Freight Train .... Who sings this??

[Steven R. Berry]

Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
50's and the chorus goes like this:

Freight train freight train going so fast
freight train freight train going so fast
please don't tell what train I'm on
so they won't know where I'm gone.

I have version by joan Baez, but there was a country version.
--
Regards ...... Steve

-------------------------------------------------------------
Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young, and Leave a Beautiful Memory
'Appologies to Faron Young'
Life @ 150 MPH Piper Cherokee 180, IROC Z Chevy Camaro
Graduate, 1995 Richard Petty Driving Experience
-------------------------------------------------------------

[Linda F. Cauthen]

>Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
50's and the chorus goes like this:

Freight train freight train going so fast
freight train freight train going so fast
please don't tell what train I'm on
so they won't know where I'm gone.

I have version by joan Baez, but there was a country version.<
--
Regards ...... Steve

I may have this confused with another song (country music has *lots* of songs
about trains!) but I'm thinking "Freight Train Boogie," recorded by the
Delmore Brothers in 1946 and by Red Foley in 1947. There's also a song called
"Freight Train" by Jim & Jesse but it came out in 1971 and wasn't a big hit.
Linda

[Jon Weisberger]

In article <272373756...@vine.org>,

Linda_F....@vine.org (Linda F. Cauthen) wrote:
>>Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
>>50's and the chorus goes like this:
>>

>>Freight train freight train going so fast...

>
>I may have this confused with another song (country music has *lots* of songs
>about trains!) but I'm thinking "Freight Train Boogie," recorded by the
>Delmore Brothers in 1946 and by Red Foley in 1947. There's also a song called
>"Freight Train" by Jim & Jesse but it came out in 1971 and wasn't a big hit.
>Linda

The "Freight Train Boogie" is a different song. This one was written by
Elizabeth Cotten, and is the one that Jim & Jesse (and a zillion other people)
recorded.

Jon Weisberger, Cincinnati jo...@ix.netcom.com
============================================================
"Any song I think that's worth singing is worth having
harmony." -- Charlie Louvin
============================================================

[DONDI3]

Not sure if it is the "country" version you're thinking of, but seem to
remember an
artist by the name of Frank Ifield doing this. Can't remember him doing
anything else
and I'm not even sure it was "country". I, too, would like to hear anyone
else's info
or comments on either Frank Ifield or the song, "Freight Train."

Dondi3

[Steven R. Berry]

I don't remember frank Ifield doing this, but I'll check it out,
Thanks.
Interesting twist here though, Frank is also an Aussie. He was a
milkman before becoming successfull at singing in England. His father
was the guy who invented the fuel control system on the jet engine
during WW11 with Frank Whittle. The same fuel control system is still
basically the same principle used today....

[Frank Godbey]

Steve Berry wondered:

>Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
>50's and the chorus goes like this:
>
>Freight train freight train going so fast
>...

Sometime in the mid-50s Rusty Draper had a minor hit with "Freight
Train." I don't know the record label it was on, or anywhere near
the right date, but I remember seeing him perform it several times
on TV. The song was written by Elizabeth Cotton. So, who can tell
us more about Mr. Draper and what became of him?
--Frank Godbey

[Marty Reese]

In article <4gvi9c$k...@service2.uky.edu>,

Don't Jim and Jesse and the Virginia boys do Freight Train as
one of their standards??

Marty

[Oblin George]

Hi Linda.I remember the song well. I believe it was sung by Rusty
Draper. Maybe someone else out there could confirm. Cheers!

[Oblin George]

[Oblin George]

Hi Linda. You may receive more than one reply from me since I'm not too
sure what I'm doing... As for your question, I believe that it was Rusty
Draper who sang Freight Train in the 1950s. Maybe someone else out there
could confirm it. Cheers!

[Oblin George]

Frank Ifield's biggest hit was a song called "I Remember You". He had a
follow up song called "I'm Confessin'" which was a remake...I'm not sure
who did the original. Cheers!

