David Allan Coe — The Great Nashville Railroad Disaster A True Story

One sultry summer morning, in the year of 1918 Three-hundred men with ebony skin Pulled out of union station Heading out of Nashville, Western Tennessee Homeward bound cause uncle sam closed down A munitions factory At that very moment on the Cheatham County line Old number one train from Memphis Was running way behind Back in the smoker clubin' car, a Memphis gambling man Said "gentleman, I'm folding these cards 'Cause I drew a dead man's hand!" A young man in a milk truck out near dutchman's grade Said oh my god two trains one track Then he closed his eyes and he prayed A Sister from the orphans home made a cross upon her chest 'Cause a one iron beast was coming from the east And another one was coming from the west The bird flew from the treetops, as the impact shook the ground The screaming wheels and the grinding steel Could be heard for miles around The bird flew from the treetops, as the impact shook the ground The screaming wheels and the grinding steel Could be heard for miles around Now every July 9th, a few miles west of town To this day some folks say You can hear that mournful sound