The Carter Family — Engine 143

[Verse 1] Along came the FFV the swiftest on the line Running o'er the C&O 'road just twenty minutes behind Running into Seville Headquarters on the line Receiving very strict orders from a station just behind [Verse 2] Georgie's mother came to him with a bucket on her arm Sing my darling son be careful how you run For many a man has lost his life in trying to make lost time And if you run your engine right you'll get there just on time [Verse 3] Up the track she darted, against the rocks she crashed Upside down the engine turned and Georgie's breast did smash His head was against the firebox door, the flames were rolling high I'm glad I's born for an engineer to die on the C&O 'road [Verse 4] The doctor said to Georgie "My darling boy be still Your life may yet be saved if it's God's blessed will" "Oh no" said George, "that will not do, I want to die so free I want to die for an engine I love, one hundred and forty three" [Verse 5] The doctor said to Georgie, "Your life cannot be saved" Murdered upon a railroad and laid in a lonesome grave His face was covered up with blood, his eyes they could not see And the very last words poor Georgie said was "Nearer my God to thee"