Mississippi fred mcdowell freight train blues lyrics. Put on your favorite album and youre bound to feel better. We are a collection of seasoned musicians based in the southern maine and the new hampshire seacoast, playing unique versions of rock, pop, and blues classics from the 60s to the present. Freight train blues mississippi fred mcdowell sheet music. This meant she would thumb the treble strings while. Elizabeth libba cotten 18951987 built her musical legacy on a firm foundation of late 19th and early 20thcentury africanamerican instrumental traditions and fine musicianship. Elizabeth cotten freight train guitar tab in c major. In addition to its sustenance program, mmrf also books performances for their. The heart of the book is a detailed analysis of eightyfive songs, from john henry and the wabash cannonball. My daddy was a fireman and my mammy dear was the only daughter of the engineer. Freight train board book by donald crews, board book barnes. Trixie smith freight train blues lyrics genius lyrics. Like graffiti world, freight train graffiti is the definitive history of a vibrant art form. Freight train by elizabeth libba cotten smithsonian folkways.
Ive got the freight train blues, but im too darn mean to cry, ive got the freight train blues, too darn mean to cry. The title referred to freight train blues, a recording by trixie smith who sang and recorded the misery of the woman who had been left behind by men who hopped freight trains to the north. Print and download elizabeth cotten freight train guitar tab. I hate to hear that freight train blow, boohoo i hate to hear that freight train blow, boohoo every time i hear it blowin, i feel like ridin too i asked the. She strung her guitar upside down, the bass notes to the bottom. Freight train is an american folk song written by elizabeth cotten in the early 20th century. Until now there was almost no written insight into this vast subculture, which inspires fascination across america and around the world. Freight train board book by donald crews, board book. This position meant that she would play the bass lines with her. Transporting freight by ship before the introduction of the steamboat in the early nineteenth century, many types of goods were moved by flatboat or raft. Freight train is a 24page childrens picture book written and illustrated by donald crews and published by greenwillow books.
Norm cohen provides a sweeping discussion of the human aspects of railroad history, railroad folklore, and the evolution of the american folksong. The heart of the book is a detailed analysis of eightyfive songs, from john henry and the wabash cannonball to hellbound. Impeccable scholarship and lavish illustration mark this landmark study of american railroad folksong. April 2016 learn how and when to remove this template message freight train is an american folk song written by elizabeth cotten in the early 20th century, and popularized during the american folk revival and. Crews won the 1979 caldecott honor award for his expressionistic art in freight train.
Since then, the freight train has become the backbone of shipping, moving food, automobiles, lumber, and thousands of other commodities. The freight train movement began as quickly as the first railroads were laid down. Donald crews is the renowned creator of many celebrated childrens books, including the caldecott honor books freight train and truck. Bob dylans haunting version of john lairs ballad freight train blues is not about loneliness but about seeking fulfillment, knowing that as long as the freight cars keep rolling we will never truly be satisfied. It is a cursory biography of elizabeth cotten who found her older brothers guitar and learned how to play it upside down and backwards, because she was lefthanded. This book is for the younger readers, most likely preschoolers and kindergarteners. The magnificent musical life of elizabeth cotten by. On an otherwise empty page, we see first a track and then, car by car, a freight train appears. Freight train, freight train, comin round the bend freight train, freight train, gone again one of these days turn that train around go back to my hometown. This article needs additional citations for verification. Thats a mean old fireman, cruel old engineer, mean old fireman, cruel old engineer, it was mean old train that took my man away from here.
Theres something incredibly powerful about the effect of music on our psyche. Watch the video for freight train from elizabeth cottens freight train and other north carolina folk songs and tunes for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. If you dig deep enough into rock n roll, youre on a freight train headed straight for the blues. In simple, powerful words and vibrant illustrations, donald crews evokes the rolling wheels of. For example, as the train rushes past cities, a simple, twotoned skyline is in view. The following looks at the steady progress in the history of freight transportation.
Shellac 10 roy acuff and his crazy tennesseeans wabash cannon ball freight train blues 1946, shellac discogs. She played a guitar strung for a righthanded player, but played it upside down, as she was lefthanded. Freight train freight train goin so fast freight train freight train goin so fast please dont tell what train im on so they wont know where ive gone. This is the official facebook artist page of the legendary singersongwriter. Stacy williams was the pen name of new york times critic and dylan biographer robert shelton, who made a little spending cash writing liner notes for folk recordings. Through her songwriting, her quietly commanding personality, and her unique lefthanded guitar and banjo styles, she inspired and influenced generations of younger. Just bought it for my grandson who is two years old. In the 1924 hit freight train blues, trixie smith outlines an early feminist critique of diaspora, singing, when a woman gets the blues, she goes to her room and hideswhen a woman gets the blues, she goes to her room and hidesbut when a man gets the blues, he catch a. Freight train blues concert series takes place on fridays, 6. The sign sits next to a retired train depot converted into a restaurant called the station, which advertises two claims to famer. As dazzling as the art it celebrates, the book is packed with 1,000 fullcolor illustrations and features indepth interviews with more than 125 train artists and. Freight train folk song news newspapers books scholar jstor april 2016 learn how and when to remove this template message.
