FFV Songtext

von Townes van Zandt

Well along come the FFV the swiftest on the line
Running long the C&O road 20 minutes behind
Running in the subhill headquarters on the line
Receivin' their strict orders from a station just behind
Well Georgie's mother come to him with a bucket on her arm
Saying my darlin' boy be careful how you run
Well it's many a man has lost his life in trying to make lost time
But if you run your engine right you'll make it just on time
Aw but off of the road she darted and into the rocks she crashed
Well the engine she laid upside down and Georgie's breast was smashed
Well his head lay 'gainst the firebox door and the flames were rolling high
Well I'm proud to be born for an engineer on the c&o road to die
Well the doctor come to Georgie my darlin' boy be still
Well your life can yet be saved if it is God's blessed will
Oh no no it will not do. I wanna fly so free
Well I wanna die with the engine I love a hundred forty three
Then the doctor said to Georgie well your life cannot be saved
Murdered out on the railroad, laid in a lonesome grave
But his face was all covered up with blood, his eyes they could not see
And the very last words that he spoke were near my God to thee