Lyr: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engineer

Subject: Lyr Req: Daddy's on the Engine
From: houghmagandie
Date: 23 Sep 05 - 04:52 PM

In his autobiography "Cockburn Sums Up", Claud Cockburn mentions the first lines of a music hall song entitled "Daddy's on the Engine".
The lines Cockburn quotes are:

Daddy's on the engine, don't be afraid,
"Daddy knows what he's doing", said the little maid.
"Daddy's on the engine, there's no need for fear,
My daddy's on the engine, and my daddy's an engineer."

Does anyone have the rest of the words and/or the tune for this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Daddy's on the Engine
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Sep 05 - 05:53 PM

No Google joy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Daddy's on the Engine
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Sep 07 - 10:35 PM

The Folk Music Index says DADDY'S ON THE ENGINE is in Sigmund G. Spaeth's book "Weep Some More My Lady," Doubleday (1927), p136.

Subject: ADD: My Dad's the Engineer (Chas Graham)
From: Peace
Date: 13 Sep 07 - 10:38 PM

My Dad's The Engineer
(Words and Music by Chas. Graham)

We were none of us thinking of danger,
As the train sped on in the night,
'Till the flames from a burning forest
Made the passengers wild with fright.
Then a tiny maid near a window,
With a smile said, "there's nothing to fear,
I'm sure no harm will befall you,
My Dad's the Engineer."

"Daddy's on the engine,
Don't be afraid,
Daddy knows what he is doing,"
Said the little maid,
"We'll soon be out of danger.
Don't you ever fear;
Ev'ry one is safe because
My Dad's the Engineer."

With the sparks falling closely about us,
Thro' the flames we sped on so fast,
And the brave little maid's father brought us
Thro' the danger all safe at last,
And the proud, sweet face of his lassie,
And the words of the calm, little dear,
Will live in my mem'ry forever,
"My Dad's the Engineer."

"Daddy's on the engine,
Don't be afraid,
Daddy knows what he is doing,"
Said the little maid,
"We'll soon be out of danger.
Don't you ever fear;
Ev'ry one is safe because
My Dad's the Engineer."


from
www.able2know.com/forums/about102295-20.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Daddy's on the Engine
From: Peace
Date: 13 Sep 07 - 10:43 PM

Note: I have no idea about authorship. I'm simply posting what I tripped over. It was found with a Google of

"Daddy's on the engine", lyrics

Note also that one of the three sites that come up with that Google states that the composer is 'unknown'.

Subject: ADD: Daddy's on the Engine
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 03:02 AM

As Jim Dixon says above, there is a version in Sigmund G. Spaeth's book "Weep Some More My Lady," Doubleday (1927), p 136. Same chorus, completely different verses. Found in the Grosvenor Library, Muffalo, NY - songwriter unknown.

Daddy's On the Engine

I was driving the famous Scotch express, one night I remember well.
And for a treat I'd taken with me my little daughter Nell;
I was thinking of her in the carriage near, when a tunnel loomed ahead,
And I sounded the whistle shrilly, and on through the gloom we sped,
When hark! a heavy rumbling sound, the brick work seemed to rock,
Too late to slow the engine down, the whole train felt the shock;
Full steam ahead the passengers were calling out in fright,
Then I heard my Nellie's childish voice ring on the moonlit night.

CHORUS:
Daddy's on the engine, don't be afraid,
Daddy knows whe he is doing, said the little maid.
We'll soon be out of danger, don't you ever fear,
Everyone is safe because my daddy's the engineer.

On, on, we dash, heap on more coal, the tunnel entered now.
Oh, shall we reach the other end? Cold sweat was on my brow.
The longest tunnel on the road, the stoker stood aghast—
"More fuel!" he cried, "if we are saved, this trip shall be my last."
The sandy soil sapped by the rain subsides beneath the weight,
The bricks and mortar fall around, oh, will it be too late?
Still on we fly, the mass hangs yet suspended, will it fall
Before we pass? Thank God, I heard my Nellie's voice o'er all: [Chorus]

A minute gone, still on we fly, the end is close in view,
The whole train rocks—the engine strains as if it really knew
The lives that hang upon its speed, the dust flies thick around,
A shower of bricks and mortar, then, thank God, we're safe and sound.
The train has passed but half a mile, when crash! upon the track,
The structure had collapsed, but now in safety we look back
Upon the wreck, and as we stop the passengers alight
To view the scene, whilst Nellie's voice rings on the frosty night: [Chorus]


tune available upon request, but I'm too tired tonight.
If somebody wants to e-mail me a MIDI, I'll be glad to post it.
-Joe-
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Daddy's on the Engine
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 03:18 AM

