Come all you jolly railroad men, and I'll sing you if I can
Of the trials and tribulations of a godless railroad man,
Who started out from Denver his fortunes to make grow
And struck the Oregon Short Line way out in Idaho.
CHORUS :
Way out in Idaho, way out in Idaho,
A-working on the narrow-gauge, way out in Idaho.
I was roaming around in Denver one luckless rainy day
When Kilpatrick's man-catcher stepped up to me and did say,
“I'll lay you down five dollars as quickly as I can
And you'll hurry up and catch the train, she's starting for Cheyenne.”
CHORUS
He laid me down five dollars, like many another man,
And I started for the depot—was happy as a clam.
When I got to Pocatello, my troubles began to grow,
A-wading through the sagebrush in frost and rain and snow.
CHORUS
When I got to American Falls, it was there I met Fat Jack.
They said he kept a hotel in a dirty canvas shack,
Said he, “You are a stranger and perhaps your funds are low,
Well, yonder stands my hotel tent, the best in Idaho.”
CHORUS
I followed my conductor into his hotel tent,
And for one square and hearty meal I paid him my last cent.
Jack's a jolly fellow, and you'll always find him so,
A-working on the narrow-gauge way out in Idaho.
CHORUS
They put me to work next morning with a cranky cuss called Bill,
And they give me a ten-pound hammer to strike upon a drill.
They said if I didn't like it I could take my shirt and go,
And they'd keep my blankets for my board way out in Idaho.
CHORUS
Oh it filled my heart with pity as I walked along the track
To see so many old bummers with their turkeys on their backs.
They said the work was heavy and the grub they couldn't go,
Around Kilpatrick's dirty tables way out in Idaho.
CHORUS
But now I'm well and happy, down in the harvest camp,
And I'll—there I will continue till I make a few more stamps.
I'll go down to New Mexico and I'll marry the girl I know,
And I'll buy me a horse and buggy and go back to Idaho.
CHORUS
Of the trials and tribulations of a godless railroad man,
Who started out from Denver his fortunes to make grow
And struck the Oregon Short Line way out in Idaho.
CHORUS :
Way out in Idaho, way out in Idaho,
A-working on the narrow-gauge, way out in Idaho.
I was roaming around in Denver one luckless rainy day
When Kilpatrick's man-catcher stepped up to me and did say,
“I'll lay you down five dollars as quickly as I can
And you'll hurry up and catch the train, she's starting for Cheyenne.”
CHORUS
He laid me down five dollars, like many another man,
And I started for the depot—was happy as a clam.
When I got to Pocatello, my troubles began to grow,
A-wading through the sagebrush in frost and rain and snow.
CHORUS
When I got to American Falls, it was there I met Fat Jack.
They said he kept a hotel in a dirty canvas shack,
Said he, “You are a stranger and perhaps your funds are low,
Well, yonder stands my hotel tent, the best in Idaho.”
CHORUS
I followed my conductor into his hotel tent,
And for one square and hearty meal I paid him my last cent.
Jack's a jolly fellow, and you'll always find him so,
A-working on the narrow-gauge way out in Idaho.
CHORUS
They put me to work next morning with a cranky cuss called Bill,
And they give me a ten-pound hammer to strike upon a drill.
They said if I didn't like it I could take my shirt and go,
And they'd keep my blankets for my board way out in Idaho.
CHORUS
Oh it filled my heart with pity as I walked along the track
To see so many old bummers with their turkeys on their backs.
They said the work was heavy and the grub they couldn't go,
Around Kilpatrick's dirty tables way out in Idaho.
CHORUS
But now I'm well and happy, down in the harvest camp,
And I'll—there I will continue till I make a few more stamps.
I'll go down to New Mexico and I'll marry the girl I know,
And I'll buy me a horse and buggy and go back to Idaho.
CHORUS