[Iain Noble]

In article <4gua9p$j...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, DONDI3 (don...@aol.com) writes:
>Not sure if it is the "country" version you're thinking of, but seem to
>remember an
>artist by the name of Frank Ifield doing this. Can't remember him doing
>anything else
>and I'm not even sure it was "country". I, too, would like to hear anyone
>else's info
>or comments on either Frank Ifield or the song, "Freight Train."
>
>Dondi3
>

Ah memories! Frank Ifield the yodelling milkman! He was big, blond,
Aussie and yodelled and had hits in the UK between '62 and '64 with
things such as 'I remember you', 'Wayward Wind' and '"Confessin'".
He also covered countryish things such as "Nobody's darlin' but
mine", 'Mule Train' (clippety clop) and 'Lovesick Blues' (very Hank
that) with some success. You could call him country if you wanted
to but nobody (not even his mum) would have called Frank's stuff
'classic'. Jimmy Rodgers he was not.

On the subject of 'Freight Train' this was a hit in the UK in 1957
for The Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group featuring Nancy Whiskey. As I
was 7 at the time my memory is a bit hazy about where they got it
from. Could have been The Weavers perhaps?

And as for the UK's skiffle craze of 56-57, the less said about
this the better, as it was clearly something got up by the forces of
law and order to divert clean-living British youth from the
temptations of Elvis, winklepicker shoes and slashing cinema seats
during showings of 'Blackboard Jungle', through encouraging them to
wear horrible sweaters, grow beards and strum acoustic guitars while
performing bowdlerised versions of Huddie Leadbetter songs in
draughty church halls to audiences of vicars, scoutmasters and bored
7 year olds. It failed. It also led directly to such horrific
phenomena as Tommy Steele (who covered Guy Mitchell songs - yes as
bad as that - and you thought the Brits had taste when it came to
music?) and a nationwide shortage of metal washboards and
teachests. Lonnie Donegan's still gigging though. And Dave Edmunds
did a great version of "Singin' the Blues".

------------------------------------------------------------------
Iain Noble
Hound Dog Research
Survey and Social Research Consultancy
32 Croftdown Road
London
NW5 1EN
Phone/fax (+44) (0)171 267 1912 email: ino...@hounddog.win-uk.net
------------------------------------------------------------------

[Mitchell Drumm]

Steven R. Berry (aus...@ix.netcom.com) wrote: : In
<4gua9p$j...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> don...@aol.com (DONDI3) writes: : > :

>Not sure if it is the "country" version you're thinking of, but seem : to :
>remember an : >artist by the name of Frank Ifield doing this. Can't
remember him : doing : >anything else : >and I'm not even sure it was
"country". I, too, would like to hear : anyone : >else's info : >or
comments on either Frank Ifield or the song, "Freight Train." : >
: >Dondi3

If you are referring to a mid to late 1950s version by a female vocalist, I
think it was Nancy Whiskey, who at the time sang with a skiffle group in
England, possibly Charles McDevitt's group???

[Christopher Shand]

On Feb 27, 1996 02:02:17 in article <Re: Freight Train .... Who sings

this??>, 'don...@aol.com (DONDI3)' wrote:


>Not sure if it is the "country" version you're thinking of, but seem to
>remember an
>artist by the name of Frank Ifield doing this. Can't remember him doing
>anything else
>and I'm not even sure it was "country". I, too, would like to hear anyone

>else's info
>or comments on either Frank Ifield or the song, "Freight Train."
>
>Dondi3

--
The only song I remember Frank Ifield doing was in the '60's. I believe the
title was "I remember you", at least that was the catchiest line from it.

Chris Shand
twen...@nyc.pipeline.com
"Is it time for coffee yet"

[Olin Murrell]

That was Frank Ifield's one really big hit....called "I Remember You." He
later went on to fame plugging his tapes on late night tv, and I suspect,
made more money than he'll ever be able to spend. Same for Boxcar Willie.
Guys like these prove you don't need a Major Label to make good money in
the record business.

As for "Freight Train," then 12 year old, now deceased but would be over
100, Elizabeth Cotten wrote that song. She was an amazing old bird, and
I'm still tickled pink that I got to see her one year at the Kerrville
Folk Festival. Here was this 90-something frail little lady, sitting in a
metal folding chair, playing that guitar upside down and backwards, and
blowing everybody off the stage! Whatta performer. Now, as to who's
"recorded" Freight Train, the answer is....nearly everybody.

