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The Ballad Of The One Man Train

from I Got My Learnin' From The L&N by John Paul Wright

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about

We are just here until the robots come....

Eugene Victor Debs wrote a very important letter titled “You Railroad Men” in 1906. In it he describes what will happen because of craft unionism. He makes many warnings. Most of his warnings are still relevant today. I dedicate this tune to my “Brotherhood.” Casey in this tune would be the President of the union. The BLE little T.

HEY!!!! We are being Railroaded!! By jurisdiction scabbery.. President Mr. Block! I joined Railroad Workers United in 2009. I have worked countless hours on the struggle against one person operations of trains. I hope for the best.. Historically speaking…???

lyrics

Oh, You Railroad Men… 2014
Or.. I told you so.. said Mr. Debs…

I hear that lonesome whistle blowing..
by that computer driven train…
I hear the lonesome whistle blowing..
on that one man train..
the unions fought a dangerous battle..
and on that battle field they died..
While the rank and file message went unheeded..
railroaders hang your head and cry..
The politician’s all rode the train…
That went down burning in the ditch..
Casey Jones was at the throttle…
While Eugene V. was standin at the switch…
Ol Casey he didn’t listen.. he ran right through
And made a bet..
that he would be the last man standin’
and a broke retirement was all that he would get…
Ol Casey made a career of hidin’
Democracy from his members eyes..
But the rank and file they… knew the answer,
But his pen wrote crazy lullabies..
And his members.. whoo’ed by his sweetness..
Spun their wheels in the Democrat party’s pies…
The railroads they laughed on the way to the courthouse,
And laws they started to run like water through loopholes.
And the moral of this sad sad story..
Jurisdiction squabbles, were always the unions woes..

credits

from I Got My Learnin' From The L&N, released July 14, 2017

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John Paul Wright Louisville, Kentucky

John Paul Wright is a community organizer, union organizer / Labor Singer and Djembe player. Working Locomotive Engineer and Folk Musician.. a man of many hats..

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