Somebody Threw A Bottle

Years ago, a friend of mine, a locomotive fireman-engineer was killed, in Chicago, when he was hit in the head by a bottle thrown  as he was moving his train out enroute Battle Creek.  Eventually they caught the kid who had thrown the bottle and, sure enough, he said he was “just trying to hit the headlight, tryin’ to ring the bell.”

Kenny was a hogger on the Grand Trunk Western Line.
Kenny had made it all through Nam and things were going fine.
Had him a growin’ son now, had him a lovin’ wife
Then somebody threw a bottle and ended Kenny’s life

“’cause somebody threw a bottle, raisin’ a little hell.
Breakin’ that engine headlight, hopin’ to ring the bell.
Somebody threw a bottle, just havin’ a little fun.
But don’t try to tell that story to Kenny’s wife and son.

All his life he watched the trains. Loved ’em, yes he did.
Wanted to be an engineer ever since he was a kid.
Finally got his chance, and yes, he hired out right away.
And somebody threw a bottle and he won’t be back today.

Throwin’ things at passing trains is a crazy thing to do,
’cause trains are run by people, just like me and you.
Trains keep this nation rollin’, hummin’ right along,
Think of Kenny and his family, whenever you hear this song.

“cause somebody threw a bottle, raisin’ a little hell.
Breakin’ that engine headlight, hopin’ to ring the bell.
Somebody threw a bottle, just havin’ a little fun.
But don’t try to tell that story to Kenny’s wife and son.