Jackie Washington rode the rails   Way back in World War II   Playing his guitar in the sleeper car   To lullaby the lucky few      He worked the Canadian Pacific line   To satisfy his wandering bones   There weren?t a lot of men that he couldn?t call friend   Or places that he couldn?t call home, good Lord   Places that he couldn?t call home      Saying, "Mr. Conductor put the hammer down   I?m not gonna rest ?til I reach Hammer Town   I got a girl on the East Side and there?s a band on the West Side   Playing blues and sentimental"      He never crossed over that American border   Though he lived just a few miles away   He said, "Everything I need I can find right here   North of the USA"      Guitar and piano and a thousand tunes   And his brothers just playing all night   Singing every song from the hit parade   And swinging by the steel mill light, good Lord   Swinging by the steel mill light      Saying, "Mr. Conductor put the hammer down   I?m not gonna rest ?til I reach Hammer Town   I got a girl on the East Side and there?s a band on the West Side   Playing blues and sentimental"      Jackie Washington takes the stage   The same way that he?s always been   Lighting up the aisles with a heavenly smile   And bringing everybody in      Jackie made '80 back in ?99   Still he plays every show that he can   And there?s a midnight train rolling somewhere tonight   And Jackie?s strumming like a steel-driving man, good Lord   Strumming like a steel-driving man      Saying, "Mr. Conductor put the hammer down   I?m not gonna rest ?til I reach Hammer Town   I got a girl on the East Side and there?s a band on the West Side   Playing blues and sentimental"      Hey, Jackie Washington   Long may your sweet song carry on   Everybody on the East Side and everybody on the West side   Everybody on the East Side and everybody on the West side   Loves the blues and sentimental