words: Anne Hills; music: Peter Erskine
© 2014 Raven Heart Music / Ersko Music

From Anne’s album Tracks

Standing tall, uniform is pressed
immaculate and proud, a Pullman Porter now,
deep snow, is falling thick and fast
but still this Christmas train is bound, to leave Chicago town
I hear the whistle blow, pull up the stairs to go

Made it here on a different kind of train
a freed slave from the south, a Pullman Porter now
this job to work the sleeper cars
this chance to make another life, with children and a wife
to buy myself a home and call my life my own

Sweet freedom – dreaming of equality
Sweet freedom – shine it down on me

Work is hard, each month 400 hours
11,000 miles, a Pullman Porter now
not much sleep, I pay for every meal
it’s my job but I’m nobody’s boy, don’t call me George, it’s Roy
and every tip I get, I’ve earned it twice, you bet

Sweet freedom – dreaming of equality
Sweet freedom – shine it down on me

And some day, I’ll ride this train myself
some one will wait on me, a Pullman Porter now
I’ll sit and watch the towns roll by
through this land I’ll travel truly free, beside my family
chase the setting sun, and hear the words “Well done.”

Sweet freedom – dreaming of equality
Sweet freedom – shine it down on me