Em  G  D 
 
Em                   G 
I had a job, I had a girl 
                 D   
I had something going mister in this world 
           Em                     G 
I got laid off down at the lumber yard 
              D   
Our love went bad, times got hard 
      C                D 
Now I work down at the carwash 
                          Em 
Where all it ever does is rain 
           C                  D                    Em     G    D 
Don't you feel like you're a rider on a downbound train 
 
 
                Em         G   
She just said "Joe I gotta go 
           D 
We had it once we ain't got it any more" 
               Em             G 
She packed her bags left me behind 
              D 
She bought a ticket on the Central Line 
            C                   D 
Nights as I sleep, I hear that whistle whining  
                             Em 
I feel her kiss in the misty rain 
      C               D                    Em     G    D    
And I feel like I'm a rider on a downbound train 
 
Em  G  D 
 
     Em                  G 
Last night I heard your voice 
                 D 
You were crying, crying, you were so alone 
               Em            G 
You said your love had never died 
         D 
You were waiting for me at home 
           Em                       G 
Put on my jacket, I ran through the woods 
              D 
I ran till I thought my chest would explode 
              Em                  G 
There in the clearing, beyond the highway 
        D 
In the moonlight, our wedding house shone 
                     Em                         G 
I rushed through the yard, I burst through the front door 
                 D 
My head pounding hard, upstairs I climbed 
              Em               G 
The room was dark, our bed was empty 
        D 
Then I heard that long whistle whine 
          C                                  G 
And I dropped to my knees, hung my head and cried 
 
       C                   D                     
Now I swing a  hammer on a road gang 
                                              Em 
Knocking down them cross ties, working in the rain 
             C                  D                    Em      G   D    Em  G   D 
Now don't it feel like you're a rider on a downbound train 
 
Em    G    D  .......