Lyr Req: When the Train Comes Along (Macon)

Subject: Lyr. Add: Meet Me at the Station
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 07:08 PM

( I think these online lyrics are a bit garbled, but verses put here for comparison. Some chorus verses skipped.)

Lyr. Add: MEET ME AT THE STATION
Brother William's Memphis Sanctified Singers

Well if I get to heaven before you do
I will meet you at the station when your train comes along
I'll be watching and waiting, Mother dear, for you
I will meet you at the station when your train comes along.

Father, when the train
father when the train
Met me at the station when the train comes along
when the train
Father when the train comes along
I will meet you at the station when your train comes along.

Well if my eyes see the glory, before yours do
I will meet you at the station when the train comes along
I'll be watching and waiting, Father, for you
I will meet you at the station when your train comes along.

Now if my feet touch the homeline before yours do
I will meet you at the station when the train comes along
I'll be watching and waiting, my brother, for you
I will meet you at the station when the train comes along.

Now if you see God's country before I do
Will you meet me at the station when my train comes along
Will you be there watching, sister, for me
Will you meet me at the station when my train comes along.

As sung by The Waterboys
www.sing365.com

Subject: Lyr. Add: Same Train (Spiritual, SC)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 06:12 PM

Put here for comparison.

Lyr. Add: SAME TRAIN
Spiritual, Frogmore, SC

1
Same train carry my mother, same train, Mm-
Same train carry my mother, same train,
Same train carry my mother,
Same train be back tomorrow, same train,-
Mm-----
Same train
2-etc.
Relationships

Last verse
Same train up in the Heaven, same train, Mm-
etc.

With musical score, 4/4, pp. 53-54. Collected 1913, Frogmore, SC.
Carl Diton, 1928, Thirty-Six South Carolina Spirituals. G. Schirmer, Inc. New York.

Subject: Lyr. Add: When the Train Comes Along (Frogmore SC)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 05:57 PM

Lyr. Add: WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG
Spiritual, Frogmore, SC

1
When the train comes along,
When the train comes along,
I will meet you at the station
When the train comes along.
2
When the train comes along (2x)
I will meet you at the station
When the train comes along.
If my mother ask for me,
Tell her death done summons me;
I will meet you at the station
When the train comes along.
3- etc.
Relationships

Last verse
When the train comes along, etc.
Oh I may be blind and cannot see;
I will meet you at the station
When the train comes along.

With musical score, 4/4, pp. 4-5.
Collected 1913, the Black settlement of Frogmore, SC.
Carl Diton, 1928, Thirty-Six South Carolina Spirituals, G. Schirmer Inc. New York.

Subject: Lyr. Add: When de Train Comes Along (St Helena I.)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 05:27 PM

Lyr. Add: WHEN DE TRAIN COMES ALONG
Spiritual, Saint Helena Island, SC

1
When de train comes along
When de train comes along
I'm goin' to meet yo' at de station
when de train comes along.
2
Ef mah mother ax for me
Tell her death done summon me
I'm goin' to meet yo' at de station
when de train comes along.
3
Ef mah father ax for me
Tell him death done summon me
I'm goin' to meet yo' at de station
when de train comes along.
4
Ef mah sister ax for me, etc.
5
Ef mah brudder ax for me, etc.
6
Ef mah deacon ax for me, etc.
7
Ef mah leader ax for me, etc.

Repeat 1st verse after all relationships are exhausted.

With musical score, 4/4, p. 12; Nicholas George Julius Ballanta-(Taylor), 1924, Saint Helena Island Spirituals Recorded and transcribed at Penn Normal Industrial and Agricultural School, St. Helena island, Beaufort County, South Carolina. G. Schirmer, Inc. New York.

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG (E Cotten)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 12:04 PM

WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG
As sung by Elizabeth Cotten on "Shake Sugaree" (2004)

CHORUS: When that train come along,
When the train come along,
I'll be waiting at the station
When that train come along.

1. When it leave the station gate,
You know it never runs late.
I'll be waiting at the station
When that train come along. CHORUS

2. When it's comin' round the bend,
You know it don't let nobody in.
I'll be waiting at the station
When that train come along. CHORUS

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG (McDowell
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 12:02 PM

WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG
As sung by Rosalie Hill and Sidney Hemphill Carter, accompanied by Fred McDowell on guitar, from the album "Fred McDowell: The Alan Lomax Recordings" (2011)

CHORUS: When the train come along, Lord,
When the train come along, Lord,
Gonna meet her at the station
When the train come along.

1. If you see my mother,
And she asks for me, Lord,
Gonna meet her at the station
When the train come along. CHORUS

2. If you see my father,
And he asks for me, Lord,
Gonna meet him at the station
When the train come along. CHORUS

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG (Norfolk Qt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 12:01 PM

WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG
As sung by Norfolk Quartet, Decca 7533, 6/5/38; from "Norfolk Jazz and Jubilee Quartets: Volume 6, 1937-1940" (Document Records DOCD-5386, 2005)

CHORUS: When the train come along,*
When the train come along,
When the train come along,
I will meet you at the station,
Yes, I will meet you at the station,**
God knows I will meet you at the station,**
When the train come along.

REPEAT CHORUS

Then I may be blind and I cannot see,
But I will see you at the station,
Yes, I will see you at the station,
Boys, I will see you at the station,
When the train come along. CHORUS

Then I may be deaf and I cannot hear,
God knows I will hear you at the station,
Yes, I will hear you at the station,
Boys, I will hear you at the station,
When the train come along. CHORUS 3X

[Variations occur in the chorus as follows:
* "Brothers, when the..." "Brothers and sisters, when the..."
** "Yes, boys, I will..." "Boys, I will..." "I know I will..."]

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG (Odette&Ethel)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Nov 11 - 11:59 AM

WHEN THE TRAIN COMES ALONG
As sung by Odette and Ethel, Columbia 14169d, 9/30/26; from "Gospel Classics: 1924-1942, Volume 3" (Document Records DOCD-5350, 2005)

CHORUS: Brother, when the train comes along,
Brother, when the train comes along,
I will meet you at the station when the train comes along.

I may be blind and I cannot see,
But I'll meet you at the station when the train comes along.
King Jesus will give sight to me,
And I'll meet you at the station when the train comes along. CHORUS

I may be lame and I cannot walk,
But I'll meet you at the station when the train comes along.
If my mouth be blocked(?) and I cannot talk,
I will meet you at the station when the train comes along. CHORUS

I may be soon or I may be late,
But I'll meet you at the station when the train comes along.
I'll be standing there at the station gate,
And I'll meet you at the station when the train comes along.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: When the Train Comes Along (Macon)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Nov 11 - 10:57 AM

Lyrics have been posted in the thread Lyr Add: songs by Uncle Dave Macon.

Another version was posted in the thread Religious Train & Chariot Songs

However, lots of people have recorded songs with the same title: Elizabeth Cotten, Fred McDowell, Henry Thomas, The Jubilee Gospel Team, The National Jubilee Singers, The Norfolk Jazz and Jubilee Quartet, Odette and Ethel, Rollie Lee Johnson, The Camp Meetin' Three—maybe more.

I haven't compared all those, so I don't know if they all have the same origin. But if anybody wants to explore with me, this thread would be a good place to do it.

I'm pretty sure it didn't originate with Macon.

Subject: Lyrics- When the train comes along
From: chuck
Date: 15 Dec 98 - 08:20 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to an Uncle Dave Macon tune...When the train comes along. Any ideas?