Mike

DESCRIPTION: "Section men a-workin' there all side by side." One of them, Mike, boasts of his work on the railroad. He works and fights hard. One day he works in the jimson, picks up a crosstie, is attacked by a snake, and flees
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1934
KEYWORDS: work railroading animal
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
May 1869 - Transcontinental railroad complete
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Lomax/Lomax-AmericanBalladsAndFolkSongs, p. 23, "Mike" (1 text)
Roud #15523
NOTES [49 words]: The chorus of this piece runs, "Damned be the President, My name's Mike, I got a hand in it, I drive the spike." I assume this refers to the famous "driving of the golden spike" (May 10, 1869 in Promontory, Utah), completing the first transcontinental railroad. This is only a guess, though. - RBW
File: LxA023

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