The Little Engine That Could
John Denver

This song was first released on the All Aboard! album. It is the only album it has been released on.


There was a little railroad train with loads and loads of toys
All starting out to find a home with little girls and boys
And as that little railroad train began to chug along
The little engine up in front was heard to sing this song
Choo, choo, choo, choo
Choo, choo, choo, choo
I feel so good today
Oh hear the track
Oh clickety clack
Ill go my merry way

The little train went rousing on so fast it seemed to fly
Until it reached a mountain that went almost to the sky
The Little engine moaned and groaned and huffed and puffed away
But halfway to the top it just gave up and seemed to say
I cant go
I cant go
Im weary as can be
I cant go
I cant go
This job is not for me

The toys got out to push but all in vain alas alack
And then a great big engine came a whistling down the track
They asked if it would kindly pull them up the mountain side
But with a high and mighty sneer it scornfully replied I
Dont bother me
Dont bother me
To pull the likes of you
Dont bother me
Dont bother me
Ive better things to do

The toys all started crying cause that engine was so mean
And then there came another one, the smallest ever seen
And though it seemed that she could hardly pull herself along
She hitched on to the train and as she pulled she sang this song
I think I can
I think I can
I think I have a plan
And I can do most anything
If I only think I can

Then up that great big mountain with the cars all full of toys
And soon they reached the waiting arms of little girls and boy
And though that ends the story it will do you lots of good
To take a lesson from the little engine that could
Just think you can
Just think you can
Just have that understood
And very soon youll start to say
I always knew I could
I knew I could
I knew I could
I knew I could
I knew I could
I knew I could
I knew I could, yeah!

Words and music by William May and Warren Foster


  Purchase "The Little Engine That Could"   Purchase Entire Album   Email Video to Friends   Play Youtube "The Little Engine That Could" Video   Play Spotify "The Little Engine That Could" Song   View Wikipedia "The Little Engine That Could" Entry   Receive Emails for Future John Denver Lyrics

Email:

  Link to "The Little Engine That Could"   Share on Facebook, Twitter, and more
  See Recommended Lyrics For You

Loading...

