Railroad tunes

"I wish I was a headlight on a northbound train,
I would shine my light through the cool Colorodo rain.."

I think we should adopt "I Like Trains" as the MRH theme
song and have it play every time we open the magazine or the web site or both

DAN

Those are some great songs BlueHillsCPR! I'll second adopting "I Like Trains" as the MRH theme song.

As for my favourite railroad tune, it's "You Are A Conductor" by The Constantines, one of my favourite Canadian Bands. I'm not sure if it was originally written as a railroad song, but there's at least two people on youtube who interpret it as one, having made excellent videos for the song. Click on the links below to check them out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8MB-ESyGQc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnisDTnbv1A

Enjoy!

While the idea of MRH using a song like "I Like Trains" as their theme song is an interesting idea I'm not so sure it is a practical one.  Having the song play when one visits the MRH website would be a mistake, IMO.  Most people, IMO, are annoyed by websites that have background music, particularly those that have no controls to shut it off.  At least that has been my experience.

Using the song each time the magazine opens would involve copyright law and royalties would have to be paid to the artist/songwriter and permission may be required to use the song in the first place.  That is likely more trouble and expense than MRH is currently interested in taking on.  Just my two cents of course.

Jason,

Those videos are really great, particularly the first one with all of the POV shots from the Locomotive!  Some great rail fan shots for sure!

Thanks for the links!

This is another of my favorites.

The Orange Blossom Special as performed by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.

Another good one BlueHillsCPR!

About the theme song, I kind of figured that there would be copyright issues. As for the website, I also find sudden background music to be annoying as well. However, the song wouldn`t have to play automatically and instead would be optional. But anyway, let`s not worry about the theme song thing anymore. Here`s some more  tunes.

I found this first song when watching railfan videos on youtube. It`s called ``I`m a Train`` by Albert Hammond. Here`s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3tlCqqg7lw

This next one is actually a link to a youtube channel. It has quite a few videos made by a guy who works on the Temiscaming Subdivision of a local shortline (well, when you live in Northern Ontario for too long, 100 miles does begin to seem local  ), the Ottawa Valley Railway. He has lots of videos shot from the cab of the locomotive, quite a few of them with music. I don`t know if any of the songs are about trains, but many of them do sound ``railroady``. Even if they aren`t about trains, I`m sure you`ll enjoy them and the videos too. Anyway, here`s the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/hogger01.

Once again, enjoy!

Jason,

Once again some great video links and "I'm a Train" is another great song!

Thanks for sharing those!

You're welcome, BlueHillsCPR. Here's four more songs I just thought of.

This one is "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" by Gordon Lightfoot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzo6Otpgj-E

This one is "Steel Rail Blues", also by Gordon Lightfoot. Here's the original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DNpKjitOA4. And here's a cover with an interesting video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BZpCUFQYX0

I'm not sure what this one's called, but I think it's called "Choo Choo Boogie": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOznkWQU0Y4

And finally, here's another song I don't know the name of, but it's about the Canadian Pacific Railway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76QPbcHFAtw

Hope you like them!

I had the pleasure of playing "roadie" and helping my son do the sound for one of Fred's shows in Ft Worth last year.  As a result, I got the CD with "I Like Trains", "Freight Train" and "49 Tons" on it.  I also found out that Fred did a series of railroad themed shows in Colorado during his tour last year.  Nice sound, even for this old rocker (and I don't mean chair).

Favorites: City of New Orleans - Arlo Gutherie, Silverton - C.W. McCall

Gordan Lightfoots Canadian Railroad Trilogy is an excellent suggestion, quite possibly his best work.

I dug up a live recording of the performance on YouTube and will embed it here.  I saw him live on this tour, truely a masterful performance of a complex song.  I get all goosebumply every time I hear it.

Pay attention to the lyrics, poetic perfection.

And you thought The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald was his best work....

Oh yes, great addition Tim!

I listen to Gordon regularly myself!

Thanks for finding that video and hooking us up!

Canadian Railroad Trilogy, ©1967 by Gordon Lightfoot 

There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
                                      
But time has no beginnings and the history has no bounds
As to this verdant country they came from all around
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall
Built the mines, mills and the factories for the good of us all
                                      
And when the young man's fancy was turnin' to the spring
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of their day
And many a fortune lost and won and many a debt to pay
                                      
For they looked in the future and what did they see
They saw an iron road running from the sea to the sea
Bringing the goods to a young growing land
All up from the seaports and into their hands
                                      
Look away said they across this mighty land
From the eastern shore to the western strand
                                      
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
Open her heart let the life blood flow
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow
                                      
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We're gonna lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
Open her heart let the life blood flow
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow
Get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow
                                      
Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declining
The stars they come stealing at the close of the day
Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping
Beyond the dark ocean in a place far away
                                      
We are the navvies who work upon the railway
Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun
Living on stew and drinking bad whiskey
Bending our backs til the long days are done
                                      
We are the navvies who work upon the railway
Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun
Laying down track and building the bridges
Bending our old backs til the railroad is done
                                      
So over the mountains and over the plains
Into the muskeg and into the rain
Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspe
Swinging our hammers and drawing our pay
Layin' 'em in and tying them down
Away to the bunkhouse and into the town
A dollar a day and a place for my head
A drink to the living, a toast to the dead
                                      
Oh the song of the future has been sung
All the battles have been won
On the mountain tops we stand
All the world at our command
We have opened up her soil
With our teardrops and our toil
                                      
For there was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
And many are the dead men too silent to be real