Lyrics & Knowledge Personal Pages Record Shop Auction Links Radio & Media Kids Membership Help
The Mudcat Cafesj

Post to this Thread - Sort Descending - Printer Friendly - Home


Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?

DigiTrad:
LIFE'S RAILWAY TO HEAVEN
MINER'S LIFEGUARD
THE H-BOMB'S THUNDER
WEAVER'S LIFE


Related threads:
Lyr Req: Keep your hands on your wages (14)
(origins) Origins: Not 'A Miners' Life'! Irish attribution? (6)
Origins: Life's Railway to Heaven (Abbey/Tillman) (7)
Chord Req: Life is like a mountain railway (10)
Lyr Req: Miners Stand Together (7)
Req: Miner's Lifeguard Parody (Shanty Singers) (12)
(origins) Origins: Union Miners / Miner's Lifeguard (50)
Chord Req: Miner's Lifeguard (16)
Lyr Add: Jesus Walk Around Your Bedside (5)
Lyr Req: union miners (answered)^^^ (3) (closed)
Tune Req: Life Is like a Mountain Railroad (18)


Mr Happy 28 Oct 02 - 08:33 AM
Alice 28 Oct 02 - 09:00 AM
GUEST,Richie 28 Oct 02 - 09:02 AM
wilco 28 Oct 02 - 09:16 AM
Mr Happy 28 Oct 02 - 09:26 AM
masato sakurai 28 Oct 02 - 09:36 AM
McGrath of Harlow 28 Oct 02 - 10:15 AM
CET 30 Jan 08 - 08:48 PM
Malcolm Douglas 30 Jan 08 - 09:57 PM
CET 31 Jan 08 - 07:05 PM
Chris in Portland 31 Jan 08 - 08:08 PM
GUEST 31 Jan 08 - 10:10 PM
Richie 01 Oct 11 - 08:06 AM
Share Thread
more
Lyrics & Knowledge Search [Advanced]
DT  Forum Child
Sort (Forum) by:relevance date
DT Lyrics:





Subject: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 08:33 AM

re genies post on other thread, "Life's Railway To Heaven."

its got a line in it v. similar to one in union miners.

i see from dt that Life's Railway To Heaven origin is 1985; & it seems to be a hymn.

which song was first? is one a plagiarism of the other [rather than a parody?]


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: Alice
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 09:00 AM

Happy, there is an older thread on this subject for you to go to:
tune? - union miners - Miner's Lifeguard


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 09:02 AM

Here's some info on Life's Railway To Heaven:

"Life's Railway To Heaven" started out as a poem by William S. Hays (who wrote "Little log Cabin in the Lane") entitled the "Faithful Engineer" in 1886.

In 1890 the song, "Life's Railway To Heaven" was copyrighted by M. E. Abbey with music by Charles Tillman.

Hays republished his poem in 1895 calling it, "Old Hayseed's Railroad Idea of Life"

-Richie


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: wilco
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 09:16 AM

This is one of the most requested songs here in East Tennessee USA. I always assumed (which is usually a mistake) that the references to a railroad in mountain terrain was an allegory for the travails of life, getting to heaven (the roundhouse), God (superintendent), etc. I wish that I didn't know that Hays had used "Old Hayseed" in the title.
Hayseed Wilco in Tennessee


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 09:26 AM

alice, very helpful, thanks


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 09:36 AM

Sheet music from the Levy site:

Title: Life's Railway to Heaven. [Also includes alternate text "The Gospel Highway."
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: Words by M.E. Abbey. Music by Charlie D. Tillman.
Charlie D. Tillman Publication: Atlanta, GA.: Charlie Tillman Song Book Co., 1893.
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: Life is like a mountain railroad, With an engineer that's brave
First Line of Chorus: Blessed Saviour, Thou wilt guide us, Till we reach that blissful shore
Subject: Railroads
Subject: Railroad employees
Subject: Religion--symbols
Duplication: cover same as Box 58 Item 111-A
Call No.: Box: 058 Item: 111b

~Masato


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 10:15 AM

Never heard that title to it - the first line normally seems to be used.

