Railroad steamboat river and cannal yonder comes a sucker and he's got my girl
And she's gone gone gone and she's gone gone gone gone I'll bid her my last farewell

I fell in love with a pretty little thing I thought that wedding bells would ring
She was as sweet as sweet could be till I found out what she did to me
Railroad steamboat river and cannal...

I asked her mother to let her go she whispered mother just tell him no
Though he may think that I am true there's plenty more who think so too
Railroad steamboat river and cannal...
[ guitar ]
Now I won't cry my life away some other sucker will have to pay
And when he finds that she is gone I guess I'll hear him sing this song
Railroad steamboat river and cannal...