The train that carried my girl from town

Doc Watson version

V1
There goes the train that carried my girl from town
If I knowed her number, Lord, I'd flag her down
Wish to the Lord that the train would wreck
Kill that engineer and break the fireman's neck

C
Hey, the train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

V2
Where was you when the train left town?
I's standin' on the corner with my head hung down
If I had my gun I'd let the hammer down
Lord, I'd shoot that rounder that took my girl from town

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

V3
Rations on the table and the coffee's getting cold
And some dirty rounder took my jelly roll
Hello, Central, give me six-o-nine
I want to talk to that woman of mine

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

V4
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Can you show me that woman that a man can trust
There goes my girl, somebody bring her back
'Cause she got her hand in my money sack

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

---

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Burnett Sisters version

V1
Where was you when the train left town?
I's standin' on the corner with my head hung down
If I had my gun I'd let the hammer down
Lord, I'd shoot that rounder that took my girl from town

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

V2
There goes the train that carried my girl from town
If I knowed her number, Lord, I'd flag her down
Wish to the Lord that the train would wreck
Kill that engineer and break the fireman's neck

C
Hey, the train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

V3
Rations on the table and the coffee's getting cold
And some dirty rounder took my jelly roll
Hello, Central, give me six-o-nine
I want to talk to that woman of mine

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

V4
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Can you show me that woman that a man can trust
There goes my girl, somebody bring her back
'Cause she got her hand in my money sack

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

Instrumental outro and chorus tag

C
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey

Doc Watson: Tom Dooley

Each verse is followed by a short instrumental refrain, not all of which are identical.

[Verse 1 and chorus]
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, hang your head and cry
You killed poor Laurie Foster and you know you're bound to die
You left her by the roadside where you begged to be excused
You left her by the roadside, then you hid her clothes and shoes

[Chorus]
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, hang your head and cry
You killed poor Laurie Foster and you know you're bound to die

[Verse 2]
You took her on the hillside for to make her your wife
You took her on the hillside and there, you took her life
You dug the grave four feet long and you dug it three feet deep
You rolled the cold clay over her and tromped it with your feet

[Chorus]
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, hang your head and cry
You killed poor Laurie Foster and you know you're bound to die

[Verse 3]
Trouble, it's trouble a-rollin' through my breast
As long as I'm a-livin', boys, they ain't a-gonna let me rest
I know they're gonna hang me, tomorrow I'll be dead
Though I never even harmed a hair on poor little Laurie's head

[Chorus]
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, hang your head and cry
You killed poor Laurie Foster and you know you're bound to die

Extra beat on instrumental refrain

[Verse 4]
In this world and one more, then reckon where I'll be
If it wasn't for Sheriff Grayson, I'd be in Tennessee
You can take down my old violin and play it all you please
For at this time tomorrow, boys, it'll be no use to me

[Chorus]
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, hang your head and cry
You killed poor Laurie Foster and you know you're bound to die

[Verse 5 and chorus]
At this time tomorrow, where do you reckon I'll be?
Away down yonder in the holler, hangin' on a white oak tree
Hang your head, Tom Dooley, hang your head and cry
You killed poor Laurie Foster and you know you're bound to die

[Instrumental refrain/outro]