John Kander
Commencing in Chattanooga
[CLARENCE]
Commencing in Chattanooga

[ALL]
Commencing in Chattanooga

[CLARENCE]
On the southern railroad line

[ALL]
On the southern railroad line

[ANDY, spoken]
Come on Roy, grab on!

[ROY, spoken]
Where we goin’, Andy?

[ANDY, spoken]
Who cares? Just don’t fall off!

[HAYWOOD]
I got up in the morning when my sleep was done
And I felt that cherry Chattanooga sun
Then I thanked the Lord above that I was still alive
And I waited for the “six-o-five”
[ALL]
Commencing in Chattanooga

[HAYWOOD]
And it chugga-chugga’d in and I said “there you are”
And I scrambled in the old box car
Then I settled back believin’ that the world was fine
I was travelin’ on the southern linе

[ALL]
Commencing in Chattanooga
On the southern railroad linе

[HAYWOOD]
Now you can take your B and O
And you can take your Santa Fe
And you can take your old Rock Island line

[ALL]
And throw them all away

[HAYWOOD]
And if the Pennsylvania calls
Just say you want your money back
And if the New Your Central’s on the phone
[ALL]
Tell them they’re way off the track
Commencing in Chattanooga
(Commencing in Chattanooga)
I said we’re commencing in Chattanooga
On the southern railroad line
On the southern railroad line

[INTERLOCUTOR, spoken]
Thank you boys, now, one more time!

[HAYWOOD, OLEN, OZIE & CLARENCE]
Now, you can take your B and O

[HAYWOOD, CHARLIE, ANDY & EUGENE]
And you can take your Santa Fe

[HAYWOOD, ROY, OZIE & WILLIE]
And you can take your old Rock Island line

[ALL]
And throw them all away

[OLEN]
And if the Pennsylvania calls
[ROY]
Just say you want your money back

[ANDY]
And if the New York Central’s on the phone

[OLEN, ROY & ANDY]
Tell ‘em they’re way off the track

[ALL]
Commencing in Chattanooga

[HAYWOOD, spoken]
Faraway places, they’re in my bones! I know the states! Southeast to Georgia, down to Pensacola, North to Knoxville, West to Arkansas and straight on to Shreveport! I know the train schedules! When the freights leave, when they arrive! I can light a butt in the wind on top of a moving boxcar! I am free! I am free! I am free!

(singing)

There ain’t a soul can hold be back
Cause I am just as free as air
As long as I got legs and train got wheels
I could arrive me anywhere
And if the Lord above comes down
And asks you where the hell I am
Just answer “No one knows where Haywood goes”
Cause I’m a box car baby lamb

[ALL]
Commencing in Chattanooga
Commencing in Chattanooga
On the southern railroad line

[ROY, spoken]
Why’s this train slowin’ down Andy?

[ANDY, spoken]
This train ain’t supposed to stop ‘til Memphis

[ROY, spoken]
We a long way from Memphis