Green Light on the Southern

Tony Rice

Written by Norman Blake

Key of D · Chords: I IV V

Intro

D A D

Verse 1

                                 A            D
Standing on the sidetrack at the south end of town
                                  A
On a dry hot dusty august day the steam pipe pouring down
    D                             A                    D
The fireman with his long oil can oiling the old valve gears
                                    A            D
Waiting for the fast mail train the semaphore to clear

Verse 2

                                     A                 D
The engineer in the old high cab his gold watch in his hand
                              A
Looking at the waterglass and letting down the sand
D                                A             D
Rolling out on the old main line taking up the slack
                           A                 D
Gone today so they say but tomorrow he’ll be back

Chorus

        A     G D
Oh if I could return
         G               A
To those boyhood days of mine
        D
And the greenlight on the southern southern railroad line

Instrumental

D A D

Verse 3

                                     A                 D
Creeping down the rusty rails of the weed grown branch line
                                         A
The section houses gray and white by the yard limit sign
    D                              A               D
The hoggers call the old high ball no more time to wait
                                  A               D
Rolling down to birmingham with a 10 car load for freight

Chorus

        A     G D
Oh if I could return
         G               A
To those boyhood days of mine
        D
And the greenlight on the southern southern railroad line

Instrumental

D A D

Verse 4

                                            A                D
The whistle scream with a hiss of steam the headlight gleams clear
                                     A
The drivers roll on the green and go getting mighty near
D                            A              D
Handing up the orders to the engine crew on time
                                A            D
It’s the Alabama great southern AGS railroad line

Chorus

        A     G D
Oh if I could return
         G               A
To those boyhood days of mine
        D
And the greenlight on the southern southern railroad line

Outro

        A     G D
Oh if I could return
         G               A
To those boyhood days of mine
        D
And the greenlight on the southern southern railroad line