Little John the hobo taught me how to ride the rail
As he told me of the days he spent wranglin' on the trail
From the canyons of north Texas to the rail yards on the plain
I learned half the his'try of the west there on that train

And Little John he told me 'bout the rivers he did cross
'Bout ridin' through the dust storms on the back of his old hoss
'Bout bandit pistoleros and the cattle that they stole
And the hundred mile ride to the desert water hole

As we rode out to Memphis lookin' for a better life
He told me 'bout the past while I thought about my wife
And the miles and years between us seemed like only yesterday
As Little John the hobo taught me how to run away

Little John drank whiskey through the night as we did ride
He said it chased the demons from the canyons deep inside
And Little John he told me that the whiskey eased the pain
So Little John drank whiskey I just drank the rain

While we rode out to Memphis lookin' for a better life
He thought about the past while I told him 'bout my wife
And the miles and years between us seemed like only yesterday
As Little John the hobo taught me how to run away

When we finally rode into the yard at Tennessee
I looked up at Little John and he looked down at me
He said that he was headed for a town called New Orleans
Said somethin' 'bout a daughter that he hadn't ever seen

So we parted ways in Memphis lookin' for a better life
He's goin' to find his past I'm goin' back home to my wife
For I never will forget him walkin' down that street alone
Little John the hobo taught me how to go back home
Little John the hobo taught me how to go back home


© 2004 Red Cliffs Press Music (BMI) / Silversongs West (BMI).
All rights reserved. Used by permission.