I had to quit railroadin'
we didn't agree at all
there was always something wrong
with the southern cannon ball.
Refrain:
odle ayee adle eedle
ayee odle eedle ayee.
I once loved a maiden
she was fair and tall
her father was the engineer
on the southern cannon ball.
She promised she would wed me
in the merry month of june
and go to the magic islands
to spend our honeymoon.
At last my dreams were shattered
when she put me off with a stall
she said the whistle was broken
on the southern cannon ball.
I loved this girl sincerely
so i fixed the whistle back
the next thing she told me
was, "the caboose is off the track."
For days and nights i labored
to get it back with the train
all was ready for the "hop-off"
when, the bell refused to ring.
I fixed the bell in a jiffy
and called for preacher dunn
who married us in a boxcar
but the train refused to run.