Best Railroad Songs

[54light15]

No wonder they give that guy the Nobel prize! A pome writer all right!

Dogs run free

Why not we?

(deleted verses)

Dogs have fun

well done

Hot dog bun

just trying to have me some fun

My sister's a nun

 

[wanswheel]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/25/arts/music/bobby-vee-pop-idol-known-for-take-good-care-of-my-baby-dies-at-73.html

[Harrold]

Hank Snow has always done my favorites but for something new, try "Steam and Steel" by Laurie Lewis.  It contains 9 original songs and is available at midcontinent.org

 

 

[wanswheel]

"Kay Starr, a ferociously expressive singer whose ability to infuse swing, pop and country songs with her own indelible, bluesy stamp made her one of the most admired recording artists of her generation, died Nov. 3 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 94."

[ACY Tom]

"City of New Orleans" has been mentioned many times on this Forum as one of the best American RR songs. It was written by Steve Goodman and made famous by Arlo Guthrie and others.  Many people have never heard Steve sing it. Now it's interesting that his voice is finally being heard around the world singing his"Go Cubs Go", which never got very much National exposure until this year.  The really sad part of this World Series victory is that we may have lost forever the joy of hearing him sing "The Dying Cub Fan's Last Request". 

Tom

[BaltACD]

ACY

"City of New Orleans" has been mentioned many times on this Forum as one of the best American RR songs. It was written by Steve Goodman and made famous by Arlo Guthrie and others.  Many people have never heard Steve sing it. Now it's interesting that his voice is finally being heard around the world singing his"Go Cubs Go", which never got very much National exposure until this year.  The really sad part of this World Series victory is that we may have lost forever the joy of hearing him sing "The Dying Cub Fan's Last Request". 

Tom

Easily transfered to the Indians or the Browns.

[ACY Tom]

BaltACD

 

 

Easily transfered to the Indians or the Browns.

 

That's right; Rub it in.

Tom (Native of NE Ohio; Lived on Chicago's North Side for 10 years. Victim of indescribable angst this year).

[BaltACD]

ACY

 

BaltACD

 

Easily transfered to the Indians or the Browns. 

That's right; Rub it in.

Tom (Native of NE Ohio; Lived on Chicago's North Side for 10 years. Victim of indescribable angst this year).

Just imagine the angst that will happen when we get a World Series between the Indians and Braves.

PS - I have family in NE Ohio, including one that lived for 20+ years in Chicago.  I imagine he was conflicted too; but then he rooted for the White Sox when they won in 2005.

[ACY Tom]

To put it all in perspective, it was a great series, running the full 7 games, with Game 7 going into extra innings. No significant bad calls or fights on the field or off. No rioting afterwards. The teams and the fans respected one another, no matter which team they represented. Now let's see what happens next year. 

Would that the political contest could be so civil!

Tom

[Sonofahoghead]

"Glendale Train" by New Riders of the Purple Sage

and..

"The Art of Catching Trains" spoken word over music by Rod McKuen (as quoted in my profile)

and..

"Freight Train" by Chet Atkins (guitar instrumental)

and..

"Rolling Steel" by yours truly (guitar instrumental)

and..

"Long, Long, Short, Long" also by yours truly.

 

[wanswheel]

https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/leon-russell

[Sunnyland]

I'd have to say City of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie. Came out a couple of years before Dad died and he loved it, went and bought the 45 which I  still have. I rode that train this past summer and our sleeper attendant played the Johnny Cash version on the speaker as we were coming into the city.  Nice idea.  Dad also had an old album of Johnny Cash railroad songs like Orange Blossom Special and others. Mom used to talk about the "baggage car ahead" and said her father's casket was put into the Frisco baggage car going to St. James, MO for burial. Her mom had to present his pass for free transport. There was a car filled with mourners from family and many co-workers. 

[SRQ Sid]

I first heard "Softly By Tracks" read by Garrison Keillor on his Writers Almanac radio show on 8/21/2001. It is track #5 on a CD titled "Poems of the Hobo Road" with music by Steve Cloutier done by Rasberry Hill Records with a theme of RRs and Hobos.  For those of us that love steam it may stir your soul with the RR sounds. Actually, I plan on having it  played at my funeral.

Poem: "Softly by Tracks," by Buzz Potter from Around the Jungle Fire (The Hobo Press).

