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"Rock Island Line" is an American folk song. Ostensibly about the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it appeared as a folk song as early as 1929. The first recorded performance of "Rock Island Line" was by inmates of the Arkansas Cummins State Farm prison in 1934.

The beginning of the most popular version of the song tells the story of a train operator who smuggles pig iron through a toll gate by claiming all he had on board was livestock, but this episode was a later addition not present in the traditional, 1929 version. The song's chorus includes:

The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
If you want to ride you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line

Many artists subsequently recorded it, often changing the verses and adjusting the lyrics.

History

The earliest known version of "Rock Island Line" was written in 1929 by Clarence Wilson, a member of the Rock Island Colored Booster Quartet, a singing group made up of employees of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad at the Biddle Shops freight yard in Little Rock, Arkansas. The lyrics to this version are largely different from the version that later evolved and became famous, with verses describing people and activities associated with the yard.

The first audio recording of the song was made by folklorist and musicologist John A. Lomax at the Tucker, Arkansas prison farm on September 29, 1934. Lead Belly accompanied Lomax to the prison. This version retains some lyrical features of the 1929 version, but also features key elements of the "classic" version. A similar version was recorded by Lomax in October 1934 at Cummins State Farm prison in Lincoln County, Arkansas, performed by a group of singers led by Kelly Pace.

The Penguin Book Of American Folk Songs, compiled and with notes by Alan Lomax, published in 1964, includes "Rock Island Line" with the following footnote:

John A. Lomax recorded this song at the Cummins State Prison farm, Gould, Arkansas, in 1934 from its convict composer, Kelly Pace. The Negro singer, Lead Belly, heard it, rearranged it in his own style, and made commercial phonograph recordings of it in the 1940s. One of these recordings was studied and imitated phrase by phrase, by a young English singer of American folk songs , who subsequently recorded it for an English company. The record sold in the hundreds of thousands in the U.S. and England, and this Arkansas Negro convict song, as adapted by Lead Belly, was published as a personal copyright, words and music, by someone whose contact with the Rock Island Line was entirely through the grooves of a phonograph record.

According to Harry Lewman Music,

Lead Belly and John and Alan Lomax supposedly first heard it from prison work gang during their travels in 1934/35. It was sung a cappella. Huddie sang and performed this song, finally settling on a format where he portrayed, in song, a train engineer asking the depot agent to let his train start out on the main line.

Lonnie Donegan's recording, released as a single in late 1955, signaled the start of the UK skiffle craze. This recording featured Donegan, Chris Barber on double bass and Beryl Bryden on washboard. The Acoustic Music organization makes this comment about Donegan's version. "It flew up the English charts. Donegan had synthesized American Southern Blues with simple acoustic instruments: acoustic guitar, washtub bass and washboard rhythm. The new style was called 'Skiffle' .... and referred to music from people with little money for instruments. The new style captivated an entire generation of post-war youth in England."

Pete Seeger recorded a version a cappella while he was chopping wood, to demonstrate its origins.

Renditions

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"Rock Island Line" has been recorded by:

1930s–1940s

• Prison inmates in Arkansas – Recorded by John Lomax in Arkansas twice in 1934. The October 1934 recording, by Kelly Pace and a group of convicts, was released on the compilation album A Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings (released 1997)
• Lead Belly – Recorded in Washington, D.C., on June 22, 1937, the first of many recordings he made during his career, the last being live at the University of Texas at Austin on June 15, 1949.
  "Rock Island Line" appears on the Lead Belly compilation Rock Island Line: Original 1935-1943 Recordings (released 2003), among many others.
• Arkansas prisoners – Also recorded by John Lomax in 1939. This performance is included with his 1939 Southern States Recording Trip.

