THE LUGGAGE VAN AHEAD
A traditional railway song from Australia (Circa 1915)

Click HERE for a Guitar Tab version.

On the midnight express as the train rattled on
All the passengers had gone to bed
All save one young man with a babe on his knee
Who sat there with a bowed down head

One commenced crying just then
As though it's poor heart would break
When an angry man said make that child stop it's noise
It's keeping us all a-wake
Put it out said another don't keep it in here
We've paid for our berths and want rest

But never a word said the man with the child
As he fondled it close to his chest
Oh where is it's mother go take it to her
A young woman softly then said.
I wish to god that I could, was the man's sad reply
But she's dead in the van a-head

While the train rolled onwards the husband sat in tears
Thinking of the happiness of just a few short years
Baby's face brings pictures of a cherished one who's dead
But baby's cries can't waken her
In the luggage van ahead