Ralph Stanley - Engine 143 lyrics

Along came the FFV, the swiftest on the line Running o'er the C&O road, just twenty minutes behind Running into Sewall, it's quartered on the line Receiving their strict orders from the station just behind Georgie's mother came to him with a bucket on her arm Said, my darling son, be careful how you run For a-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 Up the road she darted, against the rocks she crashed Upside-down the engine turned, and Georgie's breast did smack His head was against the firebox door, the flames were rolling high I'm glad I was born for an engineer, to die on the C&O road 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 Georgie, that will not do, I want to die so free I want to die for the engine I love One hundred and forty-three The doctor said to Georgie, your life cannot be saved Murdered upon the railroad and laid in a lonesome grave His face was covered up with blood His eyes you could not see And the very last words poor Georgie said Was nearer, my God, to Thee