Origin: Prettiest Train (from Odetta)

Subject: The Prettiest Train I've Ever Seen
From:
Date: 12 Oct 98 - 05:14 AM

At this point any information on the song entitled "The Prettiest Train I've Ever Seen" would be a help. I have heard that the song was sung and possibly recorded by Odetta. Our database has no available information on the song. When I click on "P" to search through a list of titles beginning with that letter I get as a response the sign, DOCUMENT CONTAINS NO DATA. This applies to all the songs beginning with "P", so perhaps part of our database is down. Might this be a question for Joe Offer? Thank you all in advance for your help.

Peter Stanley (Bojangles)

Subject: RE: The Prettiest Train I've Ever Seen
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 12 Oct 98 - 07:09 AM

from a web search:
Prettiest Train 1.Odetta. Odetta at Carnegie Hall, Vanguard VSR-9076, LP (196?), cut#B.03

I've no difficulties accessing the P-songs

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: The Prettiest Train I've Ever Seen
From: Barbara
Date: 12 Oct 98 - 07:30 AM

Various parts of DT were down for a while Sunday 10/11. All is up now.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: Lyr Add: PRETTIEST TRAIN
From: Barry Finn
Date: 12 Oct 98 - 08:06 AM

Prettiest Train

Prettiest train, oh Lord, I've ever seen, dear Lordy
Prettiest train, oh Lord, I've even seen
Prettiest tran, oh Lord, I've ever seen, dear Lordy
It runs from Jackson back to New Orleans
New Orleans, oh Lordy, New Orleans, dear Lordy
It runs from Jackson back to New Orleans

Mattie when you marrry, don't marry no convict man, oh dear Lordy
Mattie when you marry don't marry no convict man
Mattie when you marry don't marry no convict man, dear Lordy
Every day a Monday hoe handle (hammer) in your hand
In your hand, oh Lordy, in your hand dear Lordy
Every day a Monday hoe handle (hammer) in your hand

(you get the pattern from here)

Mattie when you marry, marry a railroad man dear Lordy
Every day a Sunday dollar in your hand

Prettiest woman that I've ever seen, dear Lordy
I declare, on Rampart Street in New Orleans

I'm going when I get my role (paroled), dear Lordy
Stand on the Levee hear the big boats blow

You go to Jackson just to show your clothes
I go to Jackson shoot that dice in hole

You go to Memphis don't you hang around
Police get you & you workhouse bound

This was normally used as a hoeing song (bustng clods, chopping weeds, tilling,etc.). Barry

Subject: RE: The Prettiest Train I've Ever Seen
From: Barry Finn
Date: 14 Oct 98 - 11:56 PM

Sorry Bojangles, I guess I should've mentoned that you can find this (or something like this) on Allen Lomaxs' CD collection Southern Journey / Prison Songs (vol. 1), this he got in 1947-48 while recording at Mississippi State Correctional Facility, Parchman Farm. It's out on Rounder as a 2 vol. set of prison work songs. Don't know about Odetta doing it. Barry