If you miss the train I'm on
You will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
Lord I'm one, Lord I'm two, Lord I'm three, Lord I'm four
I'm 500 miles away from home

Not a shirt on my back
Not a penny to my name
Lord I can't go back this a'way
This a'way, this a'way, this a'way, this a'way
Lord I can't go back this a'way

Well, I'm walking these ties,
With tears in my eyes
Trying to read a letter from my home
From my home, from my home, from my home, from my home
Trying to read a letter from my home

If this train's running right
I'll be home by Saturday night
I'm 500 miles away from home
Away from home, away from home, away from home. away from home
I'm 500 miles away from home