What's the best train song?

[ATSFCLIFF]

Many, but my favorite is "City of New Orleans" by Willie Nelson.
Cliff

[lyctus]

I got a Mark Knoffler (of Dire Straits fame) DVD "A night in London" for my birthday last and it has a rendition of Gravy Train on it that'll knock off your sox - man it moves - the impression of a train in full flight is awesome. Check it out !

[lyctus]

Ooops ! That should read Knopfler !

[mikebonellisr]

I find myself whistleing or humming "Chattanoga Cho-Cho" when running my trains.

[rrinker]

You don;t have one of those HIDEOUS Tyco 0-8-0 Chattanooga Choo-Choos, do you?


And poor Steve Goodman, everyone says they love "City of New Orleans" but always someone else's version. Goodman is the one who wrote it. I like his original version every bit as much as Arlo's version, and one of the BEST versions I ever heard is by Randy Scruggs and John Prine.

--Randy

[mikebonellisr]

No Randy,But I DID have one,years ago with the engine in the tender[I think]It's just that the song is stuck in my mind.

[cwclark]

how about..Orange Blossum Special....

[camarokid]

"City of New Orleans" by Arlo Guthrie.

[georgev]

I'll put up a couple more that I don't think have been mentioned:

Midnight Flyer, by the Eagles.
Steel Rail Blues, by Gordon Lightfoot

georgev

[Green Bay Paddlers]

Not a train song.... but if you don't picture a driving steam locomotive rolling across the plains while listening to Molly Hatchet's "Dreams I'll Never See" then there are some issues...

Good stuff....

[PennsyHoosier]

"All Stops Train" by Stan Mohawk and the Big Tyres

[Anonymous]

It's not train related. Though, it does mention a train. But, a good song, anyway. I call it "The greatest country song". But, believe the real title is "You don't ever call me by my name" by David Alan Coe.

My favorite verse:

"I was drunk, the day my mama, got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain, ain, ain,
But, before I could get to the station, in my pickup truck
She got runned over, by a dam...(darned) ol' train"

And about "City of New Orleans". The only version I've heard the most is by Willie Nelson. The others are probably just as good.

Erdle, or, RDL

[Anonymous]

Wreck of the Old 97
Folsom Prison Blues


Enough said,
Greg

[Anonymous]

What about "Driving the Last Spike" by Genesis? In the early 1800’s, large groups of mainly unskilled labourers built england’s railways. the cost in human terms alone was very high...

Leaving my family behind me
Not knowing what lay ahead
Waving goodbye, as I left them in tears
Remembering all we’d said

I looked to the sky, I offered my prayers
I asked him for guidance and strength
But the simple beliefs of a simple man
Lay in his hands, and on my head

I gave everything that they wanted
But still they wanted more
We sweat and we toiled
Good men lost their lives
I don’t think they knew what for

I sold them my heart
I sold them my soul
I gave everything I had
Ah but they couldn’t break my spirit
My dignity fought back,
Fightback
Can you hear me
Can you see
Don’t you hear me
Don’t you see

We worked in gangs for all we were worth
The young boys pulling the wagons
We were digging the tunnel, shifting the earth
It was then that it happened.

No-one knew how the cracks appeared
But as it fell they all disappeared
Stone fell like rain

Can you hear me,
Can you see
Don’t you hear me
Can you breathe

The smoke cleared, the dust it settled
No one knew how many had died
All around there were broken men
They’d said it was safe, they’d lied
You could hear the cries, you could smell the fear
But good fortune that day was mine
And it occurred to me the heart of a good man
It seems is hard to find.

Can you hear me,
Can you see
Don’t you hear me
Don’t you see

We worked, how we worked like
The devil for our pay
Through the wind, through the snow,
And through the rain

Blasting and cutting through gods country like a knife
Sweat stinging my eyes, there has to be a better life

Ah but I can hear my childrens’ cry
I can see the tears in their eyes
Memories of those I’ve left behind
Still ringing in my ears
Will I ever go back again
Will I ever see her face again
I’ll never forget that night
As they waved goodbye to their fathers

We came from the north,
And we came from the south
With picks and with spades
And a new kind of order
Showing no fear of what lies up ahead
They’ll never see the likes of us again

Driving the last spike,
Lifting and laying the track
With blistering hands,
The sun burning your back

Oh but I can hear my childrens’ cry
I can see the tears in their eyes
Memories of those I’ve left behind
Still ringing in my ears
Well I’ll always remember that night,
As they waved goodbye to their fathers

We followed the rail, we slept under the stars
Digging in darkness, and living with danger
Showing no fear of what lies up ahead
They’ll never see the likes of us again

Can you hear me
Can you see
Don’t you hear me
Don’t you see

[Anonymous]

As a fan of Johnny Cash for nearly 50 years, I guess I have two dozen and more 'favorites'.
The song that has the most driving railroad beat, ( to me), is:

"Texas 1947"....

...written by Guy Clark, and as recorded by Johnny Cash on his "Look At Them Beans" Columbia LP.
I do like all the train songs by Merle Haggard, Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings, Hank Snow, Gord Lightfoot, Flatt & Scruggs, Jimmie Rodgers, Boxcar Willie, and all the rest....
There ain't no BAD train songs.[:D]
regards;
Mike