Lyrics by John Denver

  60 Second Song For A Bank, With The Words, â??m...   A Baby Just Like You   A Country Girl In Paris   A Little Further North   A Song For All Lovers   A Wild Heart Looking For Home   African Sunrise   Alaska & Me   Alaska And Me   Alfie The Christmas Tree   All My Memories   All This Joy   Along For The Ride   Along For The Ride (¡¯56 T-Bird)   Amazon   Amazon (Let This Be A Voice)   American Child   Amsterdam   Ancient Rhymes   And So It Goes   And You Say That The Battle Is Over   Angel From Montgomery   Angels From Montgomery   Ann   Annie's Other Song   Annie's Song   Annie\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Other Song   Annie\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Song   Annie's Song   Annie¡¯s Other Song   Annie¡¯s Song   Annie’s Song   Annieâ??s Other Song   Anthem - Revelation   Anthem-revelation   Around   Around And Around   Aspenglow   Aspenglow [*]   Autograph   Away In The Manger   Baby You Look Good to Me Tonight   Baby, You Look Good To Me Tonight   Back Home Again   Berkeley Woman   Bet On The Blues   Black Bird Fly   Blow Up Your Tv   Blow Up Your TV (Spanish Pipe Dream)   Blue Christmas   Box   Boy From The Country   Bread And Roses   Calipso   Calypso   Calypso [Acoustic][#][*]   Calypso [Live]   Carolina In My Mind   Casey's Last Ride   Casey\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Last Ride   Casey's Last Ride   Caseys Last Ride   Catch Another Butterfly   Chained To The Wheel   Children of the Universe   Choo Choo Ch'boogie   Choo Choo Ch\u00e2\u20ac\u2122Boogie   Choo Choo Châ??boogie   Choo Choo ChBoogie   Christmas For Cowboys   Christmas Is Coming   Christmas, Like A Lullaby   Circus   City Of New Orleans   Claudette   Come & Let Me Look in Your Eyes   Come And Let Me Look In Your Eyes   Come And Let Me Look Into Your Eyes   Cool An' Green An' Shady   Cool An\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Green An\u00e2\u20ac\u21...   Cool An¡¯ Green An¡¯ Shady   Cool Anâ?? Green Anâ?? Shady   Country Love   Country Roads   Country Roads (der Richtige Text!!)   Country Roads, Take Me Home   Coventry Carol   Cowboy's Delight   Cowboy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Delight   Cowboyâ??s Delight   Cowboys Delight   Daddy, What's A Train?   Daddy, What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s A Train?   Daddy, Whatâ??s A Train?   Daddy, Whats A Train?   Dance Little Jean   Dancing With The Mountains   Darcy Farrow   Daydream   Daydream [*]   Daydreams   Deal With The Ladies   Dearest Esmeralda   Deck The Halls   Don't Be Kind   Don't Close Your Eyes Tonight   Don't Close Your Eyes, Tonight   Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Close Your Eyes, Tonight   Don't Be Kind   Don't Close Your Eyes, Tonight   Dont Close Your Eyes, Tonight   Down By The Old Mill Stream   Downhill Stuff   Dreamland Express   Dreams   Druthers   Durango Mountain Caballero   Eagle & The Hawk   Eagle and the Hawk   Eagles & Horses   Eagles & The Hawk   Eagles & Horses   Eagles And Horses   Eagles And Horses (i'm Flying Again)   Eagles And Horses (Im Flying Again)   Eagles and the Hawk   Earth Day Every Day   Earth Day Every Day (Celebrate)   Earth Day, Every Day (celebrate)   Easy, On Easy Street   Eclipse   Eleanor Rigby   Eli's Song   Eli\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Song   Eliâ??s Song   Elis Song   Everyday   Everyday [*]   Fall   Falling Leaves   Falling Leaves (the Refugees)   Falling Out Of Love   Farewell Andromeda   Farewell Andromeda (Welcome to My Morning)   Fire and Rain   Fishin' Gone   Flight   Flight (The Higher We Fly)   Flower That Shattered the Stone   Fly Away   Flying For Me   Follow Me   For Baby   For Baby (For Bobbie)   For Baby (for Bobby)   For You   Forest Lawn   Four Strong Winds   Freight Train Boogie   Friends With You   Friends With You [*]   Fugacity   Garden Song   Gimme Your Love   Going Camping   Golden Slumbers   Goodbye Again   Gospel Changes   Got My Heart Set On You   Grandma's Feather Bed   Grandma\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Feather Bed   Grandma's Feather Bed   Grandmas Feather Bed   Gravel On The Ground   Gravel On The Road   Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas   Healing Time   Heart To Heart   Hey Old Pal   Hey There, Mr. Lonely Heart   High Wind Blowin'   High Wind Blowin'   High, Wide And Handsome   Higher Ground   Hitchhiker   Hold On Tightly   Hold On To Me   Holy Night   Home Grown Tomatoes   Home On The Range   How Can I Leave You Again   How Mountain Girls Can Love   I Can't Escape   I Can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Escape   I Canâ??t Escape   I Cant Escape   I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado   I Guess He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d Rather Be In Colorad...   