John Hess' Train

Would you look out of your window / it’s another rainy day
How much more water can this valley take?
The rain’s a-fallin’ hard / it’s fillin’ up the lake
Better pray for the sun to shine or else that dam will break (Or else that dam will break)

The Pittsburgh men came and dammed up the creek
They put a fish gate over the hole / so no fish could leave
They took out all the drain pipes now the lake can’t be controlled
And if that dam gives, God have mercy on their souls (God have mercy on their souls)

The creeks are running high and we don’t know how long
That dam will hold / if it blows we’ll all be gone
The telegraph wire said there’s trouble up the line
Put a hat on that pretty little head and get to where it’s dry (You better get to where it’s dry)

Wait, stop and listen, that’s the whistle from Hess’ train
You know what that means, son, disaster’s on its way
The South Fork dam broke, now hear me say
Go get the baby, and stay where it’s safe (Better stay where it’s safe)

Now there’s a wall of water / roaring like a train
The city’s been destroyed and there’s twelve hundred slain
The air’s full of smoke and death and all kinds of pain
And we’re haunted by the whistle of John Hess’ train (Haunted by the whistle of John Hess’ train)