The wandering ballad singer; Railroad songs and ballads

And I'll walk the road again my boy. Along the road again if the weather be fair I'll call my hair and I'll walk the road again. Washington State University presents the wandering ballad singer Barry Tobin with songs that vividly describe the history and folklore of a pioneering country than a night along the road. And. The railroad has exerted an important influence on American culture sometimes for its part in the Western movement sometimes for its heavy handed landing methods sometimes because it afforded a cheap method of travel for the American bomb. In any case the railroads began to develop a folklore of their own terminology used by engineers and brakeman song sung by the track gangs and blues stories and laments made up by the vagrants during the early 1900s this folklore came into full bloom partly because of the efforts of performers like

Jimmy Rodgers the singing brakeman who made the railroad and its language well known to everyone who would listen. One of the best known railroad songs is the one called the old ninety seven. I understand that a few years ago there was a lawsuit over a copyright on the song in which one man claimed to have written it. But so many different versions were produced in court by folk singers that it was evident that the song if it was written by this man had been so taken over into the public domain and that it would be impossible to sue for breach of copyright. I learned the song from Carolyn and Terry spy via Buckeye Cove North Carolina to Stevie one morning. Just remember that 97 I met 14 that is black greasy barman saying little mark for when we reached the top of that mountain 97

rolls in my road from Denver land it's going down a three mile grin It was on last break you can see what 90 miles an hour. However when love was let off the great screen with his hand on the throttle he was scolded by this and how he's pleased the warning from this learned first meeting Marsh words to your kind loving husband he may leave you. And here's a song that was originally sung by railroad bums but for some reason probably because of the nostalgia in the first verse it was taken over by the armed forces in the Second World War and it

became briefly the number one folk song among the forces in Europe. The title is innocent enough but my friend tells me you can know the history of Danville Illinois. You can know the history of this song called The Danville girl. My good book was my heart was full of pain and from home I was on a plaid or smoking cigar on. The first try to carry him. Then I got but then and got stuck on and you can bet your life she

was out of sight or those down her shit took her part. She treated me my me of the time she were on the top of her head like women. But the very next day I pulled my hat down over my eyes and walked rode back and never back. The story of John Henry fits in with any discussion of railroads or chain gangs although there's

some disagreement among scholars as to whether John Henry really lived and if he did live whether he died in this fashion. There's no doubt in the minds of thousands even millions of folk singers and listeners the historical factor is not as important as the emotional or poetic fact I guess John Henry died according to legend from the burst blood vessel in his head. After successfully competing with the steam drill in some versions his wife or his girlfriend takes the hammer and carries on in his place and in this one she's immediately in demand as a girlfriend for other steel drivers. John was no bigger than his daddy's height is bad looking wanted him one Rev and John Henry Drive and well John Henry worked upon the railroad driving us back. He was the whole wide world driving with a

hammer in each hand Lord Lord. A twenty pound hammer. Well the salesman brought a steam drill wrong. The good drill holes faster than John Henry or the steam girl beats me down I'll die with blood hammers in my hand Lord Lord I'll die with my hammers in my hand. John Henry said to hear the man sing does I'm a swinging from the hymn. Just listen to that ring Lord Lord. Just listen to that ring. John ripping news hammer brought it down upon the ground and down in Little Rock. Hundred miles away heard and saw from John a

gust of wind that's coming. My hammer won't bend down it'll give you Sun lowered. It'll give you a song. Started through a tunnel. John Hendren that's deemed real side by side John Henry beat that machine by a mile then he laid down his hammers and he died Lord Lord. News hammers and he took John Henry into the yard buried him in the US. Now the greatest driver's gone to his rest. Life without a Marine he and lowered lowered a 20 pound hammer. Who's gonna shoot your pretty little boy was gone a glove your highness. Who's gonna get your red ruby after that steam you have unmanned loaded there that still haven't.

Gone Hugh. Pretty little mama can glove my. Iran sisters not my red ruby lips. I you know unload Lord not out there that still drive and then not after that stay. Long. The next song is reminiscent of many folk songs current in the United States in the 1920s. It's self-explanatory as many songs of the working man are and it's called Good morning Mr railroad man. Good Road man. Tell me where there are trains at 15 and three. Forty four and twenty five minutes to nine. Well it's nine fifteen or

twenty five minutes of an I road man I want to watch them trains roll. And then they're on the platform smokin cigar. Old freight train hauling car. I proved my grandma I walked down along the track and there I caught a westbound freight. I didn't ever come back and I just sat on in a good game and couldn't play.

Just thinkin about that woman I love runaway with and with an other runaway. Then I was thinking about that well run and. This last one is the lonesomeness song I know of it gives you a short glimpse into the heart of a sensitive vagrant as he wanders 900 miles from home. I'm walkin down this track I've got tears in my I'm trying to read a letter from my hollow son and if

this train runs me right I'll see my woman on Saturn you know that I'm not a hundred miles from home and I hate to hear that low song whistle blow. Bad lot though was. This train that I ride all these a hundred coaches long Uganda was a lot of fun. My bet if this train runs me right I'll see a moment on Saturday night I'm not in a hundred miles from my home and I hit that low

whistle battle Oh I'm sure it was. Well I'll pawn you my wife. I will pawn you my I will pawn you my your load during this training I'll see my woman on Saturday night I'm an hundred miles from my home and I hate to hear that low whistle blow that lawnmower me whistling.

That's it for now as far as railroad songs are concerned. See you again next week and I'll walk the road again my boy I'll walk the road again if the weather be fair I'll call my hair and I'll go along the road again and listen again next week when Barry talk and they wondering balancing or returns with more songs and balance the preceding was transcribed and was produced by the Radio TV services of Washington State University. This is the end E.B. Radio Network and along the road. Again.