Johnny Cash – Hobo Bills Last Ride (Guitar)

Capo 1 • Video Lesson
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Spoken Intro: Well, Just about the time I was born, my daddy was riding the freight train; catching it at Fordyce and riding down to Memphis or other points where he might get a job cutting cordwood for thirty-five cents or maybe fifty cents a day. But any job that he found he was thankful for. It was hard work, but it was honest, and it earned money to send back home to us kids. my daddy was one of hundreds-of-thousands of men that led this kind of life during the bitter, hungry years of the depression. He wasn't a "bum" and he didn't know anybody that was, they all had to work and if you didn't work you didn't make it. Sometimes the pickings were mighty lean and times- at times were almost unbearable. Some fell by the wayside along the tracks and in the yard, some were beaten by the elements, beaten by: the rain, the cold and some just gave up out of desperation. My daddy rode the top of a freight-car into Memphis one cold, wet january night and he had to be pulled from the bars where he lay nearly frozen. You know, this wasn't uncommon and a lot of men weren't quite as lucky as my dad and he took their last ride into eternity on some, snow-bound freight train [Intro] G [Verse 1]
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Riding on the eastbound freight train speeding through the night

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Hobo Bill the railroad bum was fighting for his life

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The sadness of his eyes revealed the torture of his soul

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He raised a weak and weary hand to brush away the coal
[Bridge] C G D G [Verse 2]
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Outside the rain was falling on that lonesome boxcar door

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But the little form of Hobo Bill lay still upon the floor

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while the train sped through the darkness and the raging storm outside

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No one knew that Hobo Bill was taking his last ride
[Bridge] C G D G [Verse 3]
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It was early in the morning when they raised the hobo's head

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The smile still lingered on his face but Hobo Bill was dead

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There was no mother's longing to soothe his weary soul

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For he was just a railroad bum who died out in the cold
[Outro] C G D G