Fifteen miles north of Waco
There's a sign that reads, "The Crash at Crush"
And I assure you, son, it was not a fake—oh
I saw it all, and I am a lush
'Cause everyone loves a good train wreck
And I am not immune
And I was more than earning my paycheck
Taking pictures for the Tribune

You see, William Crush was hard to shake—oh
When he told his Katy Line boss the idea
He said, "We'll crash two trains head-on just north of Waco
We can sell tickets and lay the line right here
'Cause everyone loves a big payday
And I could use the dough
I don't care what the papers say
It'll be one helluva show"

But oh, on that day
40,000 Texans shielding their eyes from the sun
Politicians talked and preachers prayed
Safely half the state assembled to see what their hands had done
No turning back, and there was no shade
And they say the flash of the explosion half-eclipsed the Texas sun
Yeah, the boilers blew and the horses neighed
To see two worn-out locomotives arch their backs and become one

Yeah, I, I lost one eye that day
But I lived to not regret it, and I did not turn and run

Fifteen miles north of Waco
There's a sign that reads, "The Crash at Crush"
And some people say it as a mistake—oh
I take nothing back; I am a lush
'Cause everyone loves a good train wreck
Even though three Texans died
Everyone's earning their paycheck
And the story never dies

(Bowers)