Softly by Tracks

 

I stood by the main in the soft August rain

And watched as her headlight appeared

She crested the hill with a low moaning quill

Then proceeded through signals just cleared

 

 

She rolled down the main with a rumbling refrain

A song all the ramblers have known

The creaks and the groans and the low whistle moans

Remind us of yesterday’s homes

 

Oh, how many times have I heard those old chimes

When my church was the high iron trail

When the vision of youth responded to truth

Expressed in a steam engine’s wail

 

And the clunk of the gear brought a soft welling tear

As I stood there alone in the night

And I felt once again that deep yearning yen

That all us old ramblers must fight

 

Then she whistled a name that sounded the same

As a lover I knew long ago

I’d met her out there in the clean prairie air

In the rising sun’s soft warming glow

 

I’d seen her at night in a campfire’s light

I’d heard her soft call on the plains

I’d tasted her love in the rain from above

And slept with her often on trains

 

And the romance we knew I often review

And I savor the fond memory

Of the sweet cunning way that she led me astray

As soft as a south wind at sea

 

I remember her now but I can’t recall how

I lost her and she slipped away

She sometimes comes back when I stand by the track

Then she sings and I must look away

 

And the rivers and streams still carry my dreams

Out where the long freighters roll

And the memories gleam as the lone whistle scream

Still calls to my wandering soul

 

As the years roll on by, I still wonder why

I miss her and long for her so

And her name in the end was freedom, my friend

A lover that most never know

 

The train passes by and there’s mist in my eye

And it’s not from the soft falling rain

And I know I’ll be back to this place by the track

 

To watch freedom go by on the train 

 New info:you can go to the music streaming service Spotify and enter Buzz Porter or Softly By Tracks as a search to find the musical version. The album tracks are mislabeled, #5 with a time of 2:37 is the one you want. I know of no other free source.

 

 

[K4s_PRR]

As far as I'm concerned they're all the best.

[SRQ Sid]

One more: Josh Turner's "Long Black Train". Youtube B&W music video, TN Valley RR clips, has 15,000,000 views.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyRZTAmcW7c 

[Firelock76]

I like that Josh Turner song "Long Black Train,"  but I DON'T like the idea the Devil's train is being pulled by a steam engine.

Steam engines aren't evil, diesels are evil.  Steam engines are like big friendly dogs! Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Leonbergers, you name it.

Should have been pulled by an old, nasty, smelly, rusty Geep.

(My tongue's planted firmly in my cheeck right now, by the way.)

[zugmann]

Firelock76

Should have been pulled by an old, nasty, smelly, rusty Geep.

Geeps aren't evil.  At least need a sleek, shiny SD45 running LHF. Kind of has the demon wings thing going for it.

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

Need a photo of that . . .

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

I found one, and it gets the idea across, but its on Pinterest (and I don't belong), so I can't get a link for everyone to see it.  But try this one (Southern Rwy. SD45a 3114):

http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/14523222168894897/filePointer/14523222177771280/fodoid/14523222177771275/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/Southern-SD45-a.jpg 

But thinking about it, wouldn't a GE with radiator 'wings' running long hood forward convey that effect better ?  Take a look at this one (NS C39-8 #8558):

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/locomotive/images/5/55/NS_C39-8_Long-hood_forward.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130810051252 

Or this one of #8583:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3844/14799910819_948de837cb_b.jpg

- Paul North. 

[wanswheel]

[wanswheel]

[wanswheel]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/18/arts/chuck-berry-dead.html

Excerpt from Rolling Stone

A bluesy allegory for sin with a locomotive rhythm-guitar line, "Down Bound Train" reflected Berry's deeply held religious beliefs. The lyrics describe a person who drank so much that he passed out only to awaken on a train lit by a brimstone lamp and barreling through sulphuric fumes – the engineer was "the Devil himself." "I could say my father, in many ways, really wrote the foundation for 'Down Bound Train' in his constant preaching of the horrors of hell once you've missed the blessings of salvation and heaven," Berry wrote in his autobiography. "So let it be known that I'm not alone to reap what I've sown in fire and brimstone because of my own bad traits that I've shown." He added that he still got a chill when he heard the song.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/chuck-berry-20-essential-songs-w472713/down-bound-train-w472734

[Firelock76]

A columnist on www.northjersey.com posted an interesting question...

"Is Chuck Berry the first rocker to die of old age?"

No matter.  Take it easy Chuck, you're gonna be missed! 

[Firelock76]

A columnist on www.northjersey.com posed an interesting question...

"Is Chuck Berry the first rocker to die of old age?"

No matter.  Take 'er easy Chuck, you're gonna be missed!

And thank you!  Every time someone's "...strummin' to the rythym that the drivers made..." steam lives!

[Norm48327]

Has anyone considered nominating Willie Nelson's "She's A Railroad Lady"? It's a whimsical song that was nothing more than a filler to an album but it kind of neat. You can likely find it on You Tube.

[wanswheel]

[Miningman]

Very nice Wanswheel. 

[wanswheel]

Thanks for commenting Miningman.  Who knew Glen Campbell had a coal mine?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Campbell,_Pennsylvania

[RME]

[Firelock76]

Hey, let's kick this up a few notches above C&W and Rock into the Classical sphere...

Just to show steam's appeal has no borders, here's Andre Rieu performing Eduard Strauss'  "Bahn Frei."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv-Z7z3YXQs

Es lebe Dampf!