THE C&O DON'T STOP HERE ANYMORE
WRITTEN BY TIM SWADDLING & JEAN RITCHIE
When I was a curly headed baby
My daddy sat me down upon his knee
He said, "Boy, you go to school and learn your lessons
Don't you be a dirty factory worker
Like me."
I used to think my daddy was a rich man
With spare change enough to buy the corner store
Now he goes downtown with empty pockets
And he’s looking for work
That just ain't there anymore
I was born and raised in the west end of Rose City
All them factories hummin’ just outside my door
Now they're standin' in a rusty row all empty
And the C&O
Don't stop here anymore
When I was young I was told I’d never have to worry
"You can always work over at G.M." is what they said
But it's also true what they say ‘bout nothin' lastin’ forever
And where General Motors once stood
There's an empty lot there instead
I used to go to sleep hearing that lonesome whistle sound
The whine and moan of a GP7 all over town
Spottin' cars an' makin' lifts all night long
But now the only sounds I hear at night is my hungry baby cryin'
And my pitiful tears fallin' on the ground
I was born and raised in the west end of Rose City
All them steel ribbons just outside my door
And now they lay in a rusty row all empty
And the C&O
Don't stop here anymore
Round about midnight there'd be a crew change
To make the reverse move back to Chatham in the morn'
They'd sit under lamp light, smokin' cigars, talkin' 'bout the old times
As the clock ticked down on them, their jobs vanishing like smoke
After the coal's gone cold
Well, I never thought I’d long to work that late shift
Or yearn to hear the thumpin’ of old Dominion Forge
But how I wish all those ragweeds would turn to money
And those portraits of the Queen
Would fill my pockets once more
I was born and raised in the west end of Rose City
All them steel ribbons criss crossing each other outside my door
And now they’re pulling out the tracks just as far as my eyes can see
And the C&O
Don't stop here anymore
Last night I dreamed I went down to the assembly yard
To draw my pay like I always had done before
But them ol' kudzu vines were comin' through the broken windows
And the dust and the grime
Littered the factory floor
And I was born and raised in the west end of Rose City
All them factories hummin’ just outside my door
Now they're standin' in a rusty row all empty
And the C&O
It'll never stop here anymore
Copyright c.2022 SOCAN
