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Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version] Lyrics by Harry McClintock

Haywire Mac (1972)

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"That is right. That was written, uh, in, uh 1911. The time of the big [?] strike. The, uh, the shopcrafts, the machinists, bottlemakers and so forth, all these shopmen went out on strike and of course, the way they were lined up at that time, the, uh, trainmen, engineers and firemen, they stayed on the job, so Joe Hill, I think he wrote this when he was right here in San Pedro
Now, the shopmen on the S.P. line for strike sent out a call
But Casey Jones the engineer, he wouldn’t strike at all
The boiler, it was leaking, and the drivers on the bum
And the bearings and the engines, they were all out of plum
But Casey Jones, kept his junkpile running
Casey Jones, was working double-time
Casey Jones, got a wooden medal
For being good and faithful on the S.P. line
Now, the shopmen got together and they said it wasn't fair
For Casey Jones to go around a-scabbin' everywhere
And someone puts a bunch of railroad ties across the track
And Casey hit the river with an awful crack
Casey Jones, hit the river bottom
Casey Jones, broke his blooming spine
Casey Jones, became an Angeleno
He took a trip to Heaven on the S.P. line
Now, when Casey Jones got up to Heaven, to the pearly gates
He said, “I’m Casey Jones, the guy that pulled the S.P. freights”
“You’re just the man,” said Peter, “Our musicians went on strike"
"You can get a job a-scabbing any time you like”
Casey Jones, went up to Heaven
Casey Jones, was doing mighty fine
Casey Jones, went scabbing on the angels
Just like he did the shopmen on the S.P. line
Now, the angels got together, they said it wasn’t fair
For Casey Jones to go around a-scabbing everywhere
The angels union number twenty-three, they sure were there
For they promptly fired Casey down the Golden Stairs
Casey Jones, went to Hell a-flying
Casey Jones, the Devil said “Oh fine"
Casey Jones, got busy shoveling sulphur
That's what he got for scabbing on the S.P. line
Credits
Harry McClintock

Harry McClintock

About “Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]” by Harry McClintock

Read the complete lyrics to "Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]" by Harry McClintock from the album "Haywire Mac (1972)". 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 Rock.

"Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]" is performed by Harry McClintock. from the album "Haywire Mac (1972)" 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 "Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]", explore more songs by Harry McClintock 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

"Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]" is credited to Harry McClintock. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]" appears on "Haywire Mac (1972)".

Visit the Harry McClintock artist page at /artist/harry-mcclintock for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.