Swinging The South Bound Freight Doug Walker

Some people seem to have lots of bad luck. I wrote this about one of them. Doug Walker was kind enough to put the words to music. I put his song together with some moving pictures of trains to add to the atmosphere.


Swinging the South Bound Freight


My darlin’ said goodbye to me
In summer of sixty three
My darlin’ said goodbye to me
The long hot summer of sixty three

She said goodbye in the morning
She caught the train at three

By five I was wholly hammered
And my fifth of Beam was done
By five I was wholly hammered
And my fifth of Beam was done

It was either ending as a drunkard
Or stealing a ride on the evening run

With nary a goodbye to anyone
I swung the south bound freight
With nary a goodbye to anyone
I swung the south bound freight

Good or bad my new life begun
As I rode that cattle car down state

West from the St. Louie yard
I rode the old Santa Fe line
West from the St. Louie yard
I rode the old Santa Fe line

Sneaking by the old train guards
Sleeping under the Ruidoso pines

Out in California without a nickel
And seeing no prospect to improve
Out in California without a nickel
And seeing no prospect to improve

I rode north on the Oregon Special
Missing my lady I kept on the move

Hitching a ride on the old Union Pacific
Rumbling east in the fall of sixty eight
Hitching a ride on the old Union Pacific
Rumbling east in the fall of sixty eight

My poor old heart a-aching and homesick
I was traveling east on that old cold freight

With a strong wind and six inches of snow
I blew into town looking like an old hobo
With a strong wind and six inches of snow
I blew into town looking like an old hobo

She answered my friend’s door a child in tow
Her wedding ring shining in the morning glow


By five I was wholly hammered
And my fifth of Beam was done
By five I was wholly hammered
And my fifth of Beam was done

It was either ending as a drunkard
Or stealing a ride on the evening run

Copyright 2011 Wayne Nolen. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.