There's something inherently musical about trains. The clacking of wheels on steel rails, the hiss of steam engines, and the sound of a locomotive's horn fading into the distance have inspired songwriters since the earliest days of rail freight.
That fascination hasn't diminished, apparently. Modern-day troubadours still find inspiration—dare we say romance?—in the railroads we rely on to move intermodal containers, boxcars, tank cars, and the like. Here are just a few examples:
- Elizabeth Cotten's "Freight Train" is a classic of 20th century folk music. The self-taught composer, who played the guitar upside-down, wrote the song at the age of 12. (For her remarkable story, see "Remembering Elizabeth Cotten.")
- "Texas Eagle," by Steve Earle ("Nowadays they don't make no trains, just piggyback freighters and them Amtrak thangs"), is a sassy commentary on modernization.
- The majestic "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," by Gordon Lightfoot ("Bringin' the goods to a young, growin' land"), describes the monumental task of building the first railroad across Canada's wilderness.
- Bruce "U. Utah" Phillips, a folk singer known for his portrayals of working class hardships, wrote "Daddy, What's a Freight Train?" about the passing of railroads from modern life ("But I remember how we memorized the names on railroad cars").
- Charley Pride's "The Spell of the Freight Train" celebrates the life of the wanderer ("The spell of the freight train is stronger than wine").
There's even a rock group called Entrain, and another simply named Train. And if you're really into this, just Google "railroad songs and ballads." You'll find numerous collections of rail-themed songs, both traditional and modern, for sale.
