(Tempo: Moderate, driving rhythm. Acoustic guitar with a strong, rhythmic strum; a simple, steady drum beat, maybe a harmonica for texture.) (Capo on 2nd fret, Key of Am) (Verse 1) **(Am)**Sunrise was still an hour off, the air was sharp and **(G)**clean **(C)Walkin' down the railyard tracks, a shadow in be(F)**tween **(Am)Heard the engine grumbling low, a mile or two a(G)**way **(C)**My backpack tight, my hands were numb, I knew this was the **(E7)**day. (Chorus) **(Am)**Oh, the steel wheel sings a **(G)**hungry, rolling **(C)**song **(F)**It don't care where you're goin', **(Am)**just where you **(E7)**belong **(Am)**There's grease on my Levi's and **(G)**dust in my **(C)**hair **(F)**Gonna ride the rails to **(Am)**anywhere from **(E7)**here to **(Am)**there. (Verse 2) **(Am)**Found a boxcar open wide, a perfect dusty **(G)**shell **(C)**Pulled myself up in the dark, and wished the old girl **(F)**well **(Am)**Felt the lurch, the slow begin, then faster than a **(G)**stream **(C)**Watching towns become a blur, living out a hobo's **(E7)**dream. (Chorus) **(Am)**Oh, the steel wheel sings a **(G)**hungry, rolling **(C)**song **(F)**It don't care where you're goin', **(Am)**just where you **(E7)**belong **(Am)**There's grease on my Levi's and **(G)**dust in my **(C)**hair **(F)**Gonna ride the rails to **(Am)**anywhere from **(E7)**here to **(Am)**there. (Bridge) **(Dm)**Some folks say it's runnin' away, a reckless **(Am)**foolish plan **(G)**But there's an honest kind of freedom in the **(C)**palm of your own **(E7)**hand **(Dm)**No rent to pay, no clock to watch, just the **(Am)**prairie rollin' by **(G)**Underneath a million stars, in a boundless, **(E7)**midnight sky. (Harmonica Solo - short and soulful, over Am-G-C-F progression) (Verse 3) **(Am)**Passed a freight going the other way, the engineer just **(G)**waved **(C)**We're a brotherhood of wanderers, no fortune to be **(F)**saved **(Am)Shared a can of cold beans once, with a fella from Misso(G)**uri **(C)**He said, "Son, you ride the iron horse, and you never have to **(E7)**worry." (Chorus) **(Am)**Oh, the steel wheel sings a **(G)**hungry, rolling **(C)**song **(F)**It don't care where you're goin', **(Am)**just where you **(E7)**belong **(Am)**There's grease on my Levi's and **(G)**dust in my **(C)**hair **(F)**Gonna ride the rails to **(Am)**anywhere from **(E7)**here to **(Am)**there. (Outro) **(Am)**From here to **(E7)**there... **(Am)**Yeah, from here to **(G)**there... **(C)**Just the rhythm and the **(F)**wind... **(Am)**Just the **(E7)**train, my **(Am)**friend. (Fade out with final guitar strum and a sustained harmonica note.)
