Origins: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)

Subject: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Becca
Date: 24 Oct 99 - 06:29 PM

I'm looking for a few words in one of the stanzas of Utah Phillips's "Orphan Train." Specifically, the words I can decipher are:

The farmers and their families they came from miles around We lined up on the platform of the stations in each town One by one (???????????????) like some little lost and found And one by one we all were taken in

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Stewie
Date: 24 Oct 99 - 07:14 PM

I think it is:

And one by one we parted
Like some living lost-and-found
And one by one we all were taken in

Cheers, Stewie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Davey
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 08:59 AM

Wow, love that song, do either of you have all the lyrics? I'd like to learn it and sing it....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Dale Rose
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 11:47 AM

This has nothing to do with the song, unless of course, it will be performed at the program mentioned in the following scan. While I know that Shirley, Arkansas is a bit off the path for most of you, it is likely that the program is being presented in other places around the country, so you might want to be on the lookout for it.

Scanned from the October 20 issue of the Van Buren County Democrat, Clinton, Arkansas.

History of 'orphan trains' told on stage at the Shirley School auditorium

'Riders of the Orphan Train' will be presented at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, November 1 at the Shirley School Auditorium.

The program is sponsored by The North Central Arkansas Foundation for the Arts and Education (NCAFAE).

The Orphan Train Heritage Society of America, Inc. in collaboration with novelist Alison Moore and musician Phil Lancaster will offer this public program combining literature and music on the subject of The Orphan Trains, a largely-unknown chapter in Amencan history.

The one-hour literary reading dovetailed with songs is intended primarily for adult audiences and children of eighth grade and higher. Between 1853 and 1929, over 150,000 orphans and unwanted children of the urban poor from New York City were "placed out" on trains heading west. This nearly eighty-year experiment in child relocation and rehabilitation is filled with both horror stories and happy endings; the very methods used would be considered unthinkable today. The trains stopped in preselected towns where people interested in taking a child would assemble.

The children were lined up on the platform or a meeting hall stage, encouraged to perform or sing to endear them to prospective takers and were inspected and often prodded and poked to determine whether or not they would be good workers on farms or local businesses. Children not chosen were put back on the train and many were shuttled from family to family and town to town. Until the release of a 1993 documentary on PBS's 'The American Expereince,' these children's stories were largely untold.

The program continues with a question and answer session and dialog between presenters and the audience. Handout materials will be provided for members of the audience to stimulate interest in additional research and in preserving family histories.

The presenters of this program are: Alison Moore, novelist and Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Arizona. Phil Lancaster tours and performs at both national and international folk festivals and acoustical music venues.

Admission is free and is open to the public

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Dale Rose
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 12:16 PM

further information about Lancaster and Moore in the Tucson Weekly, detailing information about their performances. I also found that Lancaster is a member of Still On The Hill, a bluegrass group which performed at Winfield this year.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: karen k
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 12:31 PM

I'd be most interested if someone could post all the words for this song. Thanks

karen k

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Dale Rose
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 01:29 PM

If you go to CD Universe and to Rounder, you'll find two different 30 second clips from Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin, Heart Songs: The Old Time Country Songs of Utah Phillips, Rounder 0424, 1997. I didn't look, but I suspect you'll find the album right here at the Mudcat as well. No guarantees as to whether the link to CD Universe works ~~ sometimes they don't, so you might have to go to their front page and do your own search.

Subject: Lyr Add: ORPHAN TRAIN (Utah Phillips)^^
From: becca
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 12:49 AM

JUST NOW saw the request for the full lyrics to this song. Many apologies for the delay in posting, and thanks to Stewie for the help. Thanks also for the interesting info on the Orphan Train program in Arkansas. Becca

ORPHAN TRAIN
Utah Phillips

Once I had a darling mother, though I can't recall her name
I had a baby brother who I'll never see again
For the Children's Home is sending us out on the Orphan Train
To try to find someone to take us in

Chorus:
Take us in, we have rode the Orphan Train
Take us in, we need a home, we need a name
Take us in, oh won't you be our kin
We are looking for someone to take us in

I have stolen from the poorbox, I've begged the city streets
I've swabbed the bars and poolrooms for a little bite to eat
In my daddy's old green jacket and these rags upon my feet
I've been looking for someone to take me in

Chorus

The Children's Home they gathered us, me and all the rest
They taught us to sit quietly until the food was blest
Then they put us on the Orphan Train and sent us way out West
To try to find someone to take us in.

The farmers and their families they came from miles around
We lined up on the platform of the station in each town
And one by one we parted like some living lost-and-found
And one by one we all were taken in

Chorus

Now there's many a fine doctor or a teacher in your school
There's many a good preacher who can teach the Golden Rule
Who started out an orphan sleeping in the freezing rain
Whose life began out on the Orphan Train

Added to the Digital Tradition in 2000

Subject: Utah Phillips 'Orphan Train'
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 10:12 PM

I am trying to find the words and hopefully chords for Orphan Train, and also info about the recording on which it is found. I believe it is called "Heartsongs" but I do not know the name of the artist(s). At any rate I have been unable to find the recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Utah Phillips 'Orphan Train'
From: Robo
Date: 28 Nov 00 - 11:31 PM

Tom Russell does an Orphan train on his Man from God Knows Where cd; don't know if that's the one you mean. Starts off with . . .

