When the train pulled in to the station
He rolled up his sleeves, rosined up his bow
He fiddle upside down, Orange Blossom Special
If you want to make a living, you've got to put on a good show
When he smelled the smoke and the cinders
Slicked his hair back, opened up his case
Played Cherokee Fiddle, played for the whiskey
Good whiskey never let him lose his place
He was always there, playing for the miners
Devil's Dream was a tune they all understood
Then he'd go back to Oklahoma
Wait till the trains was a runnin' and the weather was good
When he smelled the smoke and the cinders
Slicked his hair back, opened up his case
Played Cherokee Fiddle, just played for the whiskey
Good whiskey never let him lose his place
Now the Indians, all dressed like cowboys
All the cowboys are puttin' leather and turquoise on
And all the music is sold by the lawyers
And the fools who fiddled in the middle of the stations are gone
Some folks say they'll never miss them
Fiddle screeched like the engine breaks
Cherokee Fiddle, gone forever
Like the music that the whistle on an old locomotive make
When you smell the smoke and the cinders
Slick your hair back, open up your case
Play a little Cherokee Fiddle, just play it for the whiskey, boys
Good whiskey never lets you lose your place
Good whiskey never lets you lose your place
Jack Daniels, never lets you lose your place
He rolled up his sleeves, rosined up his bow
He fiddle upside down, Orange Blossom Special
If you want to make a living, you've got to put on a good show
When he smelled the smoke and the cinders
Slicked his hair back, opened up his case
Played Cherokee Fiddle, played for the whiskey
Good whiskey never let him lose his place
He was always there, playing for the miners
Devil's Dream was a tune they all understood
Then he'd go back to Oklahoma
Wait till the trains was a runnin' and the weather was good
When he smelled the smoke and the cinders
Slicked his hair back, opened up his case
Played Cherokee Fiddle, just played for the whiskey
Good whiskey never let him lose his place
Now the Indians, all dressed like cowboys
All the cowboys are puttin' leather and turquoise on
And all the music is sold by the lawyers
And the fools who fiddled in the middle of the stations are gone
Some folks say they'll never miss them
Fiddle screeched like the engine breaks
Cherokee Fiddle, gone forever
Like the music that the whistle on an old locomotive make
When you smell the smoke and the cinders
Slick your hair back, open up your case
Play a little Cherokee Fiddle, just play it for the whiskey, boys
Good whiskey never lets you lose your place
Good whiskey never lets you lose your place
Jack Daniels, never lets you lose your place
more tracks from the album
From the albums
- Flowing Free Forever (1976)
- The Best of Michael Martin Murphey (1984)
- Buckaroo Blue Grass (2009)
Michael Martin Murphey popular songs
- Maybe This Time
- Wildfire
- Red River Valley
- What’s Forever For
- Radio Land
- Face to Face with the Night
- The Pony Man
- Pilgrims on the Way (Matthew’s Song)
- O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
- Disenchanted
- Got to Pay the Fiddler
- Woodsmoke in the Wind
- Wild Ripplin’ Waters
- Pearls in the Snow
- The Running Blood
- Family Tree
- Two Step Is Easy
- Cool Water
- Rings of Life
- Two-Step ’Round The Christmas Tree
- River of Time
- I’m Gonna Miss You, Girl
- The Old Chisholm Trail
- Love Affairs