(Clarke / Sylvester / Hicks)
Going down to take a ride on the Rock Island Line
I'm gonna meet an old friend of mine
It's gonna be a fine ride if only I can hide
from the man who guards the freighting line
I've got two thousand miles to go where I want to be
Lady luck stay with me
I wanna be there
I gotta be there
Oh, sweet country calling, calling me its way
Come and bathe in cool clear waters, wash the city dirt away
Oh, sweet country calling, I've got something to say
When I get back to you, I won't let you down
This time I'm gonna stay
I wanna hear, hear the bluegrass
I wanna breathe in the mountain air
I gotta take in all that moonshine
But most of all I wanna see a friend of mine
Last time I saw her she was waving me goodbye
heading on down the line
She said Come on along, I decided to stay
Now I know I was wrong
That's why I'm playing with fate riding this freight
Lady luck please stay with me
I wanna be there
I gotta be there