This is the 1947 rendition, in this session yielded another rendition, wabash cannonball, also in that session was recorded blue eyes crying in the rain, a major hit, and the harry choates song. Freight train was credited for years to two british songwriters, who. I was born in dixie in a boomers shack just a little shanty by the railroad track freight train was it, taught me how to cry the holler of the driver was my. It has been included in such lists of top childrens books as anita silveys 100 best books for children and a 2012 top. The book does not contain many words, but it is knowledgeable, as for it teaches the children all about the different parts of the freight train and the colors that it associates with.
The book i received did not have the color issue mentioned by another customer who complained the black. Elizabeth libba cotten 18951987, best known for her timeless song freight train, built her musical legacy on a firm foundation of late 19th and early 20thcentury africanamerican instrumental traditions. It lacks any story, but rather describes the inner workings of a large cargo train. Watch the video for freight train blues from bob dylans bob dylan for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Vive con su esposa, ann jonas, cerca del rio hudson, en nueva york. A selftaught lefthanded guitarist, cotten developed her own original style. Peter, paul and mary freight train lyrics metrolyrics. I got this book for my son 25 years ago and it was one of his favorites. It was risky to move freight by these basic modes of transportation as well as timeconsuming.
Freight train by elizabeth libba cotten smithsonian. And a freight train whistle taught me how to cry i got the freight train blues, lawdy, lawdy, lawdy got them in the bottom of my ramblin shoes and when the whistle blows, i gotta go oh lawdy, i guess im never gonna lose the freight train blues now my pappy was a fireman and my mammy dear was the only daughter of an engineer. The mean old freight train blues now my pappy was a fireman and my mammy dear was the only daughter of an engineer my sister married a brakeman and it aint no joke now its a shame the way she keeps a good man broke ive got the freight train blues, lordy, lordy, lordy got em in the bottom of my ramblin shoes and when that whistle blows, i. Elizabeth cotten wrote freight train at 11, won a grammy at 90. Discover the history of freight trains in america as they evolved from the early. Red caboose at the back, orange tank car, green cattle car, purple box car, black tender and a black steam engine. Blues books railroadin some by max haymes early blues. His style draws readers quickly into the book by eliminating unnecessary details. The train moves in a rainbow blur through tunnels, past cities, through day and through night, until it passes completely from view. Watch this unique style in a performance of freight train, her bestknown song, edited from film taken by pete and toshi seeger at the seeger family home in. Rumors, interviews, and an occasional live appearance have kept the. Shes givin it away short history of the refrigerator car or. The cry of the lonesome whistle has come to symbolize mans never ending search for companionship. Lewis and wilbert gilliam vocals and guitar at state penitentiary the walls, huntsville, texas, on may 11, 1939.
The freight train blues well, my daddy was a fireman and my mama here she was the only daughter of the engineer my sweetheart loved the brakeman and that aint no joke its a shame the way she keeps a good man broke i got the freight train blues hee, hee, hoo oh lawdy, i got em in the bottom of my ramblin shoes and when the whistle blows i. Fans of folk and acoustic blues, however, will likely know her name. Freight train blues music series honoring piedmont blues woman elizabeth libba cotten celebrates 5th year in carrboro with free weekly concerts starting may 24th carrboro, n. We gave it to him at his birthday party on a caboose at a railroad museum. The legacy of butch trucks continues through oteil burbridge, luther dickinson, and their amazing network of musicians at roots rock revival. Freight train blues honors elizabeth cottens contributions to american.
No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Blues and trains seemed to go well together, as found in long freight train blues, a song about lost love sung by wilbert gilliam and recorded by john and ruby lomax in 1939 and in depot blues 1942 sung by son house a song in the voice of a man expressing rage at the train that took his love away. The folklore and folksong of trains in america, part two. Majestic mountains are depicted by an effective but vague use of shades of violet. The magnificent musical life of elizabeth cotten is a childrens picture book written by laura veirs and illustrated by tatyana fazlalizadeh. Freight train was it taught me how to cry the holler of the driver was my lullaby i got the freight train blues oh lord mama, i got them in the bottom of my rambling shoes and when the whistle blows i gotta go baby, dont you know well, it looks like im never gonna lose the freight train blues. I got the freight train blues lawdy lawdy got them in the bottom of my rambling shoes and when the whistle blows i gotta oh lawdy guess im never gonna lose the freight train blues. Theres a green car carrying cattle, a purple boxcar with dry goods, and at the very front of the train, with churning wheels and a chimney smoking, is the mighty black steam engine.
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