Train train, take me on out of this town. Man. There are a lot train songs I’m learning.
Catching regular blog readers up to date on a couple of things:
I first posted my train song list on my blog. Then I added some commentary and a concern and posted my list — same list –on AL.com.
In that last post I told readers I have been dissatisfied with my blog post list of train songs, namely the Grateful Dead’s ‘Casey Jones.’ Not a big Dead fan anyway, and the performance by Jerry Garcia is lackluster and has ‘cocaine’ running all through it. So I made a call out for replacements. Based on emails, texts and comments from stories, here’s a list we can draw from to replace Casey Jones (unless there’s an outpouring of support for that Dead song?)
I am amazed at the quality and depth of the selections, these aren’t all of them, I had to do some pruning. But it is a good many.
I’m going to make the final decision, here are the suggestions and I will make a pick by the weekend.
- “Love in Vain” Robert Johnson. The legendary blues guitarist who influenced Clapton and a legion of rock guitar slingers.
- “Orange Blossom Special,” Johnny Cash.
- Elizabeth Cotton or Pete Seeger, Freight Train. Cotton is an amazing woman. Check out this video.
- Paul Simon’s “Train in the Distance.”
- Aeorosmith “Train Kept a Rollin’ the rollicking cover of old blues song, also done by the Yardbirds.
- ‘Last Train to Clarksville’ by the Monkees.
- The Nields’ “Train.” Leave it to my good friend Bob to come up with something I’ve never heard or heard of — and it’s a great piece by a female duo.
- “Waitin’ for a Train” by Jimmie Rodgers, the Singing Brakeman, another legendary folk singer (complete with yodels).
- “Peace Train” by Cat Stevens
- City of New Orleans” The Arlo Guthriy version of the Steve Goodman song.
- Syd Straw’s “The Train that Takes You Away.” Great, if not obscure, song.
- Gary Clarke, Jr’s bluesy rocker, “When My Train Pulls In.” Audience loved him so much they serenaded him before he launched in bluesy train song.
- “Throw Mama From a Train — a Kiss a Kiss.” The Sandpipers. Funny funny. Thanks Marvin.
- Nanci Griffith – 1) So Long Ago. 2) Southbound Train. Nanci has a few train songs in her and I like them all.
- Janis Joplin – Me and Bobbi McGee. Um, this is possibly my favorite all time song. Not sure it’s a train song, though the protagonist is ‘headin’ for a train, feeling nearly faded as my jeans.’ Kristofferson wrote. Found this video of an aging Kristofferson doing this — pretty amazing:
- Eagles – Train Leaves Here This Morning – Pleasant. Not so sure the Dude would like it.
- Gordon Lightfoot – Canadian Railroad Trilogy. Historic account of real event as Gordon liked to do.
- Wreck of the Old 97. Classic country sung by Johnny Cash and others.
- Desperados waiting for a Train –Guy Clark (several other versions), including the aforementioned Nanci with Clark.
- “The Train Song” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
- Chattanooga Choo Choo —classic, written by a songwriting duo while on a train called the Birmingham Special. Would have been a slam dunk if they named it the Birmingham Choo Choo. (Or, perhaps, not)>
- “The Locomotion” original by LIttle Eva, babysitter for Carole King. Later Grand Funk Railroad.
- And one reader says it would be a ‘travesty’ to get rid of Grateful Dead entirely so the reader suggested Dead renditions of “Big Railroad Blues” or Willie Fuller’s “Beat It On Down the Line,” either his original or their cover of it.