Trains in Song

[FJ and G]

Well, we have trains in restaurants and trains in movies, so...

I was just listening to "Big 100", a DC station, which just played a song about Merikesh Express (which goes to Casablanca). It was a big song in the 60s or 70s. When it first came out, I thought the words were "American Express."

I heard a pretty cool hard rock song. I don't know who sings it, but the words keep repeating: Trains keep a rolling all night long...

dave vergun

[Anonymous]

"Marrakesh Express" - performed by Crosby, Stills & Nash, from their 1969 self-titled debut album (ah, remember "Wooodstock"!).

"Train Kept A-Rollin'" - traditional blues song, covered by numerous rock bands. You probably heard Aerosmith's version on "Classic Rock - 94.7 The Arrow"

- Lou

[Big_Boy_4005]

I'll take the mainline here with Arlo Guthrie's City of New Orleans, of course Arlo didn't write that, that was the late Steve Goodman.

I'm also rather partial to Charlie Daniels' version of The Orange Blossom Special.[8D]

[ChiefEagles]

Woody Guthrie's songs during the depression era. Some great music. You can just visualize the hobos jumping trains, the "bulls" chasing them and them standing by the fire barrel warming beside the tracks.

[willpick]

How about Earl Scruggs "Wabash Cannonball", or my newest favorite: "Long Black Train" (video was shot on Tennesee Valley Railway)

[Craignor]

Folks,

Me and my boys like Boxcar Willie.

His renditioins of the Wabash Cannonball. Trailers for sale or rent, Boxcar Blues, Mule Train, and many others are pure American Gold.

Try it, you will like it![8D]

[Anonymous]

how about the kingston trio and MTA. poor old charlie is still on that train. just listened to it a few minutes ago.

[brianel027]

Well gang, this is the other side of me... I've guess I consider myself lucky that I've always had a high level of creativity which helps get me through some of the stuff life dishes out. I originally set out to write a song for my grandfather, but things changed. The best songs are always the ones that just come to me. Sometimes trains come up as a metaphor and others as the subject, like this one. I can't recall when I first played this one live. There were times when after a show someone will ask me "who was writing for who? Was I writing for Neil (Young) or he writing for me?" I always take that as the highest of compliments.

TRAINTOWN
Words and Music by Brian Gergel
© 1996 Black Diamond Music
(Dedicated to my grandparents, and all the people
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Sayre, Pa.)

Thinking about the way it was
Dreaming how it might have been
When boys were boys until the day
The rails turned them into men.
During the days when steam was king
Days that are now long past.
Seems the rule of life prevails again
The good times never seem to last.

Here in traintown
Back in traintown
When this valley was great and strong
And a good paying job was as certain
As the next train to come along
Here in traintown.

Railroad houses line the street
Along North Lehigh Avenue.
Across the street along the yards
Where the “Big Milk” once rolled through.
Weeds and waste now abound
Where the great shops did once thrive.
At the seniors home amongst a few still left
Those memories are kept alive.

Here in traintown
Back in traintown
When black diamonds were the gold
That powered the machines and paid the men
And kept their houses warm
Here in traintown.

Big black machines that shook the earth
Could also sing a lullabye.
Who could have known that a way of life
Was one day going to die.
All the jobs that kept this town alive
Would vanish into dust
And the shining rails where progress rode
Are forgotten and left to rust.

Here in traintown
Here in traintown
A loss far greater than any fear
When families now look elsewhere
For the jobs that were once here
Right here in traintown.

[Allen Jenkins]

Seems to me "Train Keppa' Rollin' All Night Long"s popularity was first a British bop, Jimmy Page, Or Jeff Beck, dug up out of the Brit's love for Delta Blues, or maybe Piedmont Blues, found whilst crusin' the music shops in the south, on their sixties tours, and so probably a mid 20's, thirties or fourties. Seems like it was Mississippi John Hurt, or somebody around his time. The latest version, most popular was Aerosmith's, Influenced by Led Zepplin. Definantly a guitar song. Areosmith also produce a music video in the eighties, called "Livin' On the Edge," In which they not only used the McCloud River Railroad SD38-2 #39, (I recognized it by the picture, from memory, on the cover of Extra 2200 South), on stage they had a life sized replica of 'ole 39, standing on it's nose, at an angle(the stage was gigantic, three level). Dynamic braking, used a camera mounted on the 3rd axle of the lead truck, (McCloud's famous "axle cam", which they also used with steam loco's-"driver cam"). The '39 was a nearly perfect model, even had a handrailing on the "front porch" for Steven Tylers heartwrenchin' vocals. The only anomally was smoke drifting out the inertial air filter housing vent. Of course, the spectacular scenery of the Pacific Northwest was the backdrop for the freight train portion of the video. I can't imagine what influenced the dedicated use of the EMD unit, but it did mke me take a second look at the SD38-2! More latter. Enjoy Your Hobby! ACJ/backyard

[Anonymous]

Don't forget Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues " Here the train a comin rolling round the bend" About a man being tortured by the sound of a trian and the freedom it represents.

[prewardude]

And let's not forget Jimmie Rodgers (a.k.a. "The Singing Brakeman"), who was the father of country music. He did a bunch of songs about the railroads (he was a railroad man before he hit the "Big Time"). By the way - superb lyrics, Brianel!

[Anonymous]

Roxin2002, Just listened to the MTA this evening as well as othe rKingston trio tunes.

[bluelinec4]

I sort of liked Foghat's rendition of Train-Kept-ARollin more than the Yardbirds or Aerosmith's. My favorite train song is Train round the Bend by Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground off the Loaded album.

[Allen Jenkins]

Bluelinec4, your the bomb! Yardbirds!\Page. The influence, was something about blues, thanks for your interesting reply!

[Anonymous]

Jerry Jeff Walker sang train songs according to Willie and Waylon In Luckenbach Texas. "Hank Williams pain songs and Jerry Jeff train songs and blue eyes crying in the rain, out in Luckenbach Texas ain't nobody feeling no pain" Can't say I ever heard a Jerry Jeff Walker song.

[ChiefEagles]

Matt, is that "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother"? [:)]

[Anonymous]

ChiefEagles, Now that I think about it YEA! Thats the guy. I have that on an old album somewhere.

[Anonymous]

"The Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line," I think was sung by Lonnie Donnigan