From the recording PORTOLA
Portola is a real town in Northern California's Sierra Nevada mountains that has a Railroad switching yard. I lived in an apartment nearby and sometimes would hear the cars being changed in the middle of the night. This was the scene that inspired me to write about a railway worker pondering his lonesome life and how boredom led him to answers.
Recorded at Mondo Music Reno, Nv.- Aaron Mondo, engineer; Lead Vocals: Doug Robertson
Backup Vocals, Bene’ Michael, Doug Robertson, Dan Mikeal; Acoustic Guitar: Doug Robertson, Dan Mikeal; Banjo: Rick Sparks; Electric Guitar: Dan Mikeal; Bass: Don Carpenter; Drums: Larry Yarborough,
Lyrics
PORTOLA
©Doug Robertson CD Baby Publishing
Coming through Portola, California
Little tiny town up in the hills
Making lots of noise and waking neighbors,
It’s three A.M. and I’m working still
So cold when there’s no one,
No loving arms in solitude.
Switching cars at Portola’s train yard.
Two hundred miles, & then our run is through
The stretch from here seems to last forever
And card games grow old fast when with this crew
Those lonesome tracks, highway of steel,
Mile turns to mile ‘till you don’t know what is real
The rails sing out their metal song,
Did I hear a voice? Or have I been awake too long?
Getting bored I pick up an old Bible.
Hoping no one sees me thumbing through
There’s a dog eared page that somebody wrote on.
And right next to the verse says “God Loves You!”
So cold when there’s no one.
Warmth seems to come from knowing You.
Coming through Portola, California