[Verse 1]
All around the water towers, waiting for a train
A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain
I walked up to a brakeman, just to give him a line of talk
He said if you've got money, I'll see that you don't walk
Well. I haven't got a nickel
Not a penny can I show
Get off, get off you railroad bum
And he slammed that boxcar door

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 2]
Well, he put me off in Texas, a state I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me
The moon and stars up above
Nobody seems to want me, nor to lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco, going back to Dixieland
My pocketbook is empty, my heart is full of pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home
Just waitin' for a train