Special Streamline (Panama Limited)

Booker T Washington White (Bukka White)

Instructions begin at 6:50.

Open D tuning

Spoken:

That’s that fast Special Streamline

Leavin’ outta Memphis, Tennessee

Goin’ into New Orleans. She runnin’ so fast the hobos don’t

fool with this train. They stand on the track with their hat in their hands.

I had a friend girl that mornin’ was catchin’ that train.

She got up singin’ this song:

(Sings:)

“Hey Dad, I’m sorry to leave my home, Mm-mm-mm

Lord, Lord, Lord, Lordy”

(Spoken:)

She heard that 8: 30 local blowin’ that mornin’. She hadn’t rid the train in a good while. She thought it’d have that Special Streamline.

She heard at 8: 30 local when she is comin’ to the line, declared up for that Streamline. Blowin’ like this:

(plays guitar w/wshbrd)

She said, “Daddy, is that my train? ‘

I say, I ain’t keepin’ up with the train time I’m tryin-a make a few dimes.”

She dropped her head went to singin’ and cryin’:

(Sings:)

“‘It’s alright how you turn me down

Mm-mm-mm

I ain’t got a dime”

(Spoken:)

After she called for a ticket

She heard this Special Streamline

Going 36 miles from Memphis, Tennessee.

Make ya lonesome now

Cause I hobo myself, sometimes.

(plays guitar & w/wshbrd)

Man asks her, “Where the other train?” She told him she didn’t know

If she heard a bell she could tell him all about it. As she dropped  over that hill and stopped off in the valley she heard the bell begin to toll like this:

(plays guitar w/wshbrd)

‘Make a sound like a church bell toll’. 

Before she got to that ten mile tunnel she blowed and throw’d on  the airbrakes.

(plays guitar & w/wshbrd x 3)

Airbrakes!

When she got to that ten mile tunnel she was gettin’ close

She was tippin cars on automatic switch gettin’ her water and coal on the fly you could hear her when she was strikin’ that double iron like this:

(plays guitar w/wshbrd)

When she run ‘cross the last one

She squalled in.

(plays guitar w/wshbrd)

This girl looked out an’ seen that train she commenced to singin’ an cryin’.

(Sings:)

“Hey, dad I don’t wanna leave’

Mm-mm I believe I’ll lose my mind”

When that train got a little closer

Down to New Orleans, she went around that curve, you would hear her when she’s blowin’ like this:

(plays guitar w/wshbrd x 3)

The people’s always standin’ at the station lyin’ there to see that train come in. You would hear her when she squalls.

(plays guitar w/wshbrd – to end)

Spoken:

‘Boy, ev’rywhere but here’