I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado   I Guess Hed Rather Be In Colorado   I Remember Romance   I Remember You   I Want To Live   I Watch You Sleeping   I Wish I Could Have Been There   I Wish I Could Have Been There (Woodstock)   I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free   I'd Rather Be A Cowboy   I'd Rather Be A Cowboy (lady's Chains)   I'm In The Mood To Be Desired   I'm In The Mood To Be Desired Tonight   I'm Kissing You Goodbye   I'm Sorry   I've Been Working On The Railroad   I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d Rather Be A Cowboy (Lady\u00e...   I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m In The Mood To Be Desired   I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m Sorry   I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve Been Working On The Railroad   I'd Rather Be A Cowboy   I¡¯m Sorry   Iâ??m In The Mood To Be Desired   Iâ??m Sorry   Iâ??ve Been Working On The Railroad   Id Rather Be A Cowboy (Ladys Chains)   If Ever   Im In The Mood To Be Desired   Im Sorry Jd   In A Far Away Land   In My Heart   In The Grand Way   Is It Love   Is It Love?   Isabel   Islands   It Amazes Me   It Makes Me Giggle   It's A Possibility   It's A Sin To Tell A Lie   It's About Time   It's In Every One Of Us   It's Up To You   It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s A Possibility   It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s A Sin To Tell A Lie   It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s About Time   It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Up To You   It's Up To You   Itâ??s A Sin To Tell A Lie   Itâ??s About Time   Its A Possibility   Its A Sin To Tell A Lie   Its About Time   Its Up To You   Ive Been Working On The Railroad   Jenny Dreamed Of Trains   Jesse Dreamed of Trains   Jesse Dreamed of Trains (Reprise)   Jimmy Newman   Jingle Bells   Jingle Bells [*]   Jingle Bells [DVD]   John Denver Sunshine On My Shoulders   Johnny B. Goode   Joseph & Joe   Joseph & Joe   Joseph And Joe   Junk   Kissing You Goodbye   Last Hobo   Last Train Done Gone Down   Late Night Radio   Late Nite Radio   Leaving On A Jet Plane   Leaving On A Jetplane   Leaving, On a Jet Plane (Babe, I Hate to Go) [*]   Let It Be   Let Us Begin   Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For?)   Let Us Begin (What Are We Making Weapons For)   Life Is So Good   Like A Sad Song   Lining Track   Little Drummer Boy   Little Further North   Little Saint Nick   Looking For Space   Love Again   Love Is Everywhere   Love Is The Master   Love Of The Common People   Matthew   Matthew [Alternate Version][#][*]   Me & My Uncle   Me & My Uncle   Me And My Uncle   Molly   Moreton Bay   Mother Nature's Son   Mother Nature\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Son   Mother Natureâ??s Son   Mother Natures Son   Mr Bojangles   Music Is You   My Heart   My Old Man   My Sweet Lady   Never A Doubt   Night They Drove Old Dixie Down   No One   No One Like You   Nobody Can Take My Dreams From Me   Noel, Christmas Eve 1913   Nothing But A Breeze   Oh Holy Night   Oh Holy Night [DVD]   Old Folks   Old Train   On The Atchison, Topeka & The Sante Fe   On The Atchison, Topeka And The Sante Fe   On The Road   On The Wings Of A Dream   On The Wings Of An Eagle   One World   Opposite Tables   Paradise   Peace Carol   Peace Poem   Pegasus   People Get Ready   Perhaps Love   Please Daddy   Please Daddy (Donâ??t Get Drunk This Christmas)   Please Daddy (Dont Get Drunk This Christmas)   Please, Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)   Poems, Prayers & Promises   Poems, Prayers & Promises   Poems, Prayers And Promises   Poems, Prayers, & Promises [Live]   Polka Dots & Moonbeams   Polka Dots And Moonbeams   Ponies   Postcard From Paris   Postcard From Paris (i Wish You Were Here)   Postcards from Paris   Potter's Wheel   Potter\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Wheel   Potterâ??s Wheel   Potters Wheel   Prisoners   