virgil caine is my name and i drove on the danville train until so much cavalry came and tore up the tracks again in the winter of 65 we were hungry just barely alive i took the train to richmond that fell it was a time i remember oh so well the night they drove old dixie down and all the bells were ringin the night they drove old dixie down and all the people were singin they went na na na na na na back with my wife in tennessee and one day she said to me virgil quick come see there goes robert e lee now i don t mind i m chopping wood and i don t care if the money s no good just take what you need and leave the rest but they should never have taken the very best the night they drove old dixie down and all the bells were ringin the night they drove old dixie down and all the people were singin they went na na na na na na like my father before me i m a working man and like my brother before me i took a rebel stand oh he was just 18 proud and brave but a yankee laid him in his grave i swear by the blood below my feet you can t raise a cane back up when he s in defeat the night they drove old dixie down and all the bells were ringin the night they drove old dixie down and all the people were singin they went na na na na na na 