“During the year 1893 a time of great economic depression, a great deal of agitation against the Chinese arose – it being felt, particularly by the unemployed, that the Chinese were taking work away from the whites. On 24 September of that year a great mob of men visited Chinatown burning and plundering and peremptorily ordered the out numbered Chinese to take themselves out of the community. Some of them left on the next train, but a greater number moved to a temporary camp up the Grande Ronde River. This did not satisfy the mob however, and the next day the camp was visited and broken up. The Chinese were marched back to La Grande where they were placed forcibly on an outbound train. Similar violence was shown to Chinese in the Cove region.” From “Oregon Genealogy.” Learn more here.

Verse 1

September 24th
In 1893
A terrible depression
Brought despair and poverty

200 angry men
Without a future or a job
Took up guns and torches
And formed a fearsome mob

PRE-CHORUS 1

And these townsfolk came together
Full of anger and false pride
They marched forth like an army
That made their neighbours terrified
And they said:

CHORUS 1

“Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you wanna stay in this here town
There’s a terrible price to be paid

Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you’re still here tomorrow morning
You’ll wish you hadn’t stayed”

Verse 2

Though the sun it started setting
The streets were lit so bright
The flames in the shops and laundries
Blazed like  sunshine in the night

They rounded up the migrants
Drove them to the railroad tracks
And said ‘in the name of the Lord, all aboard
Or at the count of 10 we attack.’

PRE-CHORUS 2

I hear they burned down all your houses
And plundered all your shops
Despite the screams of women and children`
Nothing would make them stop”
And they said:

CHORUS 2

“Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you wanna stay in this here town
There’s a terrible price to be paid 

Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you’re still here tomorrow morning
You’ll wish you hadn’t stayed” 

GUITAR SOLO

PRE-CHORUS 

Make your way out of the city
Huddle by the riverside
Hold your children close
Wait for the terror to subside
While they say:

CHORUS

“Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you wanna stay in this here town
There’s a terrible price to be paid 

Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you’re still here tomorrow morning
You’ll wish you hadn’t stayed” 

Verse 3

After everyone had fled
The lawmen came around
Arrested 53 of them sons of bitches
And brought them back to town

And they took them to the courthouse
Brought them all before the law
Charged with arson and affray
But their neighbours let them go

PRE-CHORUS

Stay out of sight
And swallow your pride
September 24th was the
Day that your dream died
While they said:

CHORUS

“Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you wanna stay in this here town
There’s a terrible price to be paid F

Ride the rails you made
Travel the tracks you laid
If you’re still here tomorrow morning
You’ll wish you hadn’t stayed”

Now you hear that train a comin’
I think you’d better get on board