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26 Feb 11 - 03:16 PM (#3103172) Subject: Lyr Req: Ruben(s Train) - Fred Cockerham From: GUEST,RoberM Does anyone know the correct words that Cockerham sings on the the County LP and CD 'Down to the Cider Mill', tune: Ruben or Reuben's Train (Train 45) It's mostly guesswork from my part: - Don't believe I'm right*, Cause(?) I beat you nigh, show you what a birdie can do. Been to the east and I lead you to the west lead you to the girl I love best. Ever loved but that bonny old girl, Sorry I'd ever loved her. The strangest verses: Pawn you my shoes, I pawn you the news(*) Pawn you my gold diamond ring. Don't get you drunk (?), I can tend to my trunk(*) and my 900 dollars in gold. |
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26 Feb 11 - 07:45 PM (#3103297) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reuben(s) Train - Fred Cockerham From: 12-stringer What I hear on the mp3: Y' oughta been uptown when ol Reuben's train come down Hear the whistle blow a hundred miles. Goin' down the line where that sun never shine Skid on that cold ice and snow Don't believe I'm right, follow me tonight Show you what a [buddy?] can do Lead you to the east and I lead you to the west Lead you to the girl I love best Woman says so, I'll railroad no more Sidetrack my train and go home [?] says so, I'll moonshine no more Chop down my still and go home Never loved but that one little girl Sorry I ever loved her Pawn you my shoes and I'll pawn you the news Pawn you my gold diamond ring Never been so drunk I can tend to my drunk And my 900 dollars in gold Last verse would make more sense if it was "Never been so drunk I CAN'T tend to my trunk," but as best I can hear it, he's saying CAN, not CAN'T. |
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27 Feb 11 - 08:17 AM (#3103509) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reuben(s) Train - Fred Cockerham From: GUEST,RoberM Thanks for the reply. I think the 't' in "can't" seems to be lost because of the word tend that comes directly afterwards. "I'll pawn you the news", makes little sense to me, but maybe it's some variant of lyric that have been used before somewhere. "Don't believe I'm right, follow me tonight", makes more sense than my earlier guess and seems the most logical, but I can't hear that he's singing those words for some reason. |
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27 Feb 11 - 08:25 AM (#3103514) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reuben(s) Train - Fred Cockerham From: GUEST,RoberM Sorry, should be: "the word 'tend' that comes directly afterwards. |
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27 Feb 11 - 11:52 AM (#3103616) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reuben(s) Train - Fred Cockerham From: 12-stringer "Don't believe I'm right, follow me tonight", makes more sense than my earlier guess and seems the most logical, but I can't hear that he's singing those words for some reason. This one is clear as day to me. Of course I've always known this song with the first line of that stanza, so whomever I lifted it from (maybe the Holy Modal Rounders, whose second Prestige LP was new at the time) heard it that way as well. I don't understand "pawn you the news" phrase either, though that is what it sounds like he's singing. Trying the mp3 again, with fewer distractions and with the volume adjusted a little, I would suggest Fred's final verse may go as per: "Never been so drunk, I couldn't tend to my trunk And my 900 dollars in gold." |
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27 Feb 11 - 02:24 PM (#3103739) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Reuben(s) Train - Fred Cockerham From: GUEST,RoberM You know, I listened to the song once more and now when knowing about the line "follow me tonight" I actually heard the words - can get a while to get the ears and brain working together... Since you put question mark before "moonshine no more" I hear that he's singing "Woman says so" as the verse above. For some reason the last verse sound even more intriguing to me, where did he get those 900 dollars in gold? Sounds like ol' Reuben must have been a Gold-miner before he went to the railroad or that he like in Tommy Jarrell's version of the Wreck of '97, "had stolen enough money" (or gold valuables) "from the Norfolk & Western company" (to maintain him for the rest of his life) Thanks for making the words intelligble and actually complete the lyrics for this version! |