--
Olin Murrell
Austin, TX
ol...@bga.com
http:/www.realtime.com/~olin

[stev...@delphi.com]

Is this the same "Freight Train" that was performed and credited to being
written by Elizabeth Cotton? You know, "Freight train, freight train, runs
so fast...."

[Gerry Kendal]

In article <4gvk3j$h...@sloth.swcp.com>, hke...@swcp.com (Kelly Shuldberg) wrote:

> >>Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
> >50's and the chorus goes like this:
> >
> >Freight train freight train going so fast
>
>

> For me, the definitive C&W version was recorded by Chet Atkins as a guitar
> solo. His version had no singing that I recall.
>
> h. kelly shuldberg

Does this appear on any currently available recordings (CD or other)?
I've been looking for the Chet Atkins version for soom time now.

[Robin C Dillon]

>>Frank Ifield and Freight train

>>>Frank Ifield who is Australian was well know in the late 50's (the good old days) for having 2 songs in the English Hit parade, "=
I remember you" and "The story of my life" He never sang freight train as far as I can remember.
>>>> regards Robin Dillon

Jeudi, 26 octobre 1995 16:19 Beginning installation.
Type of Install: Easy Install
Installed LICENSE
Installed Netscape 1.1N
Installed README
Jeudi, 26 octobre 1995 16:21
The installation is complete.

[Tod Averill]

Frank Ifield also had a hit with the song "I Remember You" I think it
went something like'

"I remember you, you're the one who broke my heart in two.. etc. (sorry
not much of a singer! (G)

[Robert McCallum]

Back in the '50s there was a major country star named Rusty Draper who
had a hit with "Freight Train." He also hit big with "Gamblier's
Guitar," and several other songs, some cover songs, like "Shifting
Whispering Sand."

[michaelc...@gmail.com]

On Monday, February 26, 1996 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Steven R. Berry wrote:
> Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
> 50's and the chorus goes like this:
>
> Freight train freight train going so fast

> freight train freight train going so fast

> please don't tell what train I'm on
> so they won't know where I'm gone.
>
> I have version by joan Baez, but there was a country version.

> --
> Regards ...... Steve
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young, and Leave a Beautiful Memory
> 'Appologies to Faron Young'
> Life @ 150 MPH Piper Cherokee 180, IROC Z Chevy Camaro
> Graduate, 1995 Richard Petty Driving Experience
> -------------------------------------------------------------

I think a lot of people sang this excellent song - my favorite version was sung by Elizabeth Cotton. She does a killer version. Interesting trivia that I noticed about the song. Listen to the last few bars on the song "Jenny Dreamed of Trains" performed by Sweethearts of the Rodeo and you'll notice they are the tune to 'Freight Train' as sung by Ms. Cotton. Very cool song

[tr...@iwvisp.com]

I discovered the song in 1971 by the Bluegrass duo Jim & Jesse, a great version. My favorite version is by Canadian singer Eugene Smith, very funky.

Ray Arthur

P S Interesting that you resurrected a nearly 20 year old thread. I wonder how many of those participants are still around!

[nigeto...@gmail.com]

Nancy whiskey

[concettac...@gmail.com]

Elizabeth Cotton..she was a maid at 9..wrote this at 11..and won an award in her 90s...
Look up her name...worth reading

[june.s...@bigpond.com]

On Monday, February 26, 1996 at 6:30:00 PM UTC+10:30, Steven R. Berry wrote:
> Does anyone know who sings the this song. It was a country hit in the
> 50's and the chorus goes like this:
>
> Freight train freight train going so fast
> freight train freight train going so fast
> please don't tell what train I'm on
> so they won't know where I'm gone.
>
> I have version by joan Baez, but there was a country version.
> --
> Regards ...... Steve
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young, and Leave a Beautiful Memory
> 'Appologies to Faron Young'
> Life @ 150 MPH Piper Cherokee 180, IROC Z Chevy Camaro
> Graduate, 1995 Richard Petty Driving Experience
> -------------------------------------------------------------

The bloke that you are looking for is Stonewall Jackson, who was an American Country Singer during the 50's and 60's.