Prisoners (hard Life, Hard Times)   Raven's Child   Raven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Child   Ravenâ??s Child   Ravens Child   Readjustment Blues   Relatively Speaking   Rhymes And Reasons   Ripplin' Waters   Ripplin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Waters   Ripplin' Waters   Ripplin¡¯ Waters   Rippling Waters   Rita Ballou   River   River Of Love   Rocky Mountain High   Rocky Mountain Suite   Rocky Mountain Suite (Cold Nights In Canada)   Rocky Top   Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer   Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer   Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer [DVD]   Rudolph The Red Noses Reindeer   Rusty Green   Rusty Green [*]   Sail Away Home   San Antonio Rose   San Francisco Mabel Joy   Saturday Night In Toledo, Ohio   Season Suite Winter   Season Suite :   Season Suite:(Summer / Fall / Winter / Spring)   Season Suite:(Summer \/ Fall \/ Winter \/ Spring)   Seasons of the Heart   Shanghai Breezes   She Won't Let Me Fly Away   She'll Be Comin' 'round The Mountain   Shipmates & Cheyenne   Shipmates and Cheyenne   Silent Night, Holy Night   Silver Bells   Silver Bells [DVD]   Sing Australia   Singing Skies and Dancing Waters   Sleepin' Alone   Sleepin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Alone   Sleepin¡¯ Alone   Sleepinâ?? Alone   Some Days Are Diamonds   Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone)   Somethin' About   Somethin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 About   Somethin¡¯ About   Somethinâ?? About   Song for the Life   Song of Wyoming   Songs Of....   Southwind   Spirit   Starwood In Aspen   Steel Rails   Sticky Summer Weather   Stonehaven Sunset   Storms Of November   Summer   Sunshine On My Shoulders   Sunshine On My Shoulders [Live]   Sweet Melinda   Sweet Misery   Sweet Surrender   Sweet Sweet Life   Sweet, Sweet Life   Take Me Home Country Roads   Take Me Home, Country Roads   Take Me To Tomorrow   Take Me to Tomorrow [Early Version][#][*]   Tenderly Calling   Thank God I'm A Country Boy   Thank God I'm Country Boy   Thank God I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m A Country Boy   Thank God I'm A Country Boy   Thank God I¡¯m A Country Boy   Thanks To You   That's The Way It's Gonna Be   The Ballad Of Gary Hart   The Ballad of Richard Nixon   The Ballad Of Spiro Agnew   The Ballad Of St. Anne's Reel   The Ballad of St. Anne\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Reel   The Ballad Of St. Anneâ??s Reel   The Box   The Chosen Ones   The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open ...   The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open ...   The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open ...   The Christmas Tree   The Christmas Wish   The Cowboy and the Lady   The Eagle and the Hawk   The First No\u00ebl   The First Nol   The Flower That Shattered the Stone   The Foxfire Suite   The Game Is Over   The Gift You Are   The Gold and Beyond   The Harder They Fall   The Marvelous Toy   The Mountain Song   The Music Is You   The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down   The Peace Poem   The Road   The Wagoner Lad   The Wandering Soul   The Wandering Soul (love Is The Answer)   The Way I Am   The Wings That Fly Us Home   Thirsty Boots   This Old Guitar   This Old Guitar [*]   This Old Guitar [Alternate Take][#][*]   Thought of You   Till You Opened My Eyes   To the Wild Country   Today   Today Is The First Day Of The Rest Of My Life   Toledo   Tools   Tradewinds   Trail of Tears   Tremble If You Must   True Love Takes Time   Two Different Directions   Two Shots   Waiting For A Train   We Don't Live Here No More   Welcome To My Morning   Whalebones And Crosses   What Child Is this   What One Man Can Do   Whatâ??s On Your Mind   Whats On Your Mind   When I'm Sixty-four   When I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m Sixty-Four   When Iâ??m Sixty-Four   Whiskey Basin Blues   Whispering Jesse   White Christmas   White Christmas [*]   Whose Garden Was This?   Wild Flowers In A Mason Jar (The Farm)   Wild Montana Skies   Wild Montana Skies [Live]   Windsong   Wings That Fly Us Home   Wooden Indian   World Game   Wrangell Mountain Song   Wrangle Mountain Song   Yellow Cat   Yellowstone, Coming Home   You Say (That) The Battle Is Over   Youâ??re So Beautiful   Youre So Beautiful   Zachary and Jennifer

