Train Song Lyrics

[Flangehead]

Big Train From Memphis

From Roy Orbison

When I was young, I spent my summer days
Playin' on the track.
The sound of the wheels rollin' on the steel
Took me out, took me back.

Big Train from Memphis,
Big Train from Memphis,
Now it's gone gone gone, gone gone gone.

Like no one before, he let out a roar,
and I just had to tag along.
Each night I went to bed with the sound in my head,
And the dream was a song.

Big Train from Memphis,
Big Train from Memphis,
Now it's gone gone gone, gone gone gone.

Well I've rode 'em in and back out again
You know what they say about trains;
But I'm tellin' you when that Memphis train came through,
This ol' world was not the same.

Big Train from Memphis,
Big Train from Memphis,
Now it's gone gone gone, gone gone gone.

 

[Badyin Macfadyi]

"

Zeeglen

I know it was a long ime ago, but it may have been Michelle Shocked, "The L&N don't go there anymore

 

[Muddy Creek]

Since this thread got revived after a year and a half, perhaps it's time to correct the original post that started it.

Arlo Guthrie didn't write "City of New Orleans. It was penned by the late, great Steve Goodman a few years before Arlo had his hit with it.

Wayne

 

[TrainClown]

This one struck a chord with me.

Runaway Train

Call you up in the middle of the night
Like a firefly without a light
You were there like a slow torch burning
I was a key that could use a little turning

So tired that I couldn't even sleep
So many secrets I couldn't keep
Promised myself I wouldn't weep
One more promise I couldn't keep

It seems no one can help me now
I'm in too deep
There's no way out
This time I have really led myself astray

CHORUS
Runaway train never going back
Wrong way on a one way track
Seems like I should be getting somewhere
Somehow I'm neither here no there

Can you help me remember how to smile
Make it somehow all seem worthwhile
How on earth did I get so jaded
Life's mystery seems so faded

I can go where no one else can go
I know what no one else knows
Here I am just drownin' in the rain
With a ticket for a runaway train

Everything is cut and dry
Day and night, earth and sky
Somehow I just don't believe it

CHORUS

Bought a ticket for a runaway train
Like a madman laughin' at the rain
Little out of touch, little insane
Just easier than dealing with the pain

Runaway train never comin' back
Runaway train tearin' up the track
Runaway train burnin' in my veins
Runaway but it always seems the same

By Soul Asylum



TrainClown

 

[Badyin Macfadyi]

Should have noticed that about Steve Goodman; was listening to "My Old Man" and "Cockroaches On Parade" a few minutes ago. Great artist, sorely missed

 

[hooknlad]

Cool Song - Not recommended In real time instances

COWBOY TROY (f/ Big & Rich) LYRICS

I Play Chicken With The Train


[Instrumental]

[Chorus - Big & Rich]
I play chicken with the train
Play chicken with the train train, uh huh huh uh huh huh,
You know that I play chicken with the train,
Play chicken with the train train uh huh huh uh huh huh yeah,

Hold 'em up,
Here we go,
All the Hicks and Chicks feel the flow,
Big black train coming round the bend,
Go on kinfolk tell you mom and them,
Chugg a lugga, Chugg a lugga, Chugg a lugga,
Who? The big black man comin' through to you
Boy you fell and bumped you head uh huh,
That's what they said,
People say it's impossible, not probable, too radical,
But I already been on the CMA's,
Hell Tim McGraw said he liked the change,
That he likes the way my Hick-hop sounds and the way the crowd screams when I stomp the ground,
I'm big and black, clickty clack and I make the train jump the track like that,

[Chorus - Big & Rich]

From mic to cassette, deep into your ear,
My voice is your choice that you wanted to hear,
Southern boy makin' noise where the buffalo roam,
Blast into me bones that you might have known.
See me riding into town like a desperado,
With a big belt buckle,
The cowboy bravado,
All over the World Wide Web you'll see download CBT on the MP3,
Speak clearly what I'm saying so you'll comprehend
In the name of Hick-hop radio tune in,
Roaming like thunder on the scene,
It's kinda hard to describe if you know what I mean.
I never claimed to be the hardest of the brothers hard rock,
But I'm booming at the box,
Skills got you jumping out your socks.
From Texas here I come movin' your body with the bass kick drum.

[Chorus - Big & Rich]

[Instrumental]

[Chorus - Cowboy Troy]

[Chorus - Big & Rich]

[Instrumental]

Huh, yeah, one time,
Get you some of that!

 

[Badyin Macfadyi]

I was tidying out old LPs (remember them) yesterday and found anold copy of Ewan McColl's Ballad of John Axxon. It's a recording made back in 1950s/60s of a radio programme about a train crash in the English Midlands. One of the first "docusoaps"

Also found Dave Goulder's records (UK folk singer, made a couple of records about his life on the railway) and Cyril Tawney's "In the sidings".

Muddy Creek - I recently bought a tribute to Steve Goodman CD; Arlo Guthrie tells the story on it of how he met Steve and first heard the song

 

[Will_annand]

One of the best of all time!

Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot

There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
But time has no beginnings and hist'ry has no bounds
As to this verdant country they came from all around
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall
And they built the mines the mills and the factories for the good of us all

And when the young man's fancy was turnin' to the spring
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of their day
And many a fortune lost and won and many a debt to pay

For they looked in the future and what did they see
They saw an iron road runnin' from sea to the sea
Bringin' the goods to a young growin' land
All up through the seaports and into their hands

Look away said they across this mighty land
From the eastern shore to the western strand
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
Open 'er heart let the life blood flow
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow

Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We're gonna lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
Open 'er heart let the life blood flow
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow
Get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow

Behind the blue rockies the sun is declinin'
The stars, they come stealin' at the close of the day
Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping
Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away

We are the navvies who work upon the railway
Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun
Livin' on stew and drinkin' bad whiskey
Bendin' our old backs 'til the long days are done

We are the navvies who work upon the railway
Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun
Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges
Bendin' our old backs 'til the railroad is done

So over the mountains and over the plains
Into the muskeg and into the rain
Up the st. lawrence all the way to gaspe
Swingin' our hammers and drawin' our pay
Drivin' 'em in and tyin' 'em down
Away to the bunkhouse and into the town
A dollar a day and a place for my head
A drink to the livin' and a toast to the dead

Oh the song of the future has been sung
All the battles have been won
O'er the mountain tops we stand
All the world at our command
We have opened up the soil
With our teardrops and our toil

For there was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
And many are the dead men too silent to be real

 

[JVRR]

Me being Baptist I like this one a whole lot.



The long Black Train by Josh Turner

​

There's a long black train comin' down the line,
Feeding off the souls that are lost and cryin'.
Rails of sin, only evil remains.
Watch out, brother, for that long black train.
Look to the heaven's, you can look to the sky.
You can find redemption staring back into your eyes.
There is protection and there's peace the same:
Burnin' your ticket for that long black train.

'Cause there's victory in the Lord, I say.
Victory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don't go ridin' on that long black train.

There's an engineer on that long black train,
Makin' you wonder if the ride is worth the pain.
He's just a-waitin' on your heart to say:
"Let me ride on that long black train."

But you know there's victory in the Lord, I say.
Victory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don't go ridin' on that long black train.

Well, I can hear the whistle from a mile away.
It sounds so good but I must stay away.
That train is a beauty makin' everybody stare,
But its only destination is the middle of nowhere.

But you know there's victory in the Lord, I say.
Victory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don't go ridin' on that long black train.

I said cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don't go ridin' on that long black train.

Yeah, watch out brother for that long black train.
That devil's drivin' that long black train.
whole lot. Josh Turner's The Long Black train

 

[kf4jqd]

RR Song's

Of course mine has to be The Rock Island line. Yes, the Rock Island Line was a mighty fine line! Lead Belly and Johnny Cash are my favorit artist singing the song. Willie Nelson did a good job too. I downloaded the songs from Napaster before it became illegel and and now you have to pay! sign1

If you want to ride it. You gotta find it. Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line!

http://storm.simpson.edu/mjdomo.archives/archived-rits/msg06015.html

Andy
World Biggest Rock Island Fan!

 

[jim currie]

as long as this is up again here's another hank snow song The Last Ride

in the Dodge City yards of the Santa Fe stood a freight made up for the east
And the engineer with his oil and waste was groomin' the great iron beast

While ten cars back in the murky dust a boxcad door swung wide
a hobo lifted his pal aboard to start on his last long ride

A lantern swung and the freight pulled out the engine,it gathered speed
The engineer pulled the throttle wide and clucked to his fiery steed

Ten cars back in the empty box the hobo rolled a pill
The flare of the match showed his partner's face stark white and deathly still

As the train wheels clicked on the couplin' joints a song for the rambler's ear
The hobo talked to the still white form his pal for many a year

(spoken)
For a mighty long time we've rambled,Jack with the luck of men that roam
With the backdoor steps for a dining room and a boxcar for a home

We dodged the bulls on the eastern route and the cops on the Chesapeake
We travelled the leadville narrow gauge in the days of Cripple Creek

We drifted down thru sunny cal on the rails of the old S.P.
And of all you had, thru good and bad a half always belonged to me

You made me promise to you Jack if i lived, and you cashed in
To take you back to the old church yard and bury you there with your kin

You seemed to know i would keep my word'cause you said that i was right
Well I'm keeping' my promise to you,pal'cause I'm takin' you home tonight

I haven't the money to send you there so,I'm takin' you back on the fly
It's the decent way for a 'bo to go home to the by and by

I knew that the fever had you,Jack and the doctor,he just wouldn't come
He was too busy treating' the wealthy folks to doctor a worn-out bum

(sung)
As the train rolled over its ribbons of steel straight thru to the east it sped
The engineer in his high cab seat kept his eye's on the rail ahead

While ten cars back in the empty box a lonely hobo sighed
For the days of old and his pal,so cold who was takin' his last long ride

 

[Raistlin]

What, no mention of Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne, or Spanish Train by Chris DeBurgh?

I am shocked...

