G      Em      D      G
G


[Verse 1]
G                              G
Come and gather all around me, listen to my tale of woe,
D                                 D
got some good advice to give you, lots of things you oughta know.
G                                       G
Take a tip from one who's travelled and never stopped a-ramblin' 'round
       C                                   G                          Em
'cause once you get the roamin' fever, you never want to settle down, boy,
    D                    G         
you never want to settle down.


[Verse 2]
  G                                G
I met a little gal in Frisco and I asked her to be my wife,
D                                D
told her I was tired of roamin', goin' to settle down for life.
G                                      G
Then I heard the whistle blowin' and I knew it was the Red Ball Train
      C                                     G                         Em
and I left that gal beside the railroad and never saw that gal again, boy,
  D                   G
I never saw that gal again.


[Bridge]
C                       G
  Saw that gal again, I never saw that gal again,
G                             Em     D                   G
left that gal beside the railroad, I never saw that gal again.


[Guitar solo]
G     G     G     G
D     D     D     D
G     G     G     G
C     C     G     G  Em
D     G  


[Verse 3]
G                                    G
Travelled all over the country, I've travelled everywhere,
D                                     D
been on every branch line railroad, I never paid a nickel fare.
  G                                  G
I been from Maine to Californy, from Canada to Mexico,
      C                                G                         Em
and I never tried to save no money and now I got no place to go, boy,
D                     G      
now I got no place to go.


[Verse 4]
G                                 G
Listen to a boomer's story, pay attention to what I say:
  D                            D
I hear another train a-comin', guess I'll be on my way.
G                          G
If you wanna do me a favor when I lay me down and die:
     C                                      G                          Em
just dig my grave beside the railroad, so I can hear the trains go by, boys,
   D                        G
so I can hear the trains go by.


[Outro]
C                     G
  Hear the trains go, I can hear the trains go by,
     G                           Em       D                        G
just dig my grave beside the railroad, so I can hear the trains go by.


[Outro]
G     G     G     G      G
D     D     D     D
G     G     G     G
C     C     G     G  Em
D     G