A few miles east of Wilmington
there's an eerie light that shines
above the cold steel rails
of the Atlantic costal line;
(Atlantic costal line)

Old folks say a railroad man
was killed there years ago
As he tried to board the midnight train
at the crossing at Maco;
(The crossing at Maco)

They pulled him from beneath the weels,
it was plain that he was dead
They found the lantern in his hand
but they didn't find his head;
(They didn't find his head)

From that night on down thru the years
the light keeps coming back
That looks just like a railroad lantern
swinging down the track,
Swinging down the track.

What is the Maco light that shines
on the lonesome railroad bed?
Could it be the railroad man
a-looking for his head,
looking for his head ...