If you miss the train I'm on you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
Lord I'm one, Lord I'm two, Lord I'm three, Lord I'm four
I'm 500 miles away from home.

Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
Lord, I can't go back this a'way
This a'way, this a'way, this a'way, this a'way
Lord, I can't go back this a'way.

Well, I'm walking these ties with tears in my eyes
Trying to read a letter from my home
From my home, from my home, from my home, from my home
Trying to read a letter from my home.

If this train's running right I'll be home by Saturday night
I'm 500 miles away from home
Away from home, away from home, away from home. away from home
I'm 500 miles away from home...