Mystery Train: Classic Railroad Songs, Vol. 2

Mystery Train: Classic Railroad Songs, Vol. 2

ASIN: B0000002U4

Track Listings

1. Casey Jones - Johnny Cash

2. Freight Train Boogie - The Whitstein Brothers

3. City of New Orleans - Steve Goodman

4. Mystery Train - Sleepy LaBeef

5. Cannonball - The Carter Family

6. Big Black Train - Flatt & Scruggs

7. Red Ball to Natchez - The Delmore Brothers, Wayne Raney

8. Take the "A" Train - Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

9. Waiting for a Train - Hank Snow

10. Life's Railway to Heaven - Patsy Cline

11. Old Train - Tony Rice

12. Bringing in the Georgia Mail - Jim & Jesse

13. Train 45 - The Stanley Brothers

14. Last Cannonball - Mary McCaslin

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Real railroads haul passengers, freight, and mail. The trains of our music and literature also carry symbols: they can represent freedom and wanderlust, eros, machismo, escape, work, the ultimate journey that marks life's end, or nostalgia for a bygone age. This collection of songs about trains and railroads offers some of each of these, from the turn-of-the-century tale of Casey Jones to the "disappearing railroad blues" of the 1970s' "City of New Orleans." Rounder's Classic Railroad Songs series proudly presents some of the best and most beloved train songs recorded since 1930. Norm Cohen, author of Long Steel Rail: The Railroad in American Folksong shares his extensive knowledge in the booklet notes. Artists: Hank Snow, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Flatt & Scruggs, the Delmore Brothers and Wayne Raney, Steve Goodman, Sleepy LaBeef , Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, the Whitstein Brothers, the Carter Family, Tony Rice, Jim & Jesse, the Stanley Brothers, Mary McCaslin. Also available: Steel Rails: Classic Railroad Songs, V. 1, Rounder 1128. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Casey Jones - Johnny Cash
Freight Train Boogie - Whitstein Brothers
City Of New Orleans - Steve Goodman
Mystery Train - Sleepy LaBeef
The Cannonball - Carter Family
Big Black Train - Flatt & Scruggs
Red Ball To Natchez - Delmore Brothers And Wayne Raney
Take The 'A' Train - Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
Waiting For A Train - Hank Snow
Life's Railway To Heaven - Patsy Cline
Old Train - Tony Rice Unit
Bringin' In The Georgia Mail - Jim And Jesse
Train - Stanley Brothers
Last Cannonball - Mary McCaslin

Album Description

Real railroads haul passengers, freight, and mail. The trains of our music and literature also carry symbols: they can represent freedom and wanderlust, eros, machismo, escape, work, the ultimate journey that marks life's end, or nostalgia for a bygone age. This collection of songs about trains and railroads offers some of each of these, from the turn-of-the-century tale of Casey Jones to the "disappearing railroad blues" of the 1970s' "City of New Orleans." Rounder's Classic Railroad Songs series proudly presents some of the best and most beloved train songs recorded since 1930. Norm Cohen, author of Long Steel Rail: The Railroad in American Folksong shares his extensive knowledge in the booklet notes. Artists: Hank Snow, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Flatt & Scruggs, the Delmore Brothers and Wayne Raney, Steve Goodman, Sleepy LaBeef , Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, the Whitstein Brothers, the Carter Family, Tony Rice, Jim & Jesse, the Stanley Brothers, Mary McCaslin. Also available: Steel Rails: Classic Railroad Songs, V. 1, Rounder 1128.

Customer Reviews:

Great songs, mostly in a traditional country style.......2002-10-05

Rounder have released several excellent compilations of train songs, covering folk, blues, country and bluegrass styles, each including comprehensive liner notes from Norm Cohen, who wrote a book about trains songs (long out of print, unfortunately).

This particular collection is prefominately traditional country, though Sleepy LaBeef provides a rockabilly cover of Mystery train and there are a few bluegrass tracks too.

Johnny Cash (who has recorded many train songs) opens the set with Casey Jones, a song which (like other old songs, especially Frankie and Johnny) exists with different lyrics - if you have other Casey Jones songs, listen carefully and comapare.

Steve Goodman wrote City of New Orleans, and it's good to see his own recording of the song included here. I like Willie Nelson's version best, but that version is easy to find while Steve's is much rarer - and still worth hearing.

Patsy Cline sings a fine version of Life's railway to heaven (not really a train song, but who cares?).

The brilliant but obscure folk-country singer Mary McCaslin sings The Cannonball - a song she wrote herself about the passing of the steam age.

There are so many other great songs here, but I'll not waste your time going through them all - if you have any interest in train songs, just buy this and all the other Rounder train collections.

Another solid collection from Rounder.......2000-07-12

There's not a clunker on here, and it's good to see "City Of New Orleans", what Johnny Cash calls "the best damn train song ever written."

"Mystery Train" makes another appearance on Volume 3, but that's more than forgiveable. I wouldn't mind an entire album of "Mystery Train" versions, a la Rhino's "Louie Louie" album.

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