Related Songs

  The Little Engine That Could - Burl Ives  The Little Engine Who Couldn't (Think Straight)...  Engine Joe - Slobberbone  Engine Joe [Acoustic Recording] - Slobberbone  Little Engine - Allure  Steam Enging [Alternate Mix][#] - The Monkees  Steam Engine - The Monkees  Steam Engine [Alternate Mix] - The Monkees  Steam Engine - Monkees  Steam Enging [Alternate Mix][#] - Monkees  In This World - Pat Green  The Queen of England - The Mendoza Line  I Luv Dem Strippers - Nicki Minaj  Luv Dem Stripers - 2 Chainz  Engine Engine No.9 - Del Reeves  2 Chainz I Luv Dem Strippers is a collaboration wi...  Engine Engine #9 - Roger Miller  Engine Engine - Roger Miller  Engine Engine No.9 - Roger Miller  ENGINE, ENGINE NUMBER NINE - Roger Miller  The Little Fire Engine - Gary Numan  Engine Number Nine - Wilson Pickett  I Luv Dem Strippers - 2 Chainz  Engine, Engine No. 9 - Roger Miller  The Little Freakazoid That Could...  The Little Freakazoid That Could - Rednex  Love Dem Stripers - 2 Chainz  Average Person - Paul McCartney  Oh, You Engineer - Shel Silverstein  No Deal - Townes Van Zandt  Engine, Engine #9 - Roger Miller  Wee Dark Engine Room - Eric Bogle  Supermodel (English) - Eisbrecher  Engine - Isac Elliot  Where's It Going To End? - Clifford T Ward  Cruise Control - Pierpoint  Get Me Back on Time, Engine Number 9...  Love Machine - Country Joe & the Fish  The Love Machine - Country Joe & the Fish  Crazy Engineer - Hank Snow  Engine 19 - Richie Sambora  The Crazy Engineer - Hank Snow  Luv Dem Stripers - Nicki Minaj  A Little Song - Turnpike Troubadours  Car Car - Donovan  Car Car - Donovan Leitch  man in the yellow hat - Madelyn  Low Desert - REM  No Deal - Guy Clark  No Deal - Steve Earle  Engine Number 9 - Wilson Pickett  Little Skylark (the Worsted Wood) - S.J. Tucker  Little Skylark (safe at home) - S.J. Tucker  Where Diamonds Are Halos [Live] - Sugar  Where Diamonds Are Halos [Live] - Sugar  Where Diamonds Are Halos - Sugar  Where's It Going To End? - Clifford T. Ward  No Command - Hangar  Baby Birch - Joanna Newsom  Engine Overheat - Wishbone Ash  Engine #9 - Roger Miller  The Engine - The Trash Can Sinatras  The Little Plane That Could [Instrumental]...  Sad History - Local H  The Choice Is Yours - Bloodhound Gang  Baby Birch - Joanna Newsom  Ride with Me - Matt Kennon  Speed Kills - Ten Years After  2:22 - Grace Potter And The Nocturnals  Chiefin - Project Pat  What Have We Become - Novice  Green - Dumbfoundead  Processions - Family  Bad Brakes - Cat Stevens  Bad Breaks - Cat Stevens  Dixie Flyer Blues - Bessie Smith  Built for Speed [#] - Stray Cats  Built for Speed [Live] - Stray Cats  Built for Speed - Crazy Legs  Built for Speed [DVD] - Stray Cats  Rick Rack - Humblebums  Engine - 8 Foot Sativa  Engine - Milemarker  Engine - My Precious  Engine - Supertouch  Engine - Haste  Engine - Johnny Cash  Engine - Driving in Silence  Engine - Big Troubles  Engine - Neutral Milk Hotel  Engine - Neutral Milk Hotel  If Only - KT Tunstall  Right Where I Belong - Alice Peacock  A Quick One While He's Away - Who  Fire In The Engine Room - Richard Thompson  Little Bit a All Right - Big Sugar  Built for Speed - Stray Cats  In the Engine Room - Mike Watt  There's A Memory - Jimmy Wayne  Another Man's Gold - Dean Brody  I Wish I Was The Saddle Of A Schoolgirls Bike...  