Streamline Cannonball

Lyrics: Roy Acuff
Music: Roy Acuff

Included on the Jerry Garcia box set "All Good Things" (as an outtake from "Reflections"), but never played live. On the CD, it's succeeded by an un-named up-tempo jam.

The train I ride is the queen of them all
The streamline cannonball

Chorus
She moves along like a cannonball
Like a star in it's heavenly flight
The train I ride is the queen of them all
The streamline cannonball

A long steel rail and a short cross tie (note 1)
I'm on my way back home
The train I ride is the queen of them all
The streamline cannonball

[chorus]

I can see the smile of the engineer
And although he's old and gray
Contented heart, he waits for the call
The streamline cannonball

She moves along like a cannonball
Like a star in it's heavenly flight
The lonesome sound of the whistle I love
As she rambles through the night

[chorus]

The train I ride is the queen of them all
The streamline cannonball
Notes
(1) Garcia sings "A short steel rail ..." but I think that's just a mistake (he seems to stumble a bit).

Jerry Garcia Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     studio 1975 All Good Things (additional disc) Jerry Garcia Band


Roy Acuff's version had some additional lyrics:
It's a long steel rail and a short cross tie
I'm on my way back home
I'm on that train, the king of them all
That streamline cannonball

Chorus
She moves along like a cannonball
Like a star in it's heavenly flight
The lonesome sound of the whistle you love
As she travels through the night

I can see a smile on the engineer's face
And although he's old and gray
A contented heart, he waits for his call
On the streamline cannonball

[chorus]

The headlight beams out in the night
And the firebox flash you can see
I ride the blinds, it's the life that I love
Lord it's home sweet home to me


[chorus]

 


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