Boxcar Willie—born Lecil Travis Martin (September 1, 1931 – April 12, 1999)—performing “Wabash Cannonball”. Paradoxically, even though Boxcar created a train persona, he spent over 25 years as a flight engineer in the U. S. Air Force.
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Wabash Cannonball
Attributed to A.P. Carter
From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shore
To the green of flowing mountains by the south belt by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
We're riding through to Dixie on the Wabash Cannonball
"Our eastern states are dandy," so the people always say
From New York to St. Louis and Chicago by the way
From the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
No changes can be taken on the Wabash Cannonball
Well, a-listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland by the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
You're travelling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball
We rolled into Birmingham one cold December day
As she pulled into the station, you could hear all the people say:
"There's a gal out there from Texas, she's long and she's tall
She's the combination of the Wabash Cannonball"
Well, a-listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland by the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
We're travelling through to Dixie on the Wabash Cannonbal
Well, a-here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever stand
And always be remembered throughout this great land
His earthly race is over and we'll bear him to the pall
And we'll carry him up to heaven on the Wabash Cannonball
Well, a-listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland by the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
We're travelling through to Dixie on the Wabash Cannonball
We're riding through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball
