I'm sailin' sailin',
Place I've never seen
That's way down south,

Sweet 'ol New Orleans

'Cause my hometown friend treat me awful mean

If I could holler, Yeah holler

If I could scream and cry,
It hurts me so
When I look up in the sky,

'Cause my friends turn their heads,

As they pass me by

Now it's rainin', It's rainin'

The wind's blowin' cold,
Lord I thought I heard

My train whistle blow,

Now I'm gonna sail so far

'Till I won't be back no more

Pardon me, pardon me,

It's so hard to stand
I ain't got no money,
Uncle Sam has called my name

Now there's not a soul,

To give me a helpin' hand