ID PSE: Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Vital Debroey
Hi there,
I wondered if anyone could identify the oldie of which one line keeps
haunting me: "on the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe"... Is it from
a musical or Broadway show? Who sang it? More lyrics would be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks,
Vital
Wayne Garvin
(posted to alt.music.lyrics and e-mailed to Vital Debroey)
"On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe" was introduced by Judy Garland in
the 1945 MGM film "The Harvey Girls". The song won an Oscar. It was also a big
hit for Bing Crosby who recorded it Feb. 17, 1944, although the recording
wasn't released until June 1945. It charted the following month and remained on
the charts for a total of 15 weeks, peaking at #3. Nevertheless, Johnny
Mercer's recording proved more popular than Bing's, topping the charts for 8
weeks in the summer of '45. This song proved to be Mercer's most successful
recording.
I'm including the lyrics to both the Bing Crosby version and the Judy Garland
version since they're quite different.
ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE
- words by Johnny Mercer, music by Harry Warren
- lyrics as recorded by Bing Crosby
Do you hear that whistle down the line
I figure that it's engine number forty-nine
She's the only one that'll sound that way
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
See the old smoke risin' 'round the bend
I reckon that she knows she's gonna meet a friend
Folks around these parts get the time of day
From the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
Here she comes, woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-woo
Hey Jim, you better get out the rig, woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-woo
She's got a list of passengers that's pretty big
And they'll all want lifts to Brown's Hotel
'Cause lots of them been travellin' for quite a spell
All the way from Philadelphia*
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
------ instrumental break ------
Do you hear that whistle down the line
I figure that it's engine number forty-nine
She's the only one that'll sound that way
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
See the old smoke risin' 'round the bend
I reckon that she knows she's gonna meet a friend
Folks around these parts get the time of day
From the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
Here she comes, woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-woo
Hey Jim, you better get out the rig, woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-oo-woo-woo
She's got a list of passengers that's pretty big
And they'll all want lifts to Brown's Hotel
'Cause lots of them been travellin' for quite a spell
All the way from Philadelphia*
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
Doo-doo-da, The good old A.T. and the Santa Fe
------
*Philadelphia - pronounced "philadelph-eye-ay"
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ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE
- words by Johnny Mercer, music by Harry Warren
- lyrics as recorded by Judy Garland September 10, 1945
on Decca 23458 (78 r.p.m. single)
What a lovely trip
I'm feeling so fresh and alive
And I'm so glad to arrive
It's all so grand
It's easy to see you don't need a palace
To feel like Alice in Wonderland
Back in Ohio where I come from
I've done a lot of dreamin' and I've travelled some
But I never thought I'd see the day
When I ever took a ride on the Santa Fe
(wanna take a ride on the Santa Fe)
I would lean across my window sill
And hear the whistle echoin' across the hill
Then I'd watch the lights till they fade away
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
What a thrill (what a great big wonderful thrill)
When the wheels are singin' westward home
Right from the day I heard them start
'Cross the Kansas plains from New Mexico
I guess I've got a little gypsy in my heart
When I'm old and grey and settled down
If I ever get a chance to sneak away from town
Then I'll spend my busman's holiday
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
All aboard! (we came across the country lickety-split)
(rollin' ninety miles an hour)
I can't believe I'm here at last
Woo-oo-ooo!
(when you go travellin', it's best for you
to take the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe!)
I can't believe that anything could go so fast
Then you pull that throttle, whistle blows
A-huffin' and a-puffin' and away she goes
All aboard for California*, hey!
On the Atchison (on the Atchison)
On the Atchison, Topeka (on the Atchison, Topeka)
On the Atchison, Topeka (on the Atchison, Topeka)
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe!
------
*California pronounced "californ-eye-ay"
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Wayne Garvin, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
The Lyrics Library: http://www.kw.igs.net/~wgarvin/lyrics.html
alt.music.lyrics web site, FAQ and Frequently Requested Lyrics:
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