Lincoln´s Train

 

Written by John Stewart

 

‘Lincoln´s Train’ is on “Signals Through the Glass – The Songs of John Stewart and Buffy Ford”, Capitol Records, 1968, CD re-issue by Folk Era, 2004. 

Great president.  Great song.  Great chart here by Charlie, I think.  Thank you, Charlie.  Do not be intimidated, players – it is not as hard to play as it may seem at first sight.  And how many songwriters could have come up with a song like this one?

 

 

Capo 1st fret


E  muted
B  muted
G  2--1--2--4--2--1--2--1--
D  ---------------------------
A  ---------------------------
E --X------------------------
(repeat a second time, then continue pattern into opening)


(2)Jamie (1)caught the (2)fire(4)fly, (2)la, (1)da, (2)da (1)
(2)Jamie (1)caught the (2)fire(4)fly,  (D)put it in a (A)jar.
(2)Jamie (1)caught the (2)fire(4)fly, (2)la, (1)da, (2)da (1)
(2)Jamie (1)caught the (2)fire(4)fly,  (D)put it in a (A)jar.
(G muting all strings)Leighlie is (E muted)calling, (G)"Jamie, come(E7short) home."

(A) Then from my (D)window, (E) I can hear them (A)talking,
(E)Walking to the crossing in the (A)rain, (D) (A) (E)
And (A)over the (B7)voices, (D)I can (E)hear the (A)train
That is (F#m)taking Mister (D)Lincoln (Bm)to the prair(D)ie once a(E7short)gain.
(A)Over the (B7)voices, (D)I can (E)hear the (A)train
That is (F#m)taking Mister (D)Lincoln (Bm)to the prair(D)ie once again.

(G)Lincoln's Train, Lincoln's Train…
 (spoken as in a crowd)
"Yeah, they said they saw it coming, oh,
Four or five mile back, down by the water tower."
"Don't get to close to the tracks,
You see, the train can suck you right on up."

"Poor Mister Lincoln, who would do a thing like that!"
"Poor Mister Lincoln, who would do a thing like that!"
"Poor Mister Lincoln, who would do a thing like that!"
"Poor Mister Lincoln, who would do a thing like that!"
"Poor Mister Lincoln, who would do a thing like that!"
Jamie caught the firefly, la, da, (E7)da…

(A) Then from my (D)window, (E) I can hear them (A)talking,
(E)Walking to the crossing in the (A)rain, (D) (A) (E)
And (A)over the (B7)voices, (D)I can (E)hear the (A)train
That is (F#m)taking Mister (D)Lincoln (Bm)to the prair(D)ie once a(E)gain. (A) (hold)

(sung a capella while last A chord is ringing)
Over the voices, I can hear the train
That is taking Mister Lincoln to the prairie once again.
(2) (1) (2) (4) (2) Jamie caught the firefly, (D)la, da, da…

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

Charlie Woodward with a little help from janhauenstein@gmx.de  & Art Faller

 

May 2008