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A Train Robbery Lyrics by Levon Helm

Ramble at the Ryman

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The full moon 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 trestle 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 Pullman
She's Southern and they claimed
They ain't offered no reward
For Frank and Jesse James
Frank and Jesse James

In long soldiers 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 desparate 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 Pullman
She's Southern 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 Pullman
She's Southern and they claimed
They ain't offered no reward
For Frank and Jesse James
For Frank and Jesse James
Credits
Levon Helm

Levon Helm

About “A Train Robbery” by Levon Helm

Read the complete lyrics to "A Train Robbery" by Levon Helm from the album "Ramble at the Ryman". 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.

"A Train Robbery" is performed by Levon Helm. from the album "Ramble at the Ryman" 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 "A Train Robbery", explore more songs by Levon Helm 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.

View all songs and biography for Levon Helm · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"A Train Robbery" is credited to Levon Helm. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"A Train Robbery" appears on "Ramble at the Ryman".

Visit the Levon Helm artist page at /artist/levon-helm for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.

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