born out in the country raised out on a farm got my education out behind a barn left one sunday morning in a driving rain hitchhiked to the freight yard and caught the railroad train oh engineer let your whistle whine oh get me out of here a little further down the line well i ve been to california and i ve been to new orleans been to new york city and everywhere between i ve eat beans and taters your finest caviar drank brandy from a snifter and moonshine from a jar oh engineer let your whistle whine oh get me out of here a little further down the line landed in a prison with a number for my name fed me bread and water tied to a ball and chain i swore the day they slammed the door and the jailer locked me in if they ever let me out of here i ll never go back again been dreaming of the day when i return back to my home that s where i want to settle down never more to roam sit me on a tractor and point me to the field and i will plow a furrow with my hands upon the wheel oh engineer let your whistle whine oh get me out of here a little further down the line