I Wish I Was The Saddle Of A Schoolgirls Bike...  Lost My Driving Wheel - Cowboy Junkies  Engine 143 - Joan Baez  Astronautalis - Astronautalis  Somethin' For The Kids - Astronautalis  90mph (acoustic) - Tom Williams And The Boat  Holiday in Spain - Bløf  Changing Seasons - Sea Wolf  My Own Way to Rock - Randy Bachman  Like A Hurricane - Kathy Mattea  Blocks On Blocks - Visage  Come On - Engine  Mine - Engine  Home - Engine  Realize - Engine  Losing Ground - Engine  M.O.T.R. (Middle of the Road)...  Rick Rack - Gerry Rafferty  Say So - Mac Curtis  Say So - Mac Curtis  A Quick One While He's Away - The Who  Tonight My Baby's Coming Home - Rhonda Vincent  K C Road - Grateful Dead  Motorfucker - Crucified Barbara  A Quick One While He's Away - Green Day  A Quick One While He's Away (Cover) - Green Day  A Quick One While He's Away - Green Day  K. C. Road - Grateful Dead  Auctioneer [Live] - R.E.M.  Auctioneer (Another Engine) - R.E.M.  A Quick One While He's Away (The Who)...  A Quick One While He's Away (The Who)...  A Quick One, While He's Away [live] - Who  A Quick One While He's Away - Who  Firebird Fly - Little Big Town  Hunting Season - Felix Da Housecat  Greenville to Baton Rouge - Drive-By Truckers  Favorite Writer - Sarah Mortimer  Holiday In Spain - Counting Crows  Lost My Driving Wheel - Roger McGuinn  Lost My Driving Wheel - The Byrds  Lost My Drivin' Wheel - The Byrds  The Moment Explodes - Idina Menzel  Junkyard Heart - Anthony Mendez  I'm Doin' Alright - Van Zant  Held Her a Little Too Tight...  Schyzophrenic Carnage - Yyrkoon  Low Desert - R.E.M.  Low Desert - R.E.M  Auctioneer (another Engine) - R.E.M  Sandy - Fool's Garden  Sandy - Fool's Garden  So Far So Good - Bryan Adams  Dirty Diesel - Paul Westerberg  Uncle Harvey's Plane - Dave Stamey  Episode of Blonde - Elvis Costello  The Loudest Engine - Howling Bells  Crash - Mesh  Auctioneer - REM  Auctioneer (another Engine) - REM  Favorite Writer - Magnapop  Fire Engine - TELEVISION  Fire Engine - RICHARD LLOYD  You Win My Love - Shania Twain  Tonight My Baby's Coming Home - Tammy Wynette  Tonight My Baby's Coming Home - Tammy Wynette  Cooter - Cledus T. Judd  Engine 143 - Johnny Cash  Auctioneer - R.E.M  Tonight My Baby's Coming Home - Lynn Anderson  Tonight My Baby's Coming Home - Lynn Anderson  The Engine Of Death - Nasum  Danger Zone - Lee Aaron  Blue Stone - Songs: Ohia  Give It to Her - Tanto Metro  Give It to Her - Tanto Metro & Devonte  Give It To Her Please - Tanto Metro  Wingwalker - Shellac  04.08.03 (ten) - Dear Diary I Seem To Be Dead  I'll Be Here At Closing Time - J.D. Souther  Engine 143 - The Carter Family  Engine 143 [1929] - The Carter Family  Engine 143 - Carter Family  8 Miles A Gallon...  Engine To Turn - Tift Merritt  In The Pines - Bill Monroe  This Year - The Mountain Goats  FFV - Townes Van Zandt  Ffv (Trad.) - Townes Van Zandt  I Wade Out - Gavin Castleton  American Car - David Roth  Engine 999 - The Hooters  Engine 999 - Hooters  Tonight My Baby's Coming Home - Barbara Mandrell  The Guilt Engine - Gatsby's American Dream  The Life Engine - Modico  The Guilt Engine - Gatsbys American Dream  The Engine Driver - The Decemberists  The Engine Driver - Colin Meloy