What's your favorite train song?

[skir4d]

Hey, Texas, you forgot one "City of New Orleans"

 The version by CW Mcall on I believe was the "Roses for Mama" Album

Which adds a couple more, such as "Silverton" and "The Galloping Goose" from CW McCall.

Jack W

[Capt. Grimek]

Sorry I haven't waded through ALL of the pages on this thread but if anyone here hasn't discovered Steve
Goodman, the composer singer songwriter of "The City of New Orleans" he was a great singer songwriter/folk performer very popular in the 1970s and I recommend his stuff. He's unfortunately passed away now...

[wgnrr]

Hmmm...I remember this thread from a while back...

I wrote before that my favorite railroad song is "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" by Gordon Lightfoot. It is currently tied with "Great Big Rollin Railroad", which was UP's theme song. You can download it off Utah Rails as a mp3.

Phil 

[Texas Zepher]

Hey, Texas, you forgot one "City of New Orleans" The version by CW Mcall on I believe was the "Roses for Mama" Album

I didn't forget.  See my edited version of the note where I highlighted that disclaimer.  I know of at least 4 more versions, and there are also probably 10s that I don't know of.  Just no access to the recordings to listen to.  On the other hand, just knowing CW Mcall's style I doubt he takes the song to seriously.

[Tom Curtin]

Is there available on the market today a QUALITY, professionally done recording of the better known old railroad songs, particularly:

Casey Jones (the original, authentic song)

The Wreck of Old 97 (a historic event, by the way)

The Wabash Connonball (which was a song a while before a train by that name existed)

The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe (Did you know the railroad -- or I should say, its successor company --- no longer serves any of those three places?)

 

[TrainsRMe1]

 My favorite train songs: Midnight train to Geoga, Gladys Knight and the Pips         

  A Train, Duke Ellington

 Chatanooga Choo choo (Don't know the artist)

 Great big running railroad (Classic Union Pacific Commercial )

 

[Medina1128]

People Get Ready - Jeff Beck with Rod Stewart on vocals.

Orange Blossom Special - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs

Theme song from "Petticoat Junction" - Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash 

Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - Joan Baez 

EDIT: Oh yeah!  Spanish Train - Chris DeBurgh 

I'd add another vote for "City of New Orleans", and thank you for adding "Folsom Prison Blues", Bluehill. I didn't think ANYONE would.

[Milepost 266.2]

"A Passage to Bangkok" by Rush (from 2112) has train-themed lyrics, but they're not really talking about trains. 

[valiant]

Way back when I was kneehigh to a grasshopper, the first train song I heard and I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned so far as I can see is: The Runaway Train came over the Hill, quite appropriate for our hobby I think, especially in my case as I get to grips with DCC!

Best songs: concur with all the above and some songs from the stage musical: Starlight Express, don't know if you guys got it over there. All performed on roller skates, fantastic show.

 

Valiant

[lonewoof]

Majortom -- your song sure sounds like a variant of "The Big Rock Candy Mountain":   Big Rock Candy Mountain

One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fire was burning Down the track came a hobo hiking and he said boys I'm not turning I'm headin for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains So come with me we'll go and see the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there's a land that's fair and bright Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night Where the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every day On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees Where the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings In the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow In the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socks And the little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocks The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind There's a lake of stew and of whiskey too You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe In the Big Rock Candy Mountains In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in There ain't no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picks I'm a goin to stay where you sleep all day Where they hung the jerk that invented work In the Big Rock Candy Mountains I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains