[Intro]
Now this here's the story about the Rock Island Line
Now, the Rock Island Line's a railroad line
And it runs down into New Orleans
And just outside of New Orleans is a big tollgate
And all the trains that go through the tollgate
Why, they gotta pay the man some money
Unless, of course, they got certain things on board
Then they okay and they don't never have to pay the man nothin'
And right now, we see a train, she comin' on down the line
And when she get up near to the toll gate
The depot agent, he shouts down to the driver
He wanna know what they got on board
So he say, uh, "What you got on board there, boy?"
And the driver, he sing right on back down to the depot agent
And tell 'em just what he got on board
He had a way of singin'

[Verse 1]
I got sheep, I got cows, I got horses, I got pigs
I got all livestock, I got all livestock, I got all livestock

[Bridge]
And the man say, why, he say, "You alright then, boy
You don't have to pay me nothin', just get 'em on through"
So the train go through the tollgate
And as he go through, he got up a little bit of steam
And a little bit of speed
And when he safely on the other side of the tollgate, they
The driver shout back down the line to the man
Course you don't get what he sayin' now
But oh, I'm goin' down the Rock Island Line
[Verse 2]
He said, "Well, I fooled you, I fooled you
I got pig iron, I got pig iron, I got all pig iron"
He said, "Take it on down, boy
Goin' down the Rock Island Line"
Yes, yes, she's a mighty good road

[Chorus]
Oh, well, the rock island line, she's a mighty good road
The rock island line is the road to ride
The rock island line is a mighty good road
And if you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station of the rock island line

[Verse 3]
Well, I may be right, I may be wrong
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone

[Chorus]
Down the rock island line, she's a mighty good road
The rock island line is the road to ride
The rock island line, she's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the rock island line

[Verse 4]
A-B-C, W-X-Y-Z
The cats on the cover but he don't see me
[Chorus]
Down the rock island line, she's a mighty good road
The rock island line is the road to ride
The rock island line, she's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the rock island line

[Verse 5]
Hallelujah, I'm safe from sin
The good Lord's comin' forth to see me again
Tell you, He's comin'

[Chorus]
Down the rock island line, she's a mighty good road
Yeah, the rock island line is the road to ride
The rock island line, she's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the rock island line
Rock island line, she's a mighty good road
Rock island line is the road to ride
Rock island line, she's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the rock island line