Ben Dewberry's Final Run
Tragic Journey of Ben Dewberry: A Railroad Ballad
Lyrics
Ben Dewberry was a brave engineer
Ben Dewberry was a courageous train operator
He told his fireman don't you ever fear
He advised his assistant not to be afraid
All I want is the water and coal
All he needed was water and coal for the engine
Put your head out the window, watch the drivers roll
He instructed his assistant to look out the window and observe the drivers (wheels)
Watch the drivers roll watch the drivers roll
Repeated line emphasizing watching the drivers roll
Put your head out the window, watch the drivers
Continuation of the instruction to observe the drivers
Roll
Reiterated instruction to watch the drivers
Ben Dewberry said before he died
Ben Dewberry mentioned two specific train routes before his death
Two more roads that he wanted to ride
He had a desire to travel two more train routes
His fireman asked him what could they be
His assistant inquired about the routes
Said the old Northeastern and the A and B
Ben mentioned the "old Northeastern" and the "A and B" as the routes
The A and B he said the A and B
Reiterated mention of the "A and B" route
It's the old Northeastern and the A and B
Clarified the specific routes as the "old Northeastern" and the "A and B"
On the fatal morning it began to rain
On the fateful morning, it started raining
Around the curve come a passenger train
A passenger train approached around a curve
Ben Dewberry was the engineer
Ben Dewberry was operating the train
With the throttle wide open and without any fear
He operated the train at high speed and without fear
He didn't have no fear he didn't have no fear
Emphasized his lack of fear while running the train
He had her runnin' wide open without any fear
Highlighted the train's high-speed operation without fear
Ben looked at his watch shook his head
Ben checked the time and expressed concern about reaching Atlanta
We may make Atlanta but we'll all be dead
He feared for their lives despite reaching Atlanta
The train was flyin' by the troublin' switch
The train encountered a problematic switch
Without any warning then she took the ditch
Without warning, the train derailed
Yea! she went in the ditch well, she took the ditch
Repeated mention of the train going into the ditch
Without any warning then she took the ditch
Reiterated the sudden derailment into the ditch
The big locomotive leaped from the rail
The locomotive jumped off the tracks
Ben never lived to tell that awful tale
Ben didn't survive to recount the incident
His life was ended and his work was done
His life came to an end and his job was completed
When Ben Dewberry made his final run
Ben Dewberry's final journey ended tragically
He made his final run he made his final run
Repeated mention of the tragic end of Ben's final journey
When Ben Dewberry made his final run
Emphasized the conclusion of Ben Dewberry's last trip
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