Iron Road

Old 97's - Iron Road 

 Why I never had a family 
 Why I couldn't settle down 
 Why I'd sooner in the mirror see a hobo lookin' low 
 But the reasons now escape me as I walk the iron road 
 Like a lot of kids I left my boyhood home 
 Worked a little on the railroad, Worked a little travelin' on 
 Til the closest that I ever got to an address or a phone 
 Was the day I spent my last two bits on a one page letter home 
 At 21 my arches lay down flat 
 22 I started takin' loans 
 But if the train will come I'll wipe the box car dirt from off my bones 
  
 And I'll curse the wheels that roll me, roll me down that iron road 
 Iron road, iron road, you'll never give up the gold 
 I spent 24 hours today lookin' back and feelin' low 
 24 hours of lookin' back can kill you, I've been told 
 At 60 my dad left that boyhood town 
 Within a year our mother followed him to higher ground 
 And I'll be next to join 'em soon as I see that engine roll 
 Gonna lay my head on the railroad bed and leave that iron road (2x) 
 (Repeat v.3)