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Engine 143 Lyrics by Dave Alvin

Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land

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Along came the F-15 the swiftest on the line
Running over the C and O road just twenty minutes behind
Running into Sou'ville headquarters on the line
Receiving their strict orders from a station just behind

Georgie's mother came to him with a bucket on her arm
Saying, "My darling son, be careful how you run
Many a man has lost his life by trying to make lost time
But if you run your engine right, you'll get there just on time"

Up the road he darted against the rocks he crushed
Upside down the engine turned and Georgie's breast did smash
His head was against the firebox door the flames were rolling high
I'm glad I was born to be an engineer on the C and O road to die

The doctor said to Georgie, "My darling son be still
Your life may yet be saved if it is God's blessed will"
"Oh no", said George, "That will not do I want to die so free
I want to die for the engine I love one hundred and forty three"

The doctor said to Georgie, "Your life cannot be saved"
Murdered upon a railroad and laid in a lonesome grave
His face was covered up with blood his eyes you could not see
The very last words poor Georgie said was, "Nearer my God to thee"
Credits

About “Engine 143” by Dave Alvin

Read the complete lyrics to "Engine 143" by Dave Alvin from the album "Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Engine 143" is performed by Dave Alvin. from the album "Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Engine 143", explore more songs by Dave Alvin using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Engine 143" is credited to Dave Alvin. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Engine 143" appears on "Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land".

Visit the Dave Alvin artist page at /artist/dave-alvin for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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