Hedy West's 500 Miles

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Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?

20 Jun 13 - 03:09 PM (#3528381)
Subject: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: PHJim

When Hedy sings her song, she has a verse that goes:

I told my little letter just as plain as I could tell her
She'd better come along and go with me
Go with me, go with me, go with me, go with me
She'd better come along and go with me

What does "letter" mean in this context?

20 Jun 13 - 04:07 PM (#3528400)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: maeve

Here's what is identified as a transcription of Hedy's version: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/219449 . Although Jim D's supposed transcription makes sense for the verse, the specific Youtube link to Hedy singing it doesn't contain "in my".

"I told her in my little letter just as plain as I could tell her
That she'd better come along and go with me
Go with me, go with me, go with me, go with me
She'd better come along and go with me" (Jim D - Posted - 11/02/2011: 08:55:31)

20 Jun 13 - 04:11 PM (#3528401)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: maeve

Sorry- I meant to include the following link to another Mudcat thread on the song, with some discussion of Hedy West's version.
900 Miles/500 miles

20 Jun 13 - 04:36 PM (#3528413)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: PHJim

Many Thanks Maeve. That makes much more sense.

I think I'll sing, "I told her in my letter just as plain as I could tell her..." because it scans better.

20 Jun 13 - 04:53 PM (#3528416)
Subject: ADD: 500 Miles (as sung by Hedy West)
From: bradfordian

500 Miles - Hedy West

500 MILES

If you miss the train I'm on. You will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

If my honey said so, I would railroad no more
I'd sidetrack my engine and go home
And go home, and go home, and go home and go home
I'd sidetrack my engine and go home.

Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two, Lord, I'm three
Lord, I'm four, Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home
Away from home, away from home, away from home, away from home
Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home

I told her in my little letter, just as plain as I could tell her
That she'd better come along and go with me
Go with me, go with me, go with me, go with me
she'd better come along and go with me

My clothes are all torn and my shoes are all worn
Lord, I can't make a livin' this away,
This a-way, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way
Lord, I can't make a livin' this away

If this train runs on right, I'll be home tomorrow night
For I'm coming down the line on number nine
number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine
For I'm coming down the line on number nine

Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
Lord, I can't go back home this a-way
This a-way, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way
Lord I can't go back home this away

If you miss the train I'm on, You will know that I have gone
You will hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

(incorporating the modification in Maeve's note
Also, I swapped around worn and torn in verse 5)

These lyrics as sung by West are not in the database

17 Jun 14 - 01:51 PM (#3633973)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: GUEST,Dick Weissman

The verse that I heard her sing, many times, is

I told my little Ella, just as plain as I could tell her,
That she'd better come along and go with me---etc.

17 Jun 14 - 02:04 PM (#3633977)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: maeve

Thanks, Dick Weissman! That makes sense and scans well.

17 Jun 14 - 09:14 PM (#3634123)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: GUEST,Jerome Clark

Dick Weissman's comments come as a relief. I was wondering if there was something wrong with my hearing...

... except that I've always thought West was singing not "my little Ella" but "my little Eller."

Which at least rhymes with "tell her."

18 Jun 14 - 02:08 AM (#3634170)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: GUEST

Excellent

30 May 17 - 03:50 AM (#3857801)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: Joe Offer

Here are the lyrics we have in the Digital Tradition. Any corrections?

FIVE HUNDRED MILES
(Hedy West)

If you miss the train I'm on
You will know that I have gone
You will hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two, Lord, I'm three
Lord, I'm four, Lord, I'm five hundred miles from my home
Five hundred miles, five hundred miles, five hundred miles
five hundred miles
Lord, I'm five hundred miles from my home

Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
Lord, I can't go back home this a way
This away, this away, this away, this away
Lord I can't go back home this away

If you miss the train I'm on
You will know that I have gone
You will hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles,
a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

Recorded by Kingston Trio etc.
Copyright Atzal Music Inc.
@travel @train
filename[ MILE500
TUNE FILE: MILE500
CLICK TO PLAY
SOF

08 Jun 18 - 11:41 AM (#3929832)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: GUEST,AlienAcres

I know this thread is old, but “Leter” is a woman’s name...

08 Jun 18 - 03:23 PM (#3929867)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)

The version posted above by bradfordian is almost exactly what she sings on the Hedy West album. There are a few minor changes (including the transposition he made deliberately), and it's definitely little Ella. (latter pronounced as Eller)

Mick

500 MILES

If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone -
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
  Hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles.
  You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

If my honey said so, I'd railroad no more,
I'd sidetrack my engine and go home.
  And go home, and go home, and go home and go home.
  I'd sidetrack my engine and go home.

Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two, Lord, I'm three, Lord, I'm four,
Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home.
  Away from home, away from home, away from home, away from home,
  Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home.

I told my little Ella, just as plain as I could tell her
That she'd better come along and go with me.
  Go with me, go with me, go with me, go with me;
  She'd better come along and go with me.

My clothes are all worm and my shoes are all torn,
Lord, I can't make a livin' this a-way.
  This a-way, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way,
  Lord, I can't make a livin' this a-way.

If this train runs on right, I'll be home tomorrow night,
For I'm coming down the line on Number Nine.
  Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine,
  For I'm coming down the line on Number Nine.

Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name,
Lord, I can't go back home this a-way.
  This a-way, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way
  Lord I can't go back home this away.

If you miss the train I'm on, You will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
  Hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles.
  You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.

Source: Hedy West, album Hedy West.

30 May 22 - 05:22 PM (#4142927)
Subject: RE: Hedy West's 500 Miles - Letter?
From: Joe Offer

Joe - needs work