ADD: California Zephyr (Mary McCaslin)

Subject: Origins: California Zephyr (Mary McCaslin)
From: GUEST,facebook post from Open Mike
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 02:26 AM

In search of lyrics to Mary McCaslin's song California Zephyr. I searched on the Cat and got the link to a song by Jim Ringer, her singing partner, then the site crashed. btw, there is at least one album of Jim Ringer recorded by the recording company owned by Sandy and Caroline Patton... can't remember the label's name... or the album....anybody know?

here is what i have ... sketchy, but many lyrics are here:

California Zephyr
(Mary McCaslin)


Sunrise
Where once stood a small tienda
And stucco
We had
But here and there stands a grand adobe hacienda
Now and then a grave yard with Spanish sounding names
The highways cut the trees down
And the outlaws stole the land
And the California Zephyr lies a sleeping
And we’re told that days are numbered
And you can almost hear the earth beneath you weaping
But when you standin’ by the trestle
Can’t you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into Monterey
It’s the California Zephyr whose headlights
The California Day
Growing fields and pastures
For miles Salinas
Too soon the rows of houses
Will lay claim to all you see
Who can show their children
Those small adobe houses
And the families toiling in their fields beside the sea
Evening lights of San Jose
Once humbled by the stars
Strolling guitar ringing
They’ve all vanished with the
Beyond lights of shining
But the memory sets the rusty rails a singing
And when you’re standing by the trestle
Can’t you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into San Jose
It’s the California Zephyr whose headlights have forever
Burned its brand upon The California
Southern California
Where the hills roll to the sea
And the schemes of men of vision
There’s a shroud upon the valley
Where a blue sky used to be
And the oil along the shoreline covers up the golden sand
But the city of the Angels and the path the padres trod
Somehow from Days of old
And Spanish tongue still whispers
To a Spanish speaking God
And the ghosts of dreamers roam the hills of gold
And when you’re standing by the trestle
Can’t you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into old L.A.
It’s the California Zephyr whose headlights have forever
Burned its brand upon the California

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyjyGN9UL1o

Subject: ADD: California Zephyr (Mary McCaslin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 02:33 AM

Here's a transcription I found online at https://sonichits.com/video/Mary_McCaslin/The_California_Zephyr:

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR
(Mary McCaslin)

Sunrise lights the city where once stood a small tienda
And stucco walled hotels can tell of all we have gained
But here and there stands a grand adobe hacienda
And now then, a graveyard filled with Spanish-sounding names.
The highways cut the trees down, and the outlaws stole the land
And the California Zephyr lies a sleeping
And we're told the days are numbered, till we lose the giant redwoods
And you can almost hear the Earth beneath you weeping

But when you're standing by the trestle
Can't you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into Monterey?
It's the California Zephyr, whose headlight has forever
burned its brand upon the mist to face the California day

Rolling fields and pastures lay for miles around Salinas
Too soon the rows of houses will lay claim to all you see
And who can show their children, those small adobe casas?
And the families toiling in their fields beside the sea
The evening lights of San Jose, once humbled by the stars
And the strolling troubadour, with guitar ringing.
They've all vanished with flashing neon lights and shining cars
But the memory sets the rusty rails a singing

And when you are standing by the trestle
Can't you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into San Jose?
It's the California Zephyr, whose headlight has forever
Burned its brand upon the mist to face the California day

Southern California, where the hills roll to the sea
And the schemes of men with vision choked the life out of the land
There's a shroud upon the valleys where a blue sky used to be
And the oil along the shoreline covers up the golden sand
But the City of the Angels and the path the padres trod
Somehow it held its beauty from days of old
And Spanish tongues still whisper to a Spanish-speaking God
And the ghosts of dreamers roam the hills for gold

And when you're standing by the trestle
Can't you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into old LA?
It's the California Zephyr, whose headlight has forever
Burned its brand upon the mist to face the California day


from the album California Sunshine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyjyGN9UL1o

Subject: ADD: California Zephyr (Mary McCaslin)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 02:47 AM

Here's my transcription:

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR
(Mary McCaslin)

Sunrise lights the city where once stood a small tienda
And stucco walls will tell some tales of all that we have gained
But here and there stands a grand adobe hacienda
And now and then, a graveyard filled with Spanish-sounding names.
The highways cut the trees down, and the outlaws stole the land
And the California Zephyr lies a-sleeping
And we're told the days are numbered, till we lose the giant redwoods
And you can almost hear the Earth beneath you weeping

But when you're standing by the trestle
Can't you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into Monterey?
It's the California Zephyr, whose headlight has forever
burned its brand upon the mist to face the California day

Rolling fields and pastures lay for miles around Salinas
Too soon the rows of houses will lay claim to all you see
And who can show their children, those small adobe casas?
And the families toiling in their fields beside the sea
The evening lights of San Jose, once humbled by the stars
And the strolling troubadour, with guitar ringing.
They've all vanished with the flashing neon lights and shining cars
But the memory sets the rusty rails a singing

And when you're standing by the trestle
Can't you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into San Jose?
It's the California Zephyr, whose headlight has forever
Burned its brand upon the mist to face the California day

Southern California, where the hills roll to the sea
And the schemes of men with vision choked the life out of the land
There's a shroud upon the valleys where a blue sky used to be
And the oil along the shoreline covers up the golden sand
But the City of the Angels and the path the padres trod
Somehow it held its beauty from days of old
And Spanish tongues still whisper to a Spanish-speaking God
And the ghosts of dreamers roam the hills for gold

And when you're standing by the trestle
Can't you hear a ghostly whistle
And the breathing of an engine pulling into old LA?
It's the California Zephyr, whose headlight has forever
Burned its brand upon the mist to face the California day


from the album California Sunshine (1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyjyGN9UL1o


tienda is a Spanish word for "store."

The California Zephyr is the name for a number of train routes from Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area. The current Zephyr goes right past my house twice a day. I came to California on the Zephyr when I got out of the Army in 1973.
The song seems to be a bit "geographically challenged." As far as I can tell, the California Zephyr has never served Los Angeles, San Jose, Salinas, or Monterey.