I hate to hear that freight train blow, boo-hoo
I hate to hear that freight train blow, boo-hoo
Every time I hear it blowin', I feel like ridin' too

I asked the brake man to let me ride the blind
I asked the brake man to let me ride the blind
He said "Little girlie, you know this train ain't mine"

(Sidney Bechet plays a blue clarinet solo here)

That's a mean old fireman, cruel old engineer
That's a mean old fireman, cruel old engineer
It was a mean old train that took my man away from here

I've got the freight train blues, but I'm too darn mean to cry
I've got the freight train blues, too darn mean to cry
I'm gonna love that man till the day he die

There's three trains ready but none ain't goin' my way
I said there's three trains ready but none ain't goin' my way
But the sun's gonna shine in my backdoor some day