Performed by Clint Black, Joe Diffie, Emmylou Harris, Merle Haggard,
Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs,
Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt and Dwight Yoakam
From the compilation CD "Tribute To Tradition"
(Clint Black)
Well I got on in Bristol, by the old Virgina line
With a suitcase full of dreams,
And a brand new spendin' dime
(Pam Tillis)
I had a full bouquet of music, wrapped in pretty words
Singin' songs sent down from heaven,
On the wings of a speckled bird
Wings of a speckled bird
(Randy Travis)
I heard a guitar and a fiddle, banjo and mandolin
An old man opened up the door and told me "come on in"
(Marty Stuart)
He took my ticket, then he told me,
Bring what it is you do
'Cause that's how you'll be remembered
When you're travelin' days are through
When you're travelin' days are through
(All)
They came from the hills and mountains,
The valleys and the plains
Some were kind and gentle,
And some too wild to tame
(Emmylou Harris)
A string of fearless hearts, on an endless ball of twine
It's the same old train, it's just a different time
Just a different time
(Merle Haggard)
We sung songs in war, we sung songs in peace
We traveled in abundance and we traveled on relief
(Travis Tritt)
From the outer gates of heaven, to hell fire's burnin' door
It don't matter where you take it,
'Cause it's been there before
It's been there before
(All)
They came from the hills and mountains,
The valleys and the plains
Some were kind and gentle,
And some too wild to tame
(Merle Haggard)
A string of fearless hearts, on an endless ball of twine
(All)
It's the same old train, it's just a different time
Just a different time
(Ricky Skaggs/Patty Loveless)
Now like a precious treasure, that's immeasurable in worth
We stand before a new wave, proud children of the earth
(Joe Diffie)
We'll go on forever, and here's your solid proof
As long as there's a world we've gotta sing
Those folks the truth
Sing those folks the truth
(Dwight Yoakam)
They came from the neon cities,
The suburbs and the towns
From Bakersfield to Baltimore,
It's sacred holy ground
(All)
A string of fearless hearts, on an endless ball of twine
It's the same old train, it's just a different time
Just a different time
Just a different time
Just a different time
Scruggs, Krauss play banjo and fiddle interlude)
(Merle Haggard)
It's the same old train, it's just a different time
Same old train, just a different time