In the little town called Maco in the year of '49 A crewman died workin on a Georgia railroad line They couldn't find his body so they left him to the night But his lantern keeps on searchin' and it's called the Maco light ♪ Old Joe Baldwin was a worker and a mine railroad man He could couple sittin' freight cars with the strength of his own hands When they were hitched he'd wave the lantern so the engineer would know That the cars were standin' ready and he'd let the throttle go Well, one night there was a rainstorm and the sky was black as pitch Joe was standin' 'tween the cars, he didn't see they were unhitched And he waved up to the engines to get on underway But the screeching of the drivin' wheels told Joe he'd have to stay ♪ Well, they couldn't find his body and his crossin' days are done But someday between the settin' and the risin' of the sun You can see his lantern burnin' through the eerie Georgian night And the trains still hit their throttles when they pass the Maco light You can see his lantern burnin' through the eerie Georgian night And the trains still hit their throttles when they pass the Maco light