Cloudy in the east, looks like rain
Well, I got me a ticket on a railroad train
Get a head of steam on, shovel in the coal
Stick your head out the window, watch those drivers roll
Yeah, well, on the Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, well, it's a road to ride
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
If you wanna ride it, gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line
Hallelujah, I'm saved from sin
Well, you're just in time to try it again
Right, lordy, lordy, and it sure is fine
But you'll never get to heaven on the Rock Island Line
Eastbound train was on the westbound track
Well, the northbound train's on the southbound track
Conductor said, "Well now, ain't this fine?"
What a hell of a way to run a railroad line
On the Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, well, it's a road to ride
On the Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
If you wanna ride it, gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line
Set board at five, it was always late
It arrived this morning at a quarter to eight
The engineer said as they cheered his name
"Well, we're right on time, but this is yesterday's train"
And it's the Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, well, it's a road to ride
On the Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road
If you wanna ride it, gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock
Rock Island Line, yeah