Boomer's Story

Ry Cooder Boomer's Story Lyrics
1.Boomer's Story

(traditional, adapted by ry cooder)

Come and gather all around me
Listen to my tale of woe
Got some good advice to give you
Lots of things you oughta know
Take a tip from one who's travelled
And never stopped a-ramblin' 'round
'cause once you get the roamin' fever
You never want to settle down, boy
You never want to settle down

I met a little gal in frisco
And i asked her to be my wife
Told her i was tired of roamin'
Goin' to settle down for life
Then i heard the whistle blowin'
And i knew it was the red ball train
And i left that gal beside the railroad
And i never saw the gal again, boy
I never saw the gal again
Saw the gal again
I never saw the gal again
Left that gal beside the railroad
And i never saw the gal again

Travelled all over the country
I've travelled everywhere
I been on every branch line railroad
And i never paid a nickel fare
I been from maine to califor'ny
And from canada to mexico
I never tried to save no money
And now i got no place to bo, boy
Now i got no place to go

Listen to a boomer's story
Pay attention to what i say
Well, i hear another train a-comin'
Guess i'll be on my way
If you wanna do me a favor
When i lay me down and die
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So i can hear the trains go by, boys
So i can hear the trains go by
Hear the trains go
Hear the trains go by
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So i can hear the trains go by


2.Cherry Ball Blues

(instrumental)


3.Crow Black Chicken

(laurence wilson)

Well, i went on the mountain
And i gave my horn a blow
Thought i heard some purty gal say
'yonder come my beau'

Crow black chicken and crow for a day
Crow black chicken and fly away
Crow black chicken and-a ...
I like chicken pie

Well, the hardest work that ever i done
Is plowin' a field of rye
The easiest work that ever i done
Was eatin' chicken pie

Chicken crow for midnight
And chicken crow for a day
Along come an owl, lord, have mercy
And stole my chicken away


4.Ax Sweet Mama

(sleepy john estes)

Well, i ax sweet mama, let me be her kid
She said 'i might but i'd like to keep it hid'
Well, she looked at me, she began to smile
She says 'i thought i might use you for my man awhile
But just don't let my husband catch you there
I say, just don't let my husband catch you there'

Well, i went upstairs to pack my leavin' trunk
I never saw no whiskey
The blues made me sloppy drunk
I ain't never saw no whiskey
The blues made me sloppy drunk
Well, i ain't saw no whiskey
The blues made me sloppy drunk

Well, some said it was beans, some said it was greens
But it's slow consumption killin' you by degrees
It's slow consumption killin' you by degrees


5.Maria Elena

(instrumental)


6.Dark End Of The Street

(instrumental)


7.Rally 'round The Flag

(traditional)

Yes, we'll rally 'round the flag, boys
We'll rally 'round again
Shouting the battle cry of freedom
We will rally from the hillside
We'll gather from the plain
Shouting the battle cry of freedom

The union forever, hurrah boys, hurrah
Down with the traitor, up with the star
While we rally 'round the flag, boys
Rally once again
Shouting the battle cry of freedom

We will welcome to our numbers
The loyal, true and brave
Shouting the battle cry of freedom
And although he may be poor
Not a man shall be a slave
Shouting the battle cry of freedom

So we're springing to the call
From the east and from the west
Shouting the battle cry of freedom
And we'll prove a loyal crew
To the land we love the best
Shouting the battle cry of freedom


8.Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer

(harold adamson & jimmie mchugh)

One of our planes was missing
Two hours overdue
One of our planes was missing
With all its gallant crew
The radio sets were humming
We waited for a word
Then a noise broke
Through the humming and this is what we heard

Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Though there's one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer

What a show, what a fight, boys
We really hit our target for tonight
How we sing as we limp through the air
Look below, there's our field over there
With our one motor gone
We can still carry on
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer

Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
Comin' in on a wing and a prayer
With our full crew on board
And our trust in the lord
We're comin' in on a wing and a prayer


9.President Kennedy

(sleepy john estes)

Late one friday evening everybody was sad
We lost the best president we ever had
But he's gone home, gone back home
He's staying away too long

Rode from town to town holdin' up for our rights
Some low down rascal took the president's life
But he's gone home, gone back home
He's staying away too long

Mrs. kennedy got a mansion on the island, stayed 9 months, all
she'd be
She have another mansion, soon as she reach washington, d.c.
But he's gone home, gone back home
He's staying away too long

Everybody votes, they don't know what's goin' on
If goldwater get it, we won't have no home
But he's gone home, gone back home
He's staying away too long

While horses and cars all in a row
I think mr. kennedy have a right to this long white robe
But he's gone home, gone back home
He's staying away too long


10.Good Morning Mr. Railroad Man

(traditional)

Good morning, mr. railroad man
What time do your trains roll by ?
'at 9:16 and 2:44 and 25 minutes 'till 5'
'at 9:16 and 2:44 and 25 minutes 'till 5'
Thank you, mr. railroad man
I want to watch your trains go by

Standing on a platform, smoking a cheap cigar
And waiting for an old freight train that carries an empty car
Well, i pulled my hat down over my eyes
And i walked across the tracks
And i caught me the end of an old freight train
And i never did come back

Well, i sat down in a gamblin' game
But i could not play my hand
I was thinkin' about the woman i loved
Run away with another man, poor boy
Run away with another man
I was thinking about the woman that i loved
Run away with another man