Cluck Old Hen (The Railway Crew Edition) (Intro) (An energetic, rhythmic roll on the clawhammer banjo sets the train-like tempo. The harmonica slips in with a sharp train whistle blow, followed by a rapid, chopping rhythm from the mandolin.) Verse 1 My old hen she's a good old hen, She lays eggs for the railway men. She don't lay one or two, She lays eggs for the whole damn crew! Chorus (All instruments kick into high gear) Cluck, old hen! Cluck, old hen! Layin' them eggs for the railway men! Cluck, old hen, she lays 'em true, Layin' them eggs for the whole damn crew! Verse 2 My old hen she's a good old hen, She lays eggs for the railway men. She don't lay three or four, She lays her legs at the bunkhouse door! Chorus Cluck, old hen! Cluck, old hen! Layin' them eggs for the railway men! Cluck, old hen, she lays 'em true, Layin' them eggs for the whole damn crew! (Mandolin Solo) (The vocals stop as the mandolin takes the lead with rapid-fire, melodic picking, mimicking the frantic cackling of a chicken.) Verse 3 My old hen she's a good old hen, She lays eggs for the railway men. She don't lay five or six, She lays eggs because of the rooster's tricks! Chorus Cluck, old hen! Cluck, old hen! Layin' them eggs for the railway men! Cluck, old hen, she lays 'em true, Layin' them eggs for the whole damn crew! (Harmonica Solo) (The harmonica takes over, pulling wild, bending notes and chugging like a steam locomotive rolling down the tracks.) Verse 4 My old hen she's a good old hen, She lays eggs for the railway men. She don't lay seven or eight, She lays them all at the front damn gate! Chorus Cluck, old hen! Cluck, old hen! Layin' them eggs for the railway men! Cluck, old hen, she lays 'em true, Layin' them eggs for the whole damn crew! (Banjo Solo) (The banjo steps up with a bright, driving solo, driving the rhythm forward as the band builds up speed.) Verse 5 My old hen she's a good old hen, She lays eggs for the railway men. She don't lay nine or ten, She lays eggs for all of them! Chorus Cluck, old hen! Cluck, old hen! Layin' them eggs for the railway men! Cluck, old hen, she lays 'em true, Layin' them eggs for the whole damn crew! Outro (The tempo begins to speed up to a frantic pace) Cluck, old hen, cluck, cluck, cluck! (Banjo mimics a chicken pluck) Railway men are in great big luck! (The instruments trade rapid-fire licks: a mandolin chop, a banjo roll, a harmonica wail) She don't lay nine, she don't lay ten... She’s feedin' all of the railway men! (The band holds a sustained, dramatic chord) Yeah, she cackles in the lot... (A single harmonica train-whistle bend) Before she winds up in the pot! (One final, fast-paced string flourish ends on a sharp, synchronized slam)