Funny thing is I'd just been having a look round this site, about a prpoposal for building a Space Elevator, which, when you think about it, is literally about building a kind of railroad up to the sky. The old Mudcat synchronicity syndrome strikes again.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: CET
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 08:48 PM

What is the connection between Calon Lan and the tune to Life's Railway/Union Miners (among other songs). My understanding (perhaps wrongly) is that Calon Lan is the older tune and that it travelled across the Atlantic and became Life's Railway, etc.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 09:57 PM

You've managed to resurrect an old, forgotten thread with little information in it. See the links above for other, more detailed, discussions on the same subject. This thread should remain dead, I think.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Miners?
From: CET
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 07:05 PM

As usual, Malcolm, you manage to point to the answer, or at least to the best available information. It looks like Miner's Lifeguard, all appearances to the contrary, probably isn't really a variant of Calon Lan. I'm also embarassed to see, on checking one of the links, that I actually posted to one of the earlier discussions.

Now, the next time you help somebody with a query, do you think you could forego the editorial comments? You have a habit of insulting people at the same as providing information and there is no need for it.


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Mine
From: Chris in Portland
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 08:08 PM

The Breton/Welsh band, Twm Twp, has a nice version of Miner's Life (not Miner's Lifeguard - that must be some brand of soap), complete with a brass band to take the break. I'm doing it as a sing-along (to the tune of Calon Lan, as it is done in Wales) for the St. David's Day dinner - I have everybody get up and pretend they are striking miners! No brass band tho.
Chris in Portland


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: RE: Origins: Life's Railway To Heaven / Union Mine
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 10:10 PM

Does anyone have a date for Miner's Lifeguard?


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD HAYSEED'S RAILROAD IDEA OF LIFE
From: Richie
Date: 01 Oct 11 - 08:06 AM

Hi,

I found Hays' original:


OLD HAYSEED'S RAILROAD IDEA OF LIFE

"Life is like a crooked railroad,
And the engineer is brave,
Who can make a trip successful
From the cradle to the grave.
There are stations all along it,
Where at almost any breath
You'll be 'flagged' to stop your engine
By the messenger of Death.
You may run the grades of trouble,
Many days and years of ease,
But Time may have you side-tracked
By the switchmen of disease.
You may cross the bridge of manhood,
Run the tunnel dark of strife,
Having God for your conductor
On the lightning train of life.
Always mindful of instructions,
Watchful duty never lack;
Keep your hand upon the throttle
And your eye upon the track.

"Name your engine 'True Religion,'
When you're running day or night,
Use the coal of Hope for fuel,
And she'll always run you right.
You need never fear of sticking
On the up-grades 'long the road;
If you've got Faith for a fireman
You can always pull the load.
You will often find obstructions
By the cunning devil lain,
On a hill, or curve, or trestle,
Where he'll try to 'ditch your train.'
But you needn't fear disaster;
'Jerk her open! Let her go!'
For the General Superintendent
All his plans will overthrow.
Put your trust in God, and fear not,
Keep a-going, don't look back;
Keep your hand upon the throttle.
And your eye upon the track.

"When you've made the trip successful,
And you're at your journey's end,
You will find the angels waiting
To receive you as a friend.
You'll approach the Superintendent,
Who is waiting for you now,
With a word of proud promotion,
And a crown to deck your brow.
Never falter in your duty;
Put your faith and trust in Him,
And you'll always find your engine
In the best of running trim.
Ring your bell and blow your whistle!
Never let your courage slack;
Keep your hand upon the throttle
And your eye upon the track."


Richie


Post - Top - Home - Printer Friendly - Translate
  Share Thread:
More...

Reply to Thread
Subject:  Help
From:
Preview   Automatic Linebreaks   Make a link ("blue clicky")


Mudcat time: 19 April 8:12 PM EDT

[ Home ]

All original material is copyright © 2022 by the Mudcat Café Music Foundation. All photos, music, images, etc. are copyright © by their rightful owners. Every effort is taken to attribute appropriate copyright to images, content, music, etc. We are not a copyright resource.