Hello; I'm trying to compile a list of songs that pertain to trains for a project I'm working on... can you help me? Here's my puny list so far - Chattanooga Choo Choo - Glenn Miller - Take the A Train - Duke Ellington - Orange Blossom Special - Johnny Cash - Engine Engine #9 - Roger Miller ... and that's about it! I can think of other songs that have the word "train" in it, like Ozzy Ozborne's "Crazy Train", but the song doesn't really have much to do with any train in particular. Thanks in advanced...
The Wreck of the 97 Wabash Cannon Ball Cacye Jones Takin' the Frisco to Glory Hobo Blues Lonesome Boomer Whistling Down the Mountain and... Look up Woody Guthry's songs too.
City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie is my favorite. I know I've heard others, but that one is the only one that comes to mind at the moment.
Are you only looking for songs mentioning trains in general or only ones pertaining to a specific train? There has to be a million of the generic train songs but I can't come up with too many that actually have a name in them. Hmmmmm...this could be an excuse to rummage through the old vinyl again.
Sunnyland - Elmore James; Midnight Special - Leadbelly; Seminole Blues - Tampa Red (I think); and from England: The 6.5 special; Incidental music for the film "Night Mail". Also, Sonny Boy Williamson II (i.e. Aleck "Rice" Miller) recorded City of New Orleans long before Arlo Guthrie. Someone (can't think who) recorded "Texas and Pacific Blues" - but I'm straying from trains to railroads; of course there's "Rock Island Line" (Leadbelly and Lonnie Donegan) as well. Thats all I can think of at the moment but I'm sure others will come to mind. Ben [ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: Ben ]
"City of New Orleans" was written by Steve Goodman. I had two CD's of railroad songs that I bought from the now defunct "Wireless Audio" store(Wireless is still in business but they dont have the audio division). Had some great songs, even had Stevie Goodman singing his own song. I think Arlo Guthrie had the most recent and popular recording of it.
I don't know who Steve Goodman was or is but since the Sonny Boy II song I am thinking about was cut in about 1949 it is possible that there are two different songs; altho' Sonny Boy makes specific reference to the name of the train within the song the actual title may be different so I will check up as soon as I can and report back! While I am here, someone recorded a song called "Mystery Train". The Blues is (are?) quite a fertile source of train and railroad songs, no doubt due to the often peripatetic lifestyle of many of the country blues singers (like Charley Patton and Big Joe Williams) and an hour or two spent trawling the internet can net many many more examples than I have been able to bring to mind so far. Ben
Here is a link to buying Train Songs: Buying Train Songs http://www.thespoon.com/trainhop/songs.html http://www.railserve.com/music/ http://members.tripod.com/~NASCARULZ/upmidwavs.html Hope this helps
I think the City of New Orleans was written back in the early 70s (possibly 1971) by Steve Goodman under ASCAP, but I'm not sure. I have it in a guitar tablature book, and I have a CD of John Denver's version. The 70s would make sense b/c a line even says "this train has got the dissapearing railroad blues" (the start of Amtrak possibly). Just my two cents. Train songs- Steel Rails Last Hobo CANADIAN RAILROAD TRILOGY (my favorite) Dave [ 24 January 2002: Message edited by: NSBrakeman ]
You guys and gals are right on with City of New Orleans. Every time I hear that song I can imagine being on that train and seeing all the things in the lyrics. National Geo made cutesy train video a few years back and one of the features was a hobo camp. At the end of the tape one of the 'bos is singing "I've been everywhere, man.." What a great song.
CANADIAN RAILROAD TRILOGY (my favorite) Dave Dave, is that the one by Gordon Lightfoot? I have it on vinyl. To Ben from London UK, Steve Goodman was one of the more prolific and best folk song writers and singers this country ever had. Another famous song he wrote and sang and which charted well was "the Dutchman". sad to say he died about 10-15 years ago- cant remember exact time line- as a young man (late 30's-or early 40's). CT
I've just checked my Sonny Boy Williamson CD and he is given as the writer of the song "City of New Orleans"; the recordings on the album are from about 1949 so either the Goodman song is a completely different song or its just another example of a negro bluesman being ripped off by whitey - an all too common occurrence over the years - both sides of the Atlantic! A couple more items: Peavine Blues by "Papa" Charley Patton Mean Old Frisco by Big Boy Crudup (I think); covered by various others including Little Walter; also contains a reference to the Santa Fe (pronounced "SannaFee"!) ....and don't forget that immortal line in another Charley Patton number "I'm goin where the Southern cross the Dog...." I have read on various occasions which railroad was nicknamed "The Dog" but I can't remember now; I've got a feeling that the town where the two railroads crossed was Tutwiler, Miss., but again I'm probably wrong! I'll post more as and when I remember it. Ben
Here's a couple my wife Jo and I do when we play bluegrass: Wreck of the Number Nine, by Carson Robinson -- and Good Old American Guest, by Merle Haggard. Also, you might consider Brakeman's Blues by Jimmie Rodgers, Fireball mail by Floyd Jenkins, Freight Train Blues by John Lair , The Golden Rocket, by Hank Snow, Hobo's Last Ride, by Waldo Lafayette O'Neal, Hobo's Meditation, by Jimmie Rodgers and I'm Movin' On by Hank Snow. Mike
Did we all forget the other IC song???? Casey Jones???? I think with 2 songs the IC is the leader for railroads who has songs for them.
Look for Merle Haggard's, "Same Train A Different Time". He sings the great songs of Jimmie Rodgers. The man does them great justice.
"Southern Pacific", by Neil Young "Kansas City Southern", by Pure Prairie League (got the live version- it's pretty cool!) "Train Train" by Blacksnake (for those of you who like Southern rock) "Night Train" by Steve Winwood "Train Kept a-rollin'" by Aerosmith (think they were singing about, er, something else, but you get the idea ) "Long Twin Silver Line" by Bob Seger
There was an old banjo song my mom on her 5 stringer, and dad on his tenor, used to play and sing at parties: "I'm Leavin' on That New River Train" ( "That same ole train that brought me here, and is going to take me home again....") Etc. They are both gone now, but I still have the banjos my dad made.
