I'm sailin' sailin'
To a place I've never seen
That's way down south
Sweet 'ol New Orleans
Cause my hometown friend treats me awful mean
If I could holler
Yeah holler
If I could scream and cry
It hurts me so
When I look up in the sky
Cause my friends turn their heads
As they pass me by
Now it's rainin'
It's rainin'
The wind's blowin' cold
Lord I thought I heard
My train whistle blow
Now I'm gonna sail so far
Til I won't be back no more
Pardon me, Pardon me
It's so hard to stand
I ain't got no money
Uncle Sam has called my name
Now there's not a soul
To give me a helpin' hand
To a place I've never seen
That's way down south
Sweet 'ol New Orleans
Cause my hometown friend treats me awful mean
If I could holler
Yeah holler
If I could scream and cry
It hurts me so
When I look up in the sky
Cause my friends turn their heads
As they pass me by
Now it's rainin'
It's rainin'
The wind's blowin' cold
Lord I thought I heard
My train whistle blow
Now I'm gonna sail so far
Til I won't be back no more
Pardon me, Pardon me
It's so hard to stand
I ain't got no money
Uncle Sam has called my name
Now there's not a soul
To give me a helpin' hand