Railroad Or Train Records

[gramophone-georg]

Some other nice jazz/ dance numbers with a train or train reference:

"My Cutie's Due At Two To Two Today"- Ted Weems, Victor

"I Lost My Gal From Memphis"- Andy Kirk (Brunswick) or Bubber Miley (Victor)

"Chattanooga Choo Choo"- Glenn Miller, Bluebird

"These Foolish Things"- Benny Goodman, Victor- a one line reference to empty trains in a station

"Railroad Man"- Irving Mills and his Hotsy Totsy Gang, Brunswick (instrumental)

"Choo- Choo"- Paul Whiteman, Columbia. A Frank Trumbauer tune with lots of train "effects".

There are some 1910-1940s era gospel records that reference trains as well.

[Henry]

The late, great Johnny Mercer's "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe."

Do you hear that whistle down the line?

I figure that it's engine number forty-nine.

She's the only one that'll sound that way

On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe.


And a much more recent, but not to be missed, example: "Blue Train (of the Heartbreak Line)" performed by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.

By the way, apropos the Jelly Roll Morton example ("Sidewalk Bllues"), trolleys are always called "streetcars" in New Orleans and the south in general. I never, ever heard the word "trolley" when I lived in New Orleans and rode on the streetcars. And indeed, Morton says "streetcar" in the lyric.

[bart1927]

One of my personal favorites is "Farewell Blues" by Abe Lyman's orchestra, recorded in 1932. Plenty of great train effects.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOuCanKzliw

[Retrograde]

Louis Jordan "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie"
Louis Jordan "Texas and Pacific"

Vernon Dalhart recorded a number of Train songs.

I have a book by Katie Letcher Lyle "Scalded to Death by the Steam" that chronicles 20+ train wreck songs from the 78 era. Disaster songs were pretty popular I guess and I assume were recorded on 78s.

Do musicians write songs about train wrecks any more?

[Orchorsol]

I must have dozens in my collection but aside from some classics already mentioned by others, the one that comes to mind most of all (though a little obscure) is Palmer McAbee: McAbee's Railroad Piece, on Victor 21352.

[Lucius1958]

There's also an amusing little Murray/Jones ditty on BA, "There's Lots of Stations on my Railroad Track":

Jones: "I'm a little railroad station -"
Murray: "I'm a great big choo-choo train."
Jones: "Am I the cause why you pause?"
Murray: "Yes, my lovin' is yours."
Jones: "I appreciate your lovin',"
Murray: "Glad to hear it, because
This train is full of fire."
Jones: "When you leave me, ain't you never comin' back?"
Murray: "No!
All I have to do, is simply say, 'Choo-choo':"
Both: "There's lots of stations on my railroad track!"

Bill

[howardpgh]

How about Mystery Train by Elvis Presley, it was issued on 78 in the late 50s.
Death's Black Train is Coming by Reverend J.M. Gates and Congregation.

[Polyphone]

There are 30 recrodings of "The Wreck of the Old 97" on 78.

[RolandVV-360]

A very emotional song on Columbia electrical, "The Wreck of the Number 9", by Vernon Dalhart.

[EarlH]

How about "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" Somewhere around here I have a spoof on that song and it's the Mother-in-Law in the casket and it's actually pretty funny. It's a fox-trot version.