1950s

• George Melly (single 1951) – Recorded for the small British Jazz label Tempo (which was subsequently acquired by Decca) under the name "The George Melly Trio", and featuring Johnny Parker on piano and Norman Dodsworth on drums (both members of Mick Mulligan's Magnolia Jazz Band with whom Melly was the singer).
• Odetta as part of the duo Odetta and Larry The Tin Angel 1954
• Lonnie Donegan (single 1955) – In July 1954 Donegan recorded this fast-tempo version of "Rock Island Line", with Chris Barber's Jazz Band. It was the first debut record to be certified gold in the UK, where it helped trigger the skiffle craze. The single reached the top ten in the US, peaking at number eight. This record is quoted by various later famous musicians as a catalyst for their musical development. Donegan embellished Lead Belly's earlier lyrics with an account of how the locomotive engineer fooled a toll-collector by misrepresenting his load of pig-iron as livestock, which was not chargeable, but this is based on his misunderstanding of the railroad phrase “in the hole” (meaning in the siding); the original meaning was merely that the engineer avoided a wait in the siding because trains carrying livestock were given priority.
• Woody Guthrie and Sonny Terry (1955)
• Bobby Darin (single 1956) – Bobby Darin's debut single was a 1956 recording of "Rock Island Line", with "rhythm accompaniment directed by Jack Pleis" for Decca Records.
• Don Cornell (single 1956) – Recorded for Coral Records, an early American cover version following the success of Lonnie Donegan's record in the US charts.
• Stan Freberg (single 1956) – In his typical manner, Freberg parodied Lonnie Donegan's "Rock Island Line", following the latter's American chart success. Issued on Capitol, it was the B-side to Freberg's parody of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel".
• Merrill Moore with Cliffie Stone's Orchestra – single (April 1956)
• The Weavers – The Weavers' Greatest Hits (1957)
• Johnny Cash – Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar (1957) and also issued as Sun Records EP112 as a single - Cash adds two verses to the song, one about a train coming down the track and the second about an engineer indicating two beverages he wants to try before he dies: "a hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea."
• Milt Okun – America's Best Loved Folk Songs, Baton BL1203 (1957)
• Johnny Horton – 1956–1960, recorded in 1957, released posthumously
• Snooks Eaglin – New Orleans Street Singer, SFW CD 40165 (1959)
• The Tarriers – The Tarriers (1957)
• Gateway Singers (1957)

1960s

• The Brothers Four – The Brothers Four Song Book, CS8497 (1961)
• Ramblin' Jack Elliot – Young Brigham (1968)
• Engelbert Humperdink - performed on S07E03 of The Hollywood Palace (1969)

1970s

• Harry Belafonte – On Belafonte, later released on the CDs All Time Greatest Hits Vol. 3 and 36 All-Time Greatest Hits.
• Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee – Blues Masters (1991)
• Whiskey Howl – A cappella version by the Toronto blues band on their 1972 eponymous album
• John Lennon – Acoustic and unreleased version found on the bootleg, The Lost Lennon Tapes
• George Harrison and Paul Simon – Acoustic version performed during rehearsal for November 20, 1976 episode of Saturday Night Live
• Graham Bonnet – On the album Graham Bonnet (1977)

1980s

• The Knitters – Poor Little Critter on the Road (1985)
• The Washington Squares – The Washington Squares (1987)
• Mano Negra – Patchanka (1988)
• Little Richard & Fishbone – Folkways: A Vision Shared—A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly (1988)
• Boxcar Willie (1983)

1990s

• Devil in a Woodpile (with Jane Baxter Miller) (single 1999) – On the album Poor Little Knitter on the Road - A Tribute to the Knitters

2000s

• Odetta – Looking for a Home (2001)
• Dan Zanes and Friends – Family Dance (2001)
• Long John Baldry – Remembering Leadbelly (2001)
• Chris Thomas King – Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (2003)
• Eleven Hundred Springs – Bandwagon (2004)
• The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band – The Gospel Album (2007)

2010s

• Ringo Starr – Ringo 2012 (2012)
• Billy Bragg and Joe Henry - Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad (2016)
• Eric Church (2017) 61 Days in Church (2017)

