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Won’t Be LongAretha Franklin

Released: February 27, 1961

Songwriter: J. Leslie McFarland

[Chorus 1]
Baby, here I am
By the railroad tracks
Waiting for my baby
Because he's coming back
Coming back to me
On the 503
And it won't be long
No, it won't be long

[Verse 1]
I've been so lonesome
Since the man has been gone
There isn't a thing worth mentioning
Nothing been going on

[Chorus 2]
And that's why I know
When the whistle blows
Yeah, that it won't be long
No, no, it won't be long

[Verse 2]
My daddy told me
When he said goodbye
Yes, he did
"I'll be back, baby
Baby, by and by,"
And that's why I waited
So doggone long, yeah
Can't you see how happy I am?
Because the man is coming home

[Chorus 1]
Baby, here I am
By the railroad tracks
Waiting for my baby
Because he's coming back
Coming back to me
On the 503
And it won't be long
No, it won't be long

[Verse 3]
I haven't had no loving
Since you know when
He's a long-gone rooster
And I'm a lonesome hen

[Chorus 2]
And that's why I know
When the whistle blows
Yeah, that it won't be long
No, no, it won't be long

[Bridge]
Mmm, and I'm so excited
My knees are shaking, yeah
Mr. Engineer
Don't you keep me waiting!
You hear me?
Telling you:
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!

[Chorus 1]
Baby, here I am
By the railroad tracks
Waiting for my baby
Because he's coming back
Coming back to me
On the 503
And it won't be long
No, it won't be long

[Chorus 3]
Ahh, yeah, I know
When the whistle blows
Hey, that it won't be long
No, no, it won't be long
I don't know about you, but
I know, yeah, I know
That it won't be long
No, no, it won't be long
Said it won't be long
No, it won't be long

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin is both a 20th and 21st century musical and cultural icon known simply by her first Aretha. She is the reigning and undisputed “Queen Of Soul” with a legacy that spans five decades. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Aretha began her career singing gospel at her father, minister C. L. Franklin’s church as a child. In 1960, at the age of 18, Aretha embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records with modest success.

After moving to Atlantic Records in 1967, she released a steady string of US top ten hits through 1973 including “Spanish Harlem”, “Chain Of Fools”, “Baby I Love You”, “Since You’ve Been Gone”, “Daydreaming”, “The House That Jack Built”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", ”Think“ and her first chart-topper “Respect” – a song that also won Aretha her first of 18 Grammys. During this time, several of her songs were also successful overseas.

By the mid-70s, Aretha’s commercial success waned and she left Atlantic for Clive Davis' Arista Records in 1980. Her 1982 song “Jump to It,” returned her to the top 40 for the first time in six years. 1985’s Who’s Zoomin' Who? got her back into the top 10 twice with its title track and “Freeway Of Love”. Four more songs reached the top 40 through 1986.

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