(Intro: Slow, dreamy electric guitar enters with heavy reverb, playing a simple, wandering motif (Dmaj7 - G - C). Bass is walking lazily. Drums tap a gentle, shuffling beat, finding a slow groove. The sound is hazy, like morning mist over the tracks.) (Verse 1) (D)Sunrise broke over the trestle (A)down by the Mobile Bay, (Bm)Pulled the hood up slow and low, (G)kicked the damp morning away. (D)Heard that whistle screaming (A)way down on the mainline track, (Bm)Felt that old familiar pull, (G)knew there wasn't lookin' back. (D)Got two dimes and a map I drew (A)on the back of a pawn shop receipt, (Bm)Got nothing to my name but the (G)dust upon my feet. (D)Yeah, the freight yard's a church (A)and the boxcar's the pew, (Bm)And the whole damn country's waiting (G)to see what we might do. (Chorus) (G)Oh, the wheels start turning slow, (D)shakin' off the dew, (A)Ridin' out of sorrow, ridin' (D)into something new. (G)Every town's a postcard, every (D)sunset is a sign, (A)We're waltzing with the rails now, (D)on that long, lonely freight line. (Verse 2) (D)The rhythm of the steel rail (A)is the only clock I own, (Bm)Rockin' back and forth from (G)Dallas up to San Antone. (D)Met a man named preacher, he was (A)older than the car, (Bm)Said the only true direction is (G)following the North Star. (D)Shared a half-smoked cigarette, (A)a story and a drink, (Bm)He said, "Son, you gotta listen to (G)what the iron rails think." (D)They think freedom, they think motion, (A)they think leaving trouble behind, (Bm)A quiet place to rest your soul (G)and let your busy mind unwind. (Guitar Solo 1:) (The "Wander") (The band picks up the tempo slightly. The lead guitar takes a long, meandering solo—clean tone, heavy reverb, lots of bends and fluid, melodic improvisation over the main D-A-Bm-G progression. The bass becomes more active, walking around the changes.) (Bridge) (C)Sometimes the tunnel's dark and (G)you don't know where you are, (D)Just the roar of the engine and the (G)flicker of a distant star. (C)You wonder if you're chasing (G)a dream that won't come true, (D)But the train don't care about tomorrow, (A)it just cares about the view. (Chorus) (G)Oh, the wheels start turning slow, (D)shakin' off the dew, (A)Ridin' out of sorrow, ridin' (D)into something new. (G)Every town's a postcard, every (D)sunset is a sign, (A)We're waltzing with the rails now, (D)on that long, lonely freight line. (Verse 3) (D)We tied our bindle down with rope (A)and watched the world roll by, (Bm)Got the mountain ranges painting (G)pictures in the sky. (D)It ain't easy living, you know, (A)it ain't clean or fancy dressed, (Bm)But there's a kind of honest beauty (G)in this continuous test. (D)You gotta jump when the chance comes, (A)you gotta hold on tight and pray, (Bm)And trust that where you land is (G)exactly where you need to stay... today. (Jam Section/Guitar Solo 2:) (The "Glide") (The tempo slows back down, becoming very loose and exploratory. The lead guitar and bass lock into a slow, jazzy, blues-infused dialogue. The drums become minimal, focusing on brushes and soft cymbals. The music drifts, mimicking the slow, rhythmic glide of a boxcar at night.) (The band gradually locks back into the original tempo and feel.) (Outro) (D)Yeah, the freight line keeps on running... (A)From the coast up to the plains... (Bm)Just rolling with the hours... (G)Through the sun and through the rain... (The instruments gently fade out on the D chord, leaving the sound of a distant train whistle blowing low.)