References

1. Some times identified as "Kelly Pace and Prisoners"
2. "Rock Island Line (I), The". Csufresno.edu. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
3. ^ Wade, Stephen (2012). The Beautiful Music All Around Us: Field Recordings and the American Experience. Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. pp. 49–50, 55.
4. Lomax, Alan, ed. (1964). The Penguin Book of American Folk Songs. Penguin. p. 128. ISBN 9780140708196.
5. ^ "Rock Island Line". Hlmusic.com. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
6. "Timeline of Musical Styles & Guitar History". Acousticmusic.org. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
7. Unterberger, Richie. "Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings - Various Artists : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
8. Archived December 8, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
9. Ruhlmann, William. "Rock Island Line [Naxos] - Leadbelly : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
10. "The John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States Recording Trip". Memory.loc.gov. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
11. "The Tin Angel - Odetta | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
12. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The book of golden discs (2 ed.). London: Barrie & Jenkins. p. 73. ISBN 9780214204807.
13. Stratton, Jon (2010). "The Englishness of Skiffle". Britpop and the English music tradition. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate. pp. 32–34. ISBN 9780754668053.
14. Winick, Stephen (23 August 2017). "From "Mule-een" to New Orleans: Just What Was Lead Belly Saying?". Folklife Today. Library of Congress.
15. Bragg, Billy (1 July 2017). "1 Rock Island Line". Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed the World. London: Faber & Faber. ISBN 9780571327768.
16. "Don Cornell -". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
17. "Stan Freberg - Heartbreak Hotel". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
18. "Merrill Moore - Rock Island Line". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
19. Ruhlmann, William. "Greatest Hits - The Weavers: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
20. Jurek, Thom. "1956-1960 - Johnny Horton : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
21. "The Tarriers - The Tarriers | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
22. "Young Brigham - Ramblin' Jack Elliott | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
23. "Blues Masters - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
24. "Poor Little Critter on the Road - The Knitters | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
25. "Patchanka - Mano Negra | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
26. "Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
27. Widran, Jonathan. "Looking for a Home - Odetta : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
28. "Family Dance - Dan Zanes : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
29. "Remembering Leadbelly - Long John Baldry | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
30. "Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
31. "Bandwagon - Eleven Hundred Springs : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
32. "The Gospel Album - The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
33. "Ringo 2012 - Ringo Starr | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
34. "Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad - Billy Bragg, Joe Henry | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
35. "61 Days in Church, Vol. 3 - Eric Church | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 25, 2021.

External links

• "Rock Island Line" on Allmusic
• Oldielyrics.com, Lonnie Donegan's version of "Rock Island Line"
• A Mighty Good Road: Minnesota Public Radio
• Traditional Music and Spoken Word Catalog, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

