The Blue Ridge Railway

(music: trad., lyrics: Rich Lange)

(Slow)

In 1851, me corduroy britches I put on,

Me corduroy britches I put on!

To work the Blue Ridge railway,  the railway,

I came from the east for the railway,

Now paddy works on the railway.

(Fast)

In 1852, I came to join John Kelly's crew

found me self a job to do, workin' on the railway.

(Fast)

In 1853, a man named Crozet hired me,

Three slaves he'd get for C notes three

to work upon the railway.

I was wearin...

Corduroy britches, diggin' ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,

I was workin' on the Railway.

(Slow)

In eighteen hundred and fifty four,

Poor Tommy Mahoney fell on the floor,

He'd worked in the sun till his back was raw,

Poor Tommy was layin' the railway, the railway,

He worked to his death on the railway

Young Tommy from Cork on the railway.

There was still more news from fifty-four,

The cholera here took 41 more,

We got flannel shirts from Larguey's store

Dug culverts and tunnels for the railway, the railway....

McAleer of Tyrone worked the railway,

Blew holes in the hill for the railway,

(Fast)

In 1855 ole Paddy O'Donnell was still alive.

To be a blacksmith he'll survive the work upon the railway

(Fast)

In 1856, the western side played us a trick.

Shanahan from Cork helped us to fix

the slide beyond the railway

Den was wearin....

Corduroy britches, diggin' ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,

Den was workin' on the Railway.

(Slow)

By 1800 and 57,  O'Shea and Sullivan had gone to heaven.

This Paddy had sired sons one to seven,

To work upon the railway, the railway,

They'll learn to love the railway!

We Paddys work on the railway.

(Slow)

By 18 hundred and 58, John Kelly's Crew had opened the gate

Fardowners had come  just to make their stand,

for work upon the railway, the railway,

I'm sick to me guts of the railway!...

This Paddy is through with the railway.

(Fast)

By 1858  we'd dug some Afton Mountain graves

I spent my time inside a cave

Workin' on the Railway.

(Fast)

In 1859 I worked upon  old Crozet's line,

Got blown up with a friend of mine,

workin' on the railway.

I was wearin'.....

Corduroy britches, diggin' ditches, pulling switches, dodging hitches,

I was workin' on the Railway.

Rich Lange lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., and travels monthly to Charlottesville, Va., where he performs in the Irish traditional band, King Golden Banshee.  He completed his engineering doctoral studies at the University of Va.