songs
about
trains
page two
Songs about Trains page one
Songs about Trains page three
Songs about Trains page four
|
Wonderful stuff from the Golden gate Quartet. This is just
utterly delightful. Happens to be one of my favorite Tom Waits songs.
"drunk up all my money that I borrowed, every time" ... "and I'm so sorry for what I've done, and I'm out here all alone". So gorgeous. Evocative, moody track from the man who brought us
"Polk Salad Annie". One of the classic American train songs here.
Ol' Vernon was pretty partial to train disaster songs: this is
but one of several that he recorded back in the 20s. Oh, and he didn't limit himself to train mishaps, no siree! He also sang about the Titanic and at least one airplane crash! As for this tune, note the use of train sound effects as well as the sudden, inexplicable introduction of a jew's harp (not especially well played...) toward the later part of the tune. Kah-raaazy 1920s jazz boys Paul Tremaine and Orchestra turn in their version of this iconic little number. Great train sound at the top of the tune!
Not all that crazy about this tune, but I do think it was an
honest effort on Jim Croce's part to make a statement on the dying of tradition and old technology. And the steam locomotive footage featured in the video is very pleasing. |
King Solomon Hill: "I said look here engineer, can I ride
your train? he said look, you oughtta know this train ain't mine and you're asking me in vain". Well, it's an allegorical train, but a train nonetheless.
Mabel Scott met her baby on a boogie woogie choo choo
train, and, as you might've guessed, they boogied and woogied. Infectiously peppy little number! We can count Doug Sahm among the legions of guys who've
had their gals whisked away by trains. And he wishes he himself had never left California, where you can dress funny! Get on back there, Doug! Ah, what the heck, let's go with one more from the prolific
Mr. Dalhart here. This one isn't about a train disaster, just about a train. And we get to hear some of Vernon's trademark whistling. Ol' Steve Gardner is another poor soul who had a train take his gal away. That mean old Frisco!
Another train disaster song, one that didn't shy away from
some pretty graphic descriptions: "...his face was covered up with blood, his eyes you could not see". This track is on fire! Pickett cracks like a whip, and it's full of
funk and percussion! Shakers, cowbells, vibra-slaps! Teah! |