Tune The Ballad of Casey Jones, by Eddie Newton; original lyrics by Wallace Saunders and T. Lawrence Seibert; new union lyrics by Joel Emmanuel Hägglund (Joe Hill) ca 1911, performed by Utah Phillips - From the album, We Have Fed You All a Thousand Years , 1983
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Lyrics:
The workers on the S.P. Line for strike sent out a call,
But Casey Jones, the engineer, he wouldn’t strike at all.
His boiler, it was leaking, and its drivers on the bum.
And his engine and its bearings, they were all out of plumb.
Casey Jones kept his junk pile running.
Casey Jones was working double time.
Casey Jones got a wooden medal
For being good and faithful on the S.P. Line.
The workers said to Casey, “Won’t you help us win this fight?”
But Casey said, “Let me alone. You’d better take a hike.”
Then, someone put a bunch of railroad ties across the track,
And Casey hit the river with an awful crack.
Casey Jones hit the river bottom.
Casey Jones broke his bloomin’ spine.
Casey Jones was an Angeleno.
He took a trip to heaven on the S.P. Line.
When Casey got to heaven, up to that Pearly Gate,
He said, “I’m Casey Jones, the guy who pulled the S.P. freight.”
“You’re just the man,” said Peter, “our musicians went on strike.
You can get a job a-scabbing any time you like.”
Casey Jones got a job in heaven.
Casey Jones was doing mighty fine.
Casey Jones went scabbing on the angels
Just like he did to workers on the S.P. Line.
The angels got together, and they said it wasn’t fair
For Casey Jones to go around a-scabbing everywhere.
The Angels’ Union Number Twenty-three, they sure were there.
And they promptly fired Casey down the Golden Stair.
Casey Jones went to hell a-flyin’.
“Casey Jones,” the Devil said, “oh, fine.
Casey Jones, get busy shov’ling sulfur.
That’s what you get for scabbing on the S.P. Line.”