Wabash Cannonball
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"The Wabash Cannonball" is an American folk song about a fictional train, thought to have originated sometime in the late nineteenth century. Its first documented appearance was on sheet music published in 1882, titled "The Great Rock Island Route" and credited to J. A. Roff. All subsequent versions contain a variation of the chorus:
- Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble, and the roar,
- As she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore,
- See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out,
- As they speed along in safety, on the "Great Rock-Island Route."
A rewritten version by William Kindt appeared in 1904 under the title "Wabash Cannon Ball".[1]
The Carter Family made one of the first recordings of the song in 1929, though it was not released until 1932. Another popular version was recorded by Country Music Hall of Famer Roy Acuff in 1936.[2]
It is a signature song of the Kansas State University Marching Band as well as the University of Texas Longhorn Band. Indiana State University also uses it, as the school is very near the Wabash River. It was also used as the theme song by the USS Wabash (AOR5).
The song "The Wabash Cannonball" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.[3]
Contents |
[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics as performed by The Carter Family in their 1929 recording:
Verse:
- Out from the wide Pacific ocean to the broad Atlantic shore
- She climbs flowery mountain, o'r hills and by the shore
- Although she's tall and handsome, and she's known quite well by all
- She's a regular combination of the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
- Oh, the Eastern states are dandy, so the Western people say
- Chicago, Rock Island, St. Louis by the way
- To the lakes of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
- No chances to be taken on the Wabash Cannonball.
Chorus:
- Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumor and the roar
- As she glides along the woodland, o'r hills and by the shore
- She climbs the flowery mountain, hear the merry hobos squall
- She glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
- Oh, here's old daddy Cleaton, let his name forever be
- And long be remembered in the courts of Tennessee
- For he is a good old rounder 'til the curtain 'round him fall
- He'll be carried back to victory on the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
- I have rode the I.C. Limited, also the Royal Blue
- Across the Eastern countries on Elkhorn Number Two
- I have rode those highball trains from coast to coast that's all
- But I have found no equal on the Wabash Cannonball.
Chorus:
- Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumor and the roar
- As she glides along the woodland, o'r hills and by the shore
- She climbs the flowery mountain, hear the merry hobos squall
- She glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
[edit] Variations
Many variations of the lyrics exist, including: [2][3][4]
- A Tribute to William Jennings Bryan
- Here’s to Jennings Bryan, may his name forever stand
- And always be remembered in hearts throughout the land.
- His earthly race is over and the curtain round him falls,
- But they’ll carry him home to victory on the Wabash Cannon Ball.
- 'Glory' instead of 'Victory'
- 'Dixie' instead of 'Victory'
- 'Daddy Claxton', 'Danny Claxton', 'Daddy Clayton', or 'Boston Blackie' instead of 'Daddy Cleaton'
- 'While' or 'We're' instead of 'You're', in the final line of the chorus
- There are several known versions of the second and final lines of the first stanza. Some believe that "she's the 'boes accommodation called the Wabash Cannonball" was most likely the original final line of the first stanza, even though it is probably the least popular today. One common variations calls her a "streamlined combination."
- There are alternative versions in which the second and third stanzas are changed significantly, including the 1966 recording by Johnny Cash.
[edit] History
In addition to The Carter Family's 1929 recording and Roy Acuff's 1936 recording, many hillbilly artists recorded "The Wabash Cannonball" during the Great Depression era of the 1930s and 1940s. The song increased in popularity during this time.
[edit] Origins
There are many theories of the origin of "The Wabash Cannonball". Utah Phillips states that hobos somewhere imagined a mythical train called the "Wabash Cannonball" and created the lyrics and music to go with the myth.
Another theory [5] states that the song is based on a tall tale in which Cal S. Bunyan, Paul Bunyan's brother, constructed a railroad known as the Ireland, Jerusalem, Australian & Southern Michigan Line. After two months of service, the 700-car train was traveling so fast that it arrived at its destination an hour before its departure. Finally, the train took off so fast that it rushed in to outer space, and for all is known, it is still traveling through space. When the hobos learned of this train, they called her "The Wabash Cannonball" and said that every station in America had heard her whistle.
[edit] Namesakes
When the song gained popularity, Wabash Railroad named its express run between Detroit and St. Louis as the Wabash Cannonball. A roller coaster at the now-defunct Opryland USA theme park was titled after the song as well.
[edit] Use in the Big 12 Conference
The Wabash Cannonball is known as the unofficial "second" fight song of Kansas State University, having been played since the late 1960s. It was the only piece of sheet music rescued from the KSU music department in the Nichols Hall fire of 1968, and grew in popularity with students and fans. The Kansas State University Marching Band says that "the Wabash Cannonball has come to represent the survival of the underdog in the hearts and minds of all true K-State fans, and has earned a secure place in the KSUMB's history and traditions."[4]
The University of Texas Longhorn Band plays the song at the beginning of every fourth quarter during football season. The tradition began when Texas was in the Southwest Conference and Kansas State University was in the Big 8 Conference. Kansas State University was the first to use the song. Texas band director Vincent R. DiNino once asked football coach Darrell K. Royal if he had any songs he would like to hear the Longhorn Band play. His response was that they didn't play enough country music and that he would like to hear Wabash Cannonball. 'Ban rivalry' has developed since both schools joined the Big 12 Conference.
[edit] Jukebox Cannonball
In 1951, Jesse Rogers adapted "Wabash Cannonball" into "Jukebox Cannonball" by retaining the original melody but replacing it with a new set of lyrics. Many recordings of this song were made in the early 1950s, primarily by artists from the New York-Pennsylvania region, including Rogers himself, Ray Whitley, and Rex Zario. Bill Haley and The Saddlemen (later known as The Comets) also had a minor hit with the song in 1952, which was considered an early example of rockabilly. Haley re-recorded the song in 1979.
[edit] Television history
In the third season (1952-53) of I Love Lucy, Ernie Ford sang a rendition of the song in the episodes "Tennessee Ernie Visits" and "Tennessee Ernie Hangs On".
[edit] Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan recorded a version of the song for his 1956 album, Lonnie Donegan Showcase.
[edit] Robert Fripp & The League Of The Crafty Guitarists
An arrangement of "Wabash Cannonball" was recorded by Robert Fripp & The League Of Crafty Guitarists on their album Intergalactic Boogie Express: Live in Europe....
[edit] Woody Guthrie
The Dustbowl Balladeer's "Grand Coulee Dam" - one of several songs he wrote about the largest concrete structure in the United States -- is a rework of the "Wabash Cannonball". The chorus shows Guthrie at his most poetic:
- In the misty crystal glitter of her wild and windward spray
- Men have fought the pounding waters and dared a watery grave
- Oh, she broke their boats to splinters but she gave them dreams to dream
- Of the day the Coulee Dam would tame that wild and wasted stream
"She" is the Columbia River. The song is really an ode to the river as much as the dam - rather like the way some popular versions of the "Wabash Cannonball" seem to be as much about that tall glamorous girl from Tennessee, as about the train.
[edit] References
- ^ Csufresno.edu
- ^ Csufresno.edu
- ^ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "500 songs that shaped rock and roll" [1]
- ^ KSUMB K-state.edu
