Wallace Saunders sing this song myself. He was Casey Jones' fireman. This was within three or four years of Casey's death. All the negro railroad men knew this song. A lot of them sang it, and here is the original of 'Casey Jones'."

Casey  Jones was an engineer
Who told his firemen to have no fear
All I want is water and coal
And  my head out the window when the drivers roll
When  the drivers roll
When the drivers roll
And  my head out the window when the drivers roll

Through South Memphis yard on the fly
The fireman hollered, “You've got a white eye.”
The switchmen knew by the engine’s moan
That  the man at the throttle was Casey Jones
Oh, Casey Jones
Oh, Casey Jones
That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones

Well, the engine rocked, and the drivers rolled
The fireman hollered, “Lordie, save my soul!”
Casey said “I'll roll her ‘til she leaves the rails
I’m way behind time with the Southern mail"
"With the southern mail"
"Oh, that southbound mail"
"I'm way behind time with the southbound mail"
Got within about a mile of the place
A big old headlight stared him in the face
He told his fireman "Boy, you'd better jump"
"'Cause theres two locomotives that's a-going to bump"
"That's a-going to bump"
"That's a-going to bump"
"Theres two locomotives that's a-going to bump"

[?]
[?] sees that sight
The women stood crying, both colored and white
I was there for the [?]
They flagged him down, but he never looked back
No, he never looked back
No, he never looked back
They flagged him down, but he never looked back

Oh, Casey said, just before he died
"There's lots more railroads that I'd like to ride"
But the good Lord whispered "It is not to be"
And he died at the throttle on the YNMV
On the YNMV
On the YNMV
He died at the throttle on the YNMV