Lyrics:
Train on the island
Headed for the west
Go and tell my true love
The girl I love the best
Go and tell my true love
The girl I love the best
Go and tell my true love
The girl I love the best
Go and tell my true love
The girl I love the best
Train on the island
Thought I heard it blow
Run and find my true love
She don’t ride no more
Run and find my true love
She don’t ride no more
Run and find my true love
She don’t ride no more
Run and find my true love
She don’t ride no more
Train on the island
Thought I heard her squeal
Run and tell my true love
I can’t hold the wheel
Run and tell my true love
I can’t hold the wheel
Run and tell my true love
I can’t hold the wheel
Run and tell my true love
I can’t hold the wheel
Train on the island
Headed for the north
Go and tell my true love
She don’t know what she’s worth
Go and tell my true love
She don’t know what she’s worth
Go and tell my true love
She don’t know what she’s worth
Go and tell my true love
She don’t know what she’s worth
Additional Verses
Train on the island
Listen to her squeal
Run and tell my true love
How happy I do feel
Run and tell my true love
How happy I do feel
The steam from the whistle
Smoke from the stack
Goin’ to catch that 5:18
I’m never comin’ back
Goin’ to catch that 5:18
I’m never comin’ back
Train on the island
Moaning mighty low
Go and tell my true love
As far as I can go
Go and tell my true love
As far as I can go
Train on the island
Since I’ve heard it blow
Go and tell my true love
I’m sick and I can’t go
Go and tell my true love
I’m sick and I can’t go
Train on the Island
Hear that engine roar
If I can’t have the one I love
I’ll never love no more
If I can’t have the one I love
I’ll never love no more
Train on the Island
Headded for the west
Me and my gal, we fell out
Might be for the best
Me and my gal, we fell out
Might be for the best
Featured On:
Old Time American Music
• Recordings I Learned From Or Like •
About the Song:
“Train On the Island” is an Appalachian folk song with many melodies associated with it. The first commercial recording, played by John Preston Nestor (banjo) and Norman Edmonds (fiddle) on 8/1/1927 as a part of the famous Bristol Sessions in Tennessee, uses the melody of the fiddle tune “June Apple”. But as is the nature with many floating verse songs, other melodies were picked up and developed as the oral folk tradition took its course.