Norm Cohen's Long Steel Rail makes mention twice of Charles Graham's 1895 hit, "My Dad's the Engineer" (posted by Peace, but it would would be nice to verify from a documented source), but does not furnish lyrics. I can't access Levy to see if there's sheet music there.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engineer
From: cetmst
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 07:16 AM

An early LP in my collection is Songs of the Railroad, Merrill Jay Singers, Cabot Records CAB 503, not dated but about 1960. It was also issued by Colpix Records CP422, dated 1961. My copy is inaccessible at the moment but the song was sung by a child and the words are different in that the danger was a shaky trestle weakened by a storm. I also have words and music copied from a book of railroad songs, same chorus but the burning forest lyrics that Peace posted, words by Charles Graham and music by Charles Graham and Robert Cotterill. I also have a vague recollection of a song about someone escaping the Hibbing, Minnesota fire.
The Merrill Jay record also contains the following songs:
Paddy Works on the Erie
Wreck of the Old 97
Work Medley
Big Rock Candy Mountain
Where Do You Work-a John?
Daddy's on the Engine
Casey Jones
Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill
Railroader's Bride I'll Be
Lonesome Whistle
John Henry
Wabash Cannonball
Hallelujah, I'm a Bum
Take This Hammer
Lulu
I've Been Working on the Railroad

Subject: RE: ADD: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engineer
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Sep 07 - 08:11 AM

The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music has the sheet music of MY DAD'S THE ENGINEER, published New York : Henry J. Wehman, 1895. The lyrics are exactly as posted by Peace above.

Subject: RE: Lyr: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engine
From: GUEST,Drumsticknz
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 04:58 PM

Got the version about the storm, as well as I can remember it.   Until I Googled I had no idea that there were two other versions!   The verses are semi-spoken...

1. Through the American outback flew the great express
Although the night was stormy, none suspected any distress.
Until before us someone swung a danger light in red,
Then little Nelly stood so tall, and this is what she said...

(chorus as before, sung by a little girl...)

2. "Go back, go back! This track will fail!" we heard the watchman say.
But even as he spoke the track behind us washed away!
The train was full of terror, and the air was tense with fear,
But little Nelly sang this song, so sweet, yet loud and clear...

3. "Full speed ahead!" cried the engineer, with a look of sweat and tears,
And over the trembling trestles went the train-load of prayers and fears!
The cry went up, "We're safe on solid ground! The bell on the engine rang!
Then Nelly stood upon a seat, and with her we all sang...

(Full cast singing)
Daddy's on the engine, don't be afraid.
Daddy knows what he is doing, said the little maid,
We'll soon be out of danger, don't you ever fear;
Everyone is safe because My Daddy's The Engineer!

(I always have a bit of a weep whenever I remember the story. It's so touching, seeing a little girl's total trust in her father!)

Subject: RE: Lyr: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engineer
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 24 Dec 09 - 02:06 PM

Claud Cockburn. cited in OP, called this a music-hall song. He was an Englishman, but should have realised that it belonged, not to music-hall, but to vaudeville, being an all-American song [tho Joe Offer in Sep 07 cites a version that, tho from an American book, refers to 'the Scotch express', which would seem to relate it to the Flying Scotsman — or is there an American train called the Scotch express? & if so, why?]. Over here of course, we don't have 'engineers', but 'engine-drivers', on our trains — 'engineers' to us are designers of roads and bridges. (Remember the opening lines of the first Radio Ballad of Ewan & Peggy: "John Axon was a railwayman to steam trains born and bred. He was an engine-driver at Edgeley loco-shed".)

Subject: RE: Lyr: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engineer
From: GUEST,Hii
Date: 01 Dec 10 - 08:01 AM

Heyy do you happen to kno who sings this song? See i sang this song to my dad when i was a little girl he had it on tape i do believe and not cant remember who sing it and i want to get it so i can sing it to him on christmas he would REALLY love that...so plz anyone if you no who sing it can you post it here or email it to me @ [e-mail]..THANK YOU For Your Time...:)

Subject: RE: Lyr: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engine
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 02:10 PM

where can I download this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr: Daddy's on the Engine/My Dad's the Engineer
From: GUEST,Richard Buxton
Date: 27 Nov 12 - 05:29 AM

It's sung by Joyce Grenfell in this YouTube video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSL7uWazWHo

At the 1 minute 48 second mark

I think the male singer might be Michael Flanders of Flanders & Swan fame but am only guessing