Lyrics:

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 lend me a helpin' hand