 

[TrainClown]

When I was a child, my parents were entertainers and did vaudeville

​

shows in Barkerville Historic Park in the interior of British Columbia. They did that for 16 years, from the time I was 5 years old. My dad was a comedian and my mom was a singer. My mom sang old music hall songs like "Jeanie with the light brown hair" and "Won't you come home Bill Bailey".

She also did character pieces and this is one of the songs my dad wrote for her.

Take me to the station..........by Fran Dowie and Norman Long (Norman Long was the pianist for my dad's shows)

I've never be far away from home
'cause mother wouldn't agree
She said that all the nice girls stay at home.
She wouldn't let me go out with boys
or bring them home to tea.
She would have expired
if she knew I desired
To flout her propriety.

So,
Take me the station and put me on the train.
Send me down to London and bring me back again.
Let me see the engine and carriages

​

so gay.
All me life I wanted to ride on a railway.

Engine driver, there's something I want to know.
I've no way of knowing just how far I ought to go?
Mother warned me just as a mother should.
But I find it hard to tell bad from good.

So,
Take me the station and put me on the train.
Send me down to London and bring me back again.
Let me see the engine and carriages

​

so gay.
All me life I wanted to ride on a railway.

When father heard I was going away, he said "Don't look for fame!
City life is full of grief and tears.
There's wicked

​

men who will lure you on and cause you not but shame.
They'll fill you with gin

​

and lead you to SIN!
Just think of the family name!"

​

Soooooooooo
Take me the station and put me on the train.
Send me down to London and bring me back again.
Let me see the engine and carriages

​

so gay.
All me life I wanted to ride on a railway.


This is a saucy song, sung in a Cockney accent.

And when I close my eyes, I can still see her performing this song.

TrainClown :thumb:

 

[MasonJar]

Chris...

Great song, and nice family history too... Any chance you have a recording of it?

Here's one of my favourites:

Big Rock Candy Mountain

- Harry McClintock, 1928

One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fires were burning,
Down the track came a hobo hiking, and he said "Boys, I'm not turning."
"I'm heading 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,
The handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night
Where the boxcars all are empty and the sun shines every day
On the birds and the bees and the cigarete trees,
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, the wind don't blow
In the Big Rock Candy Mountains

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains, you never change your socks
And 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
And 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 comin' fall in the Big Rock
Candy Mountains!


===


This version was used in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
a Coen brothers movie starring George Clooney. Full
lyrics (plus a warning that the hobo lifestyle may be
hazardous to your health) can be found at:

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/bigrock.htm

This site:

http://www.slangcity.com/songs/big_rock_candy_mountain.htm

has an explanation of the "slang" used in the lyrics, and it is pretty funny too...


Andrew

 

[b28_82]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the AT&SF (couldnt find lyrics to it) or the....


CHATTANOOGA CHOO-CHOO
(Harry Warren & Mack Gordon), 1941

Pardon me boy
Is that the Chattanooga Choo-Choo
Track twenty-nine
Boy, you can give me a shine
I can afford
To board the Chattanooga Choo-Choo
I've got my fare
And just a trifle to spare

You leave the Pennsylvania station
'Bout a quarter to four
Read a magazine
And then you're in Baltimore
Dinner in the diner
Nothing could be finer
Than to have your ham and eggs in Carolina

When you hear the whistle blowin'
Eight-to-the-bar
Then you know that Tennessee
Is not very far
Shovel all the coal in
Gotta keep it rollin'
Woo, woo, Chattanooga
There you are

There's gonna be
A certain party at the station
Satin and lace
I used to call funny face
She's gonna cry
Until I tell her that I'll never roam
So Chattanooga Choo-Choo
Won't you choo-choo me home?
So Chattanooga Choo-Choo
Won't you choo-choo me home
Won't you choo-choo me home

 

[b28_82]

found it here
"On the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe"

 

[TrainClown]

yep, Andrew. I do.

TrainClown

 

[MasonJar]

yep, Andrew. I do.

TrainClown

Andrew

 

[Pitchwife]

And for us Classic Rock buffs here's Graham Nash's

MARRAKESH EXPRESS

Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes,
Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies
Ducks, and pigs, and chickens call,
animal carpet wall to wall
American ladies five-foot tall in blue.
Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind,
Had to get away to see what we could find.
Hope the days that lie ahead
bring us back to where they've led
listen not to what's been said to you.

Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express.
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express,
they're taking me to Marrakesh.
All aboard the train.
All aboard the train.

I've been saving all my money just to take you there.
I smell the garden in your hair.
Take the train from Casablanca going south,
blowing smoke rings from the corners of my m m m m mouth.
Colored cottons hang in the air,
charming cobras in the square.
Striped djellebas we can wear at home.
Well, let me hear ya now.

Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express.
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express,
they're taking me to Marrakesh.
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express.
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express,
they're taking me to Marrakesh.
All on board the train,
All on board the train,
All on board!

 

[Pitchwife]

And we can't forget Cat Stevens

Peace Train

Now I've been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again

Now I've been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun

Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller

Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train

Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
Cause it's getting nearer, it soon will be with you

Now come and join the living, it's not so far from you
And it's getting nearer, soon it will all be true

Now I've been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating, why can't we live in bliss

Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again