Season 532: All aboard!

[Mark Suszko]

I'm about to launch #533 in advance of tomorrow.

 

[AmyLaybourn]

I got inspired to add the keys and jam out a bit! And a whistle solo, gotta use what’s at hand haha!

 

[Mark Suszko]

I got inspired to add the keys and jam out a bit! And a whistle solo, gotta use what’s at hand haha!

Was wondering if someone would get to this one and you gave it so much energy with that up tempo rendering, bravo! And I'm always a sucker for tight harmony, again, great job!

 

[pabrizzer]

this train has passed by before but you can't have too much taj mahal in a season imho

 

[AlanDP]

A song from 1928.

 

[Canada Jim]

Railroad Lady Jimmy Buffet, Jerry Jeff Walker 1973

I'm not a huge Jimmy Buffet fan, but I love Jerry Jeff's songs.
A little stretchin' here.

 

[joo]

Sorry to interrupt your Season, Edwin, and hope you are having a relaxing weekend in Edinburgh.
I just wanted to say that the WRAP for Season 521 is finally up!

HERE!
https://www.forum.ukuleleunderground.com/index.php?threads/season-521-seasonista-songs.153178/page-5

 

[joo]

Hi again, Edwin and friends!
I tried to find a Chinese folk song about trains .....but could not find any that I like.
I don't listen to Chinese songs, except for the few that I heard my grandpa and older siblings played, when I was a little child.

I have a hazy memory of taking the train from London to Brighton and back many years ago. Also did the Glasgow to Edinburgh.
Also, I might have taken the train from Glasgow to Isle of Wright.... Or was it the bus?
Sounds strange that I don't really remember many details but I had (still might have) a partly-functioning brain then, I think.

When I was in Rotterdam many years ago, I remember getting freaked out by the high speed train when it sped past.

In Guangdong, China, also many years ago, I was on a train where I had to stand among lots of people, and getting stressed out
being pickpocketed. That wasn't pleasant, but it was a very short trip.

Anyway.....
I did come across this song, maybe a familiar one to some of you, but I have not heard of it before.
I fell in love with it instantly, and did a quick and rough cover today.

Slow Train by Flanders and Swann

 

[wee_ginga_yin]

I got inspired to add the keys and jam out a bit! And a whistle solo, gotta use what’s at hand haha!

I was waiting for the final Jerry Lee chord played on the piano with the derrière.

 

[_mourningdove]

This was one of the only songs I could think of that mentions trains, but there’s a train mentioned in nearly every verse.

 

[One Man And His Uke]

Another original…..I started on this a few days ago and decided I wasn’t going to submit it as I wasn’t that happy with it……there were initially two versions, this one, which is pretty much about The General, the 1926 Buster Keaton film I love a very great deal, and another version which was more “ inspired by” rather than ”about” , I prefer to write that way to be honest, nothing too literal. Anyway, the first more “about” version was more complete, and although I’m still not that pleased with the end result I’ll publish and be damned. The lyrics are underneath …..

The General

Rejected by his Annabelle on the eve of civil war,
She thinks he is a coward she’ll not see him no more.
But the army of the South, needs Johnnie to drive the train
So off he goes not knowing this, his pleas are all in vain.

And the General keeps rolling, rolling day and night,
With Johnnie on the footplate, everything’s alright.

The General and Annabelle, held captive by the North
With derring do and a little luck Johnnie Gray goes forth
To rescue his sweetheart and his dearly beloved train
On a night of bears and lightning, in the pouring rain.

And the General….etc

So Johnnie and the General and Annabelle make a stand
They reach the army of the South and thwart the Union plan
And now Johnnie is the hero, with a medal on his chest
And thanks be to The General the strong, the brave, the best.

And the General …etc

 

[Arcy]

For those who like to dance their trains, here's The Loco-Motion!


The big shift for me is from baritones & basses to soprano. And no mac at the moment, so this is straight out of the phone. Keeps me honest & simple! This one would have been great with all sorts of harmonies and backing tracks that'd keep me from finishing ... though I could've done it for next week as Kylie Minogue's version puts it in theme for 533 as well as for 532!

 

[UkeFoote]

Really Thornton-ing this in. "Train in Vain (Stand By Me)" by the Clash. For concert ukulele with singing, with an overdub of electric bass.

Thanks for hosting, Edwin!

This one is doing double duty for season 533 as well.

 

[merlin666]

Uff de Schwaebsche Eisebahne (trad ca 1853)
I learned this song as a child from my grandmother, and it deals with the encounter with the train as new technology. This is specifically about the Swabian Railway that was built between about 1834 and 1845, a time when most travel in the countryside was by ox-drawn cart, where you can simply tie your livestock to the end or walk along. There are many local variations of the song as it dates back to about 1853, and here is an illustration of some of it from that time:

The song is in the German dialect of Swabian, so for the few people here who are not fluent in this I provide rough translation of the verses:
1) On the swabian railway, there are many stations - and then a list of five stations.
2) On the swabian railway cows and oxen are allowed to ride, as as well as kids and adults - everything and everyone that can pay.
3) On the swabian railway, a farmer wanted to get a ride and he lifts his hat and buys one ticket (swabians are known to be thrifty/cheap)
4) He had bought a goat, and he ties it to the last wagon so it can't run away.
5) He says: "Little goat just merrily hop along and later I will get you some food" and then relaxes to smoke his pipe.
6) On the next station as he wants to get the goat all he find are the rope and head.
7) He gets very angry and grabs the goat head at the ears and tosses it with all his might at the conductor's chest.
8) "So you can pay for the damage, why did you have to go so fast. It is only your fault that I lost my goat".

The chorus is very popular for old and young to sing along.

 

[CeeJay]

It doesn't mention a train at all,but it has as its title that oft used phrase to indicate terminus of
Rail Travel, "End of the Line".
The album cover features a locomotive, and the tribute video to Roy Orbison was filmed later,
on board a rail freight car...............................................It'll do as a passing reference for me.

 

[jtsteam]

Hi everyone! We will shortly be arriving at our destination, and I hope you've had a pleasant journey. The playlist is now up to date with an impressive 83 songs, and there's still time to squeeze a few more in before we reach the terminus. Although you've all been so busy that I haven't quite managed to keep up with listening to everything yet, so I will catch up tomorrow...

 

[uke4ia]

Hold that train! It's another late Sunday night rush to get a video done. This is the obvious Jethro Tull song. I listened to the song for decades before learning that the line at the end of each verse is "no way to slow down".

 

[mythinformed]

Last one from me, this one's Johnny Cashs signature choon 'Folsom Prison Blues' ..............

 

[TheOnlyUkeThatMatters]

Whoa, hectic week. I almost missed the train.

 

[Ms Bean]

This song would have qualified for SOTU 531 Name Dropping Casey Jones (but I discovered this song too late).

Casey Jones has inspired many songs. This one from 1909 was written by Eddie Newton (music) and T Lawrence Seibert (words), and arranged by Vern Elliott.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Jones

Sheet music: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/199/