Casey Jones
This is a song the IWW martyr Joe Hill wrote in support of striking
railworkers. Thanks to the TV programme, Casey Jones is probably the
world's most famous scab.
- The workers on the S.P. line to strike, sent out a call
- But Casey Jones, the engineer, he wouldn't strike at all
- His boiler it was leaking, and his driver's on the bum
- And his engine and its bearings, they were all out of plumb
-
- Casey Jones - kept his junk pile running
- Casey Jones - was working double-time
- Casey Jones - got a wooden medal
- For being good and faithful on the S.P. line.
-
- The workers said to Casey, 'Won't you help us win this
strike?'
- But Casey said, 'Let me alone, you'd better take a hike!'
- Then someone threw a bunch of railroad ties across the track
- And Casey hit the river with and awful smack
-
- Casey Jones - hit the river bottom
- Casey Jones - broke his bloomin' spine
- Casey Jones - became an Angeleno
- He took a trip to heaven on the S.P. line
-
- When Casey Jones got up to Heaven, to the pearly gate
- He said, 'I'm Casey Jones, the guy who pulled the S.P.
freight.'
- 'You're just the man,' said Peter, 'our musicians went on
strike,
- You can get a job in heaven anytime you like.'
-
- Casey Jones - got a job in heaven
- Casey Jones - was doin' mighty fine
- Casey Jones - went scabbin' on the angels
- Just like he did to workers on the S.P. line
-
- Well the angels got together and they said it wasn't fair
- For Casey Jones to go around a-scabbin' everywhere
- The Angel Union No. 23, the sure were there
- And they promptly fired Casey down the golden stair
-
- Casey Jones - went to hell a-flyin'
- Casey Jones - the Devil said, 'Oh fine,
- Casey Jones, get busy shovelin' sulphur
- That's what you get for scabbing on the S.P. line!'
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