Lyr Req: Blue Railroad Train (Delmore Brothers)

Subject: Blue Railroad Train
From: Armen Tanzerian
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 04:58 PM

A friend in France has asked me to learn Blue Railroad Train. Oddly enough, I only have the original by the Delmore Brothers. They insert an extra Jimmie Rodgers-style shuffle measure between each 4-measure line. The instrumental breaks are also unusual in that they don't follow the vocal pattern, but stay almost entirely in the 1 chord.
My friend, like most people, has learned Blue Railroad Train from the recording by Doc Watson. My question is: what does Doc do? Does he take that little one-measure pause between lines? And does he play the nearly-all-in-1 instrumental break? Thanks for all info.

Subject: RE: Blue Railroad Train
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 05:05 PM

Audio file here! of Doc and Merle playing it. Doc's lyrics here! Now you can go listen to it. I'm not sure what he does because I am not a guitar player......

Subject: RE: Blue Railroad Train
From: Armen Tanzerian
Date: 21 Aug 01 - 05:27 PM

Well, thank you Sorcha. The clip is a pretty short one, but it answers both questions: Doc does insert a little roll up to the 4-chord between lines, but he plays the break "straight".

The lyrics you mentioned are from an Italian source and are thus a little wacky, though better than my transcription of an Italian song would be. In any case, I found a couple of other sources for the words Doc uses, which, once again, differ slightly from the Delmores.

Mais merci bien alors.

Subject: RE: Blue Railroad Train
From: Fortunato
Date: 22 Aug 01 - 10:56 AM

Armen, where are you located? How would you assess the popularity of this music in France? We are traveling to Montpelier next year and it had crossed my mind to ask our friends there to look for a few bookings. (My wife and I perform the songs of the Delmores and others within the genre).

regards, Chance Shiver

Subject: Lyr Req: blue moring train
From: Rasta
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 05:17 PM

--howdy pilgrims hope all are well and fellin groovy --i recently heard jorma Koukan doin a version of blue moring train which i believe tony rice has cut as well as doc watson --so i looked in google but couldnt find the lyrics, does anyone out there have the magic wand for finding this one--bless you--rastaaaaaaa

Subject: Lyr Add: BLUE RAILROAD TRAIN (Delmore Brothers)
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 11 Feb 03 - 06:36 PM

You probably couldn't find it because the correct title is "Blue Railroad Train". Here are the lyrics:

[You can hear this recording on YouTube.]

BLUE RAILROAD TRAIN
Words and music by the Delmore Brothers (Alton and Rabon)
As recorded by The Delmore Brothers, 1933. (Bluebird 5531)

Blue railroad train, goin’ down the railroad track,
It makes me feel so doggone blue to listen to that ol’ smokestack.
Come back again; let me hear the whistle blow.
You’re takin’ the sun and leavin’ the rain, and I hate to see you go.

Blue railroad train, leavin’ me far behind,
Gi’ me back the good ol’ days and let me ramble down the line.
Blue railroad train, leavin’ me here alone,
You treat me good; you treat me bad; you’re makin’ me think of home.

I’ve got the blues; I’m longin’ for company.
It’s many a mile from where I am to the only one for me.
It’s lonely here waiting for the manifest.
I hope that engineer is kind enough to let me be his guest.

I’m not as bad as you might think I am.
I hobo’d here, I hobo’d there; I’ve traveled these states around.
Blue railroad train, a good ol’ pal to me,
You take me where I want to go, and my transportation’s free.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: blue moring train
From: Rasta
Date: 12 Feb 03 - 05:49 PM

thanx be dubya and yoour right i had wrong title ,thanx again