Express Office

Cat. #1296 (MFH #) - As sung by Bill Wooley, Little Rock, Arkansas on July 14, 1967

VERSE 1
Was dawn an' in a station
An' old man entered in
Is this the Express Office, sir
I've come to meet my son
He's comin' to me at this station
On a train at half-past-one

VERSE 2
You've made a slight mistake, sir
I'd like for you to know
This is the Expess Office, sir
An' not th town Depot

VERSE 3
O, there is no mistake, sir
The ole man trembling said
He's not coming to me as a passenger
He's coming to me dead

VERSE 4
Just then a whistle pierced the air
The Express someone cried
With th people, trembling stepped
The old man stepped outside

VERSE 5
Just then an oaken casket
Was lowered to th ground
It was an eager, anxious crowd
That quickly gathered 'round

VERSE 6
Don't handle it so roughly, boys
For that's our darling Jack
He left us just as you are now
Look how he's coming back

VERSE 7
He was my one an' only son
And he was pride an' true
Thank God he died a hero's death
While with th boys in Blue

Variants