I used to be a railroad bum a living on the go
I rode freights from Canada down to Mexico
From sunny Cal to Minnesota where the rippling waters falls
I never seemed to have a dime but I had myself a ball

Singing hi le hi lo he li le li lo
I used to be a railroad bum but I'm not anymore

I walked in the Silver Dollar in Reno one night
I Dropped a quarter in a one armed bandit
The lemons lined up right
Took my winnings then played poker
And I won ten thousand more
I used to be a railroad bum but I'm not anymore

Singing hi le hi lo he li le li lo
I used to be a railroad bum but I'm not anymore

--- Instrumental ---

When cotton's white in Tennessee
And shrimp boats sail in Maine
Peach picking time soon will find me ridin' a Georgia train
Couse I get restless when I'm still I guess I always will
Want to keep traveling all my life over another hill
Singing hi le hi lo he li le li lo
I used to be a railroad bum but I'm not anymore

Singing hi le hi lo he li le li lo
I used to be a railroad bum but I'm not anymore...