Special Streamline Lyrics - Singles - Bukka White

Special Streamline 2:54 Trk 14 

Bukka White (Booker T. Washington White) 

Bukka White - vocal & guitar 

& Washboard Sam (Robert Brown) - wshbrd. 

Recorded: March 7th & 8th 1940 Chicago, Illinois 

Album: Parchman Farm Blues, Roots RTS 33055 

Transcriber: [email protected] 

Spoken: 

That's that fast Special Streamline 

Leavin' outta Memphis, Tennessee 

Goin' into New Orleans. 

She runnin' so fast the hobos don't 

fool with this train. They stand on the 

track with their hat in their hands. 

I had a friend girl that mornin' was 

catchin' that train. 

She got up singin' this song: 

Sings: 

'Hey Dad, I'm sorry to leave my home 

Mm-mm-mm 

Lord, Lord, Lord, Lordy' 

Spoken: 

She heard that 8:30 local blowin' that 

mornin'. She hadn't rid the train in a good while. 

She thought it'd have that Special Streamline. 

She heard at 8:30 local when she is comin' 

to the line, declared up for that Streamline 

Blowin' like this: 

(plays guitar w/wshbrd) 

She said, 'Daddy, is that my train?' 

I say, I ain't keepin' up with the train time 

I'm tryin-a make a few dimes.' 

She dropped her head went to singin' 

an cryin': 

Sings: 

'It's alright how you turn me down 

Mm-mm-mm 

I ain't got a dime 

Spoken: 

After she called for a ticket 

She heard this Special Streamline 

going 36 miles from Memphis, Tennessee. 

Make ya lonesome now 

Cause I hobo myself, sometimes. 

(plays guitar & w/wshbrd) 

Man asks her, 'Where the other train?' 

She told him she didn't know 

If she heard a bell she could tell him all about it. 

As she dropped over that hill 

And stopped off in the valley 

She heard the bell begin to toll like this: 

(plays guitar w/wshbrd) 

'Make a sound like a church bell toll'. 

Before she got to that ten mile tunnel 

She blowed and throw'd on the airbrakes. 

(plays guitar & w/wshbrd) 

Airbrakes! 

When she got to that ten mile tunnel 

She was gettin' close 

She was tippin cars on automatic switch 

Gettin' her water and coal on the fly 

You could hear her when she was strikin' 

that double iron like this: 

(plays guitar w/wshbrd) 

When she run 'cross the last one 

She squalled in. 

(plays guitar w/wshbrd) 

This girl looked out an seen that train 

She commenced to singin' an cryin'. 

Sings: 

'Hey, dad I don't wanna leave' 

Mm-mm 

I believe I'll lose my mind' 

When that train got a little closer 

down to New Orleans, she went around 

that curve, you would hear her 

when she's blowin' like this: 

(plays guitar w/wshbrd) 

The people's always standin' at the station 

Lyin' there to see that train come in. 

You would hear her when she squalls. 

(plays guitar w/wshbrd - to end) 

Spoken: 

'Boy, ev'rywhere but here' 

~