"Once I rode an orphan train, and my brother did the same, they split us up in Missouri, James was five, and I was three.

"He got taken by some pair but for me they did not care we were brave and did not cry when they made us say goodbye . . . "

If that's the one, I play it with simple G and D and C.

Rob-o

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Utah Phillips 'Orphan Train'
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 29 Nov 00 - 12:24 AM

The album is Heart Songs by Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin. The old time country songs of Utah Phillips. The song is not in the Utah Phillips songbook...the little brown one, at least. There may be other songbooks. The CD is Rounder #CD 0424.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Utah Phillips 'Orphan Train'
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Nov 00 - 01:17 AM

The one Rob-o refers to is 'Rider On An Orphan Train' by David Massengill. The original may be found on his 'The Return' CD on Plump Records.

There have been previous threads on Utah Phillips' 'Orphan Train' and I think the lyrics were posted. Put 'Orphan train' into the forum supersearch box.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Utah Phillips 'Orphan Train'
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Nov 00 - 01:24 AM

Here's a blue clicky thing. You'll find the lyrics posted in the last post to the linked thread:

Click

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Nov 00 - 01:15 AM

So how do you make the little clicky thing?

Subject: Tune Req: ORPHAN TRAIN FREE DOWNLOAD
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:32 PM

Someone on another thread was asking about how to best learn this song. Jody Stechler and Kate Breslin have a free download...as do numerous other great musicians on Amazon.com ...you have to go to the free download secton. mg

Subject: RE: Tune Req: ORPHAN TRAIN FREE DOWNLOAD
From: GUEST,WOT IS
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 05:02 PM

free download secton. mg ????????????

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: open mike
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:26 AM

there are several threads on this song..

38, to be exact...this song and a similar one by david massengill

Kate Brislin & Jody Stecher- Orphan Train
on heart songs
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000002Q8/103-0441998-2429423?v=glance
utah's recording--songbook
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00080Z67E/103-0441998-2429423?v=glance

there are several threads on this--use the search feature to find them

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train--Utah Phillips
From: Beer
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 07:44 AM

Dale Rose,
I may have this wrong but I was told that it was a young minister by the name of "Charles Grace" that started this movement because of all the orphans and the West needed help (farmers and so on.). There were bad things that came from it but good as well.   Charles Grace was the founder of "The Children's Aid Society".
Utah Phillips song is great, but David Massengill's song "Rider On An Orphan Train" is a must listen.
Beer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)
From: GUEST,Kendall
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 07:11 AM

I don't like Jody's version.Or him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)
From: Saskia
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 12:01 PM

I like Adam Miller's version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-E2sM6NYiM

He even an album called "The Orphan Train" with some other great train songs:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/adammiller

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 Jan 10 - 01:47 PM

Had a listen to Adam's version - interesting to hear the history, but the song itself was a touch too fast for my taste.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 01:12 AM

Anybody have a date when Utah Phillips wrote this song? It appeared on the 1997 Heart Songs album by Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin. The only Utah Phillips recording I can find is on the 2005 Starlight on the Rails compilation - that particular cut was a 1997 recording of a live performance at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, California. It seems to me that Utah sometimes never got around to recording some really good songs, and it's a darn good thing somebody got around to recording them.

But I have a problem here. I have the "Starlight on the Rails" album, and I went to "Orphan Train," but I don't think the song on that track is "Orphan Train." I think it's Stecher and Brislin singing "The Jury Set Him Free." I swear I've heard Utah Phillips singing "Orphan Train," but now I can't find it. Where is it?

-Joe-

Here is is, by Dry Branch Fire Squad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-og-66Bzwzw

And by Adam Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-E2sM6NYiM

Subject: RE: Looking for THE ORPHAN TRAIN songs/info
From: Hanknclaire
Date: 21 Jan 19 - 11:55 AM

I do not see any mention on mudcat of the year, or even the decade, in which Utah Phillips wrote his "Orphan Train." Jody and Kate's liner notes do not give any date. I expect it had to be no earlier than the 60's as the reunions apparently began then, and Utah bumped into survivors at a picnic. Does anyone have more specifics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)
From: Mark Ross
Date: 22 Jan 19 - 11:08 AM

it was written in the '90's, when Utah was still touring. He told me he did a tour along the Mississippi driving the small roads along the river, stopping in small towns where he got to meet some of the surviviors.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Orphan Train (Utah Phillips)
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 04:45 PM

I remember seeing a black and white movie about kids from an orphan train sometime in the second half of the 1950's. So somebody remembered the trains.

I saw it at the movie theater, not on television.