Jackie Washington rode the rails way back in World War II
Playing his guitar in the sleeper car to lullaby the lucky few
He worked the Canadian Pacific line
To satisfy his wandering bones
There weren’t a lot of men that he couldn’t call friend
Or places that he couldn’t call home good Lord,
Places that he couldn’t call home

Saying Mr. Conductor put the hammer down
I’m not gonna rest ‘til I reach hammer town
I got a girl on the East Side
And there’s a band on the West Side
Playing blues and sentimental

He never crossed over that American border
Though he lived just a few miles away
He said ‘everything I need I can find right here
– North of the USA’
Guitar and piano and a thousand tunes
And his brothers just playing all night
Singing every song from the hit parade
And swinging by the steel mill light good Lord,
Swinging by the steel mill light

Saying Mr. Conductor....

Jackie Washington takes the stage
The same way that he’s always been
Lighting up the aisles with a heavenly smile
And bringing everybody in
Jackie made 80 back in ‘99 - still he plays every show that he can
And there’s a midnight train rolling somewhere tonight
And Jackie’s strumming like a steel-driving man good Lord,
Strumming like a steel-driving man

Saying Mr. Conductor...

Hey Jackie Washington, long may your sweet song carry on
Everybody on the East Side
And everybody on the West side
Loves the blues and sentimental