A Train Robbery
Levon HelmVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
The foreman touched the cold steel lines
The rail bed was frozen with ice
In the distance an engine was keeping good time
The steam whistle moaned just twice
Down in the cut past the old Tressel bridge
Twelve fine horses stood
Masked men shivered in the cold on the ridge
Not far from the Glendale woods
The brass lamp shone from the swaying train
When the driver saw the red light
Her iron brakes sparked like silver rain
And the metals screamed through the night
The baggage man peered out to look for the fault
When fear froze up his heart
He was staring down the barrel of an army colt
That threatened to tear him apart
We will burn your train to cinders
so throw the money on down
Open up your damned express car
And jump down to the ground
But we won't touch that old woman
and they claimed
They ain't offered no reward
For Frank and Jesse James
Frank and Jesse James
In long soldier's coats frayed with the years
Quickly they scrambled aboard
Men were the sweatin' and the women shed tears
And a preacher prayed to the Lord
When they opened the safe there was nothing for them
So they strode down through the train
What a miserable sight these desperate men
Robbin' old folks for their gold, watch, chains
We will burn your train to cinders
so throw the money on down
Open up your damned express car
And jump down to the ground
But we won't touch that old woman
and they claimed
They ain't offered no reward
For Frank and Jesse James
Frank and Jesse James
Now some say the devil had taken his soul
Some say his spirit survived
But we all know he was nothin' but a Missouri farm boy
Just fighting to stay alive
High above that railroad bed
On a ridge where the pines grow tall
If you listen to the wind, there's a ghost of a chance
You can still hear old Jesse call
We will burn your train to cinders
so throw the money on down
Open up your damned express car
And jump down to the ground
But we won't touch that old woman
and they claimed
They ain't offered no reward
For Frank and Jesse James
Frank and Jesse James
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Readable chord sheet for A Train Robbery by Levon Helm
[G] [G]The foreman touched the c[C]old steel li[G]nes [G]The rail bed was f[D]rozen with i[G]ce [G]In the distance an engine was k[C]eeping good t[G]ime [G]The steam whistle m[D]oaned just t[G]wice [C]Down in the cut past the old Tr[G]essel bridge [C]Twelve fine horses s[D]tood [G]Masked men shivered in the c[C]old on the r[G]idge [G]Not far from the G[D]lendale wo[G]ods [G]The brass lamp shone from the s[C]waying t[G]rain [G]When the driver s[D]aw the red li[G]ght [G]Her iron brakes sparked like s[C]ilver r[G]ain [G]And the metals scr[D]eamed through the ni[G]ght [C]The baggage man peered out to l[G]ook for the fault [C]When fear froze up his he[D]art [G]He was staring down the barrel of an a[C]rmy c[G]olt [G]That threatened to t[D]ear him a[G]part [G]We will burn your train to cinders [C]so throw the money on d[G]own [G]Open up your damned express car [C]And jump down to the gr[G]ound [G]But we won't touch that old woman [C][Incomprehensible] and they cl[G]aimed [G]They ain't offered no reward [C]For Frank and Jesse J[G]ames [C]Frank and Jesse Ja[G]mes [G]In long soldier's coats f[C]rayed with the y[G]ears [G]Quickly they sc[D]rambled ab[G]oard [G]Men were the sweatin' and the w[C]omen shed t[G]ears [G]And a preacher pr[D]ayed to the L[G]ord [C]When they opened the safe there was not[G]hing for them [C]So they strode down through the tr[D]ain [G]What a miserable sight these d[C]esperate [G]men [G]Robbin' old folks for their g[D]old, watch, ch[G]ains [G]We will burn your train to cinders [C]so throw the money on d[G]own [G]Open up your damned express car [C]And jump down to the gr[G]ound [G]But we won't touch that old woman [C][Incomprehensible] and they cl[G]aimed [G]They ain't offered no reward [C]For Frank and Jesse J[G]ames [C]Frank and Jesse J[G]ames [C]Now some say the devil had taken his s[G]oul [C]Some say his spirit sur[D]vived [G]But we all know he was nothin' but a M[C]issouri farm [G]boy [G]Just fighting to s[D]tay al[G]ive [C]High above that rai[G]lroad bed [C]On a ridge where the pines grow ta[D]ll [G]If you listen to the wind, there's a g[C]host of a c[G]hance [G]You can still hear [D]old Jesse c[G]all [G]We will burn your train to cinders [C]so throw the money on [G]down [G]Open up your damned express car [C]And jump down to the g[G]round [G]But we won't touch that old woman [C][Incomprehensible] and they cla[G]imed [G]They ain't offered no reward [C]For Frank and Jesse Ja[G]mes [C]Frank and Jesse Ja[G]mes