All aboard, track seventeen - all aboard
  Yee-ha
  
  This song is dedicated to all the hardworking pioneers of this country
  Settin' out discoverin the West
  Bringing the railroad to where no man has ever been before
  
  Johnny, he worked on the railroad - pounding on iron and steel
  Working his way out west now - the only sure thing's his next meal
  America was young, but she was a-growing
  Layin' tracks across the prairie not knowing where they're goin'
  His momma didn't want him leaving, but now he's headin' out west
  She said "Please don't go" but he said "If I don't I'll never rest"
  It wasn't always easy, some of the boys died
  Johnny wrote her letters but he received no replies
  
  Johnny, he worked on the railroad - pounding on iron and steel
  Working his way out west now - the only sure thing's his next meal
  
  Johnny reached San Francisco tired and broke without a dime
  Started panning for gold just a-hoping he would find
  The gold wasn't a-rushin', but Johnny kept on minin'
  Trying to send his momma somethin' with the letters he was signin'
  And one day Johnny finally got a reply
  When he opened Momma's letter, he began to cry
  She's a-writing from her deathbed and this is what she said:
  "Please don't be mad at me, son, cause tomorrow I'll be dead"
  
  Johnny, he worked on the railroad - pounding on iron and steel
  Working his way out west now - the only sure thing's his next meal
  
  Ah-ha!
  Ah-ha!
  Ha!