v t e Johnny Cash
Albums Singles Sun Records Songs Awards
Studio albums	1950s Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar! The Fabulous Johnny Cash Hymns by Johnny Cash Songs of Our Soil 1960s Ride This Train Now, There Was a Song! Hymns from the Heart The Sound of Johnny Cash Blood, Sweat and Tears The Christmas Spirit I Walk the Line Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian Orange Blossom Special Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West Everybody Loves a Nut Happiness Is You Carryin' On with Johnny Cash & June Carter From Sea to Shining Sea The Holy Land 1970s Hello, I'm Johnny Cash Man in Black A Thing Called Love America: A 200-Year Salute in Story and Song The Johnny Cash Family Christmas Any Old Wind That Blows Johnny Cash and His Woman Ragged Old Flag The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me The Johnny Cash Children's Album Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories John R. Cash Look at Them Beans One Piece at a Time The Last Gunfighter Ballad The Rambler I Would Like to See You Again Gone Girl Silver A Believer Sings the Truth 1980s Rockabilly Blues Classic Christmas The Baron The Adventures of Johnny Cash Johnny 99 Highwayman Rainbow Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming Heroes Believe in Him Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town Classic Cash Water from the Wells of Home 1990s Highwayman 2 Boom Chicka Boom The Mystery of Life Country Christmas American Recordings The Road Goes on Forever American II: Unchained 2000–2020s American III: Solitary Man American IV: The Man Comes Around American V: A Hundred Highways American VI: Ain't No Grave Out Among the Stars Songwriter
Live albums	At Folsom Prison At San Quentin The Johnny Cash Show På Österåker Strawberry Cake Koncert v Praze (In Prague – Live) VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson At Madison Square Garden A Concert Behind Prison Walls
Soundtracks	I Walk the Line Little Fauss and Big Halsy
Compilations	Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous Greatest! Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams Now Here's Johnny Cash All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Heart of Cash Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Sunday Morning Coming Down International Superstar Five Feet High and Rising Destination Victoria Station Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 The Unissued Johnny Cash Johnny & June Tall Man Encore Biggest Hits The Man in Black 1954–1958 The Man in Black 1959–1962 Come Along and Ride This Train The Essential Johnny Cash (1992) Wanted Man The Man in Black 1963–1969 The Man in Black – His Greatest Hits 16 Biggest Hits Love, God, Murder The Essential Johnny Cash (2002) Unearthed The Legend The Legend of Johnny Cash Patriot 16 Biggest Hits: Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash The Legend of Johnny Cash Vol. II The Complete Columbia Album Collection Johnny Cash and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Songs	"25 Minutes to Go" "Seasons of My Heart" "Any Old Wind That Blows" "A Wonderful Time Up There" "The Ballad of Boot Hill" "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" "Big River" "Blistered" "A Boy Named Sue" "Busted" "Cat's in the Cradle" "Cocaine Blues" "Cry! Cry! Cry!" "Daddy Sang Bass" "Dark as a Dungeon" "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" "Engine 143" "Flesh and Blood" "The Folk Singer" "Folsom Prison Blues" "Forty Shades of Green" "Get Rhythm" "Give My Love to Rose" "Goodnight, Irene" "Green, Green Grass of Home" "Greystone Chapel" "Guess Things Happen That Way" "Hey, Porter" "Home of the Blues" "Hurt" "I Couldn't Keep from Crying" "I Love You Because" "I Still Miss Someone" "I Walk the Line" "If I Had a Hammer" "If I Were a Carpenter" "In My Life" "In the Jailhouse Now" "It Ain't Me Babe" "Jackson" "Kate" "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" "The Man Comes Around" "Man in Black" "The Matador" "Oh Lonesome Me" "One Piece at a Time" "Oney" "Orange Blossom Special" "The One on the Right Is on the Left" "Remember the Alamo" "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" "Ring of Fire" "Rock Island Line" "So Doggone Lonesome" "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" "Tennessee Flat Top Box" "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" "A Thing Called Love" "Understand Your Man" "What Is Truth" "What'd I Say" "Without Love" "You Are My Sunshine"
Television	The Johnny Cash Show
Biographies	Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words Cash: The Autobiography Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music My Father and the Man in Black Walk the Line Ring of Fire (musical) Ring of Fire (2013 film)
Tribute albums	The Sound Behind Johnny Cash Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Walk the Line: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Fade to Black: Memories of Johnny All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Remixed We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash Forever Words
Associated acts	The Highwaymen The Tennessee Three Bob Wootton Carl Perkins W. S. Holland Marshall Grant Luther Perkins Million Dollar Quartet The Great Eighties Eight
Family	June Carter Cash John Carter Cash Rosanne Cash Cindy Cash Carlene Carter Tommy Cash Carter Family
Historical sites	Dyess, Arkansas Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Johnny Cash Museum House of Cash Carter Family Fold
Legacy	Statue of Johnny Cash
Category

• 1929 songs
• 1955 debut singles
• Lead Belly songs
• Odetta songs
• Lonnie Donegan songs
• Johnny Cash songs
• Pete Seeger songs
• Blues songs
• Rockabilly songs
• American folk songs
• Songs written by Lead Belly
• Songs about trains
• Songs with unknown songwriters