We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I guess I’m kind of cheating or being lazy by reposting this old song, but back when we uploaded, there was no train song series.
Some of our subscribers go back and watch old videos, but many of them just watch what is posted after they subscribed.
This video was posted 11 years ago, and it has fewer views that our videos get now within two days, so I thought it would be good to close out this year’s train series by sharing it with folks who may have missed it back then. The video quality isn’t the best, but maybe it’s good enough.
This song was written by the great Delmore Brothers. The first time I ever heard it is when Wayne Erbsen played the recording on the “Country Roots” radio show on WCQS back in the early 90’s. At that point in time, my knowledge of Delmore songs consisted mostly of the Delmore songs that the Louvins included on their tribute to the Delmore Brothers album. This song is not on that album, but I bet it was close to making the cut.
It’s one of the coolest train songs I know. Off hand, I can’t think of another song that goes from D major to F major (for the picking only) and comes back. Seems like a genius move to me. If you check out the original recording from the late 30’s, you may notice that the picking is similar to the way I played the first break in this video. I was trying to imitate the tenor guitar that the Delmores used.
The Delmores included a little half yodel line just before the last line of the chorus each time. Pap and I could never do it to our satisfaction, so we just left it out. Pap and I probably should have sung this song at least a couple of frets higher, but we kept it in D flat for the sake of the guitars.
When we posted this video 11 years ago, one comment explained something I had always wondered about.
In the Delmore recording, it sounded to me like they sang “good old bluer days gone by.” I could never understand how days could have been good and blue at the same time, so when Pap and I sang it, we sang it as “good old ramblin’ days gone by.” Someone explained in the comment that the Delmores sang, “good old boomer days gone by,” referring to railroad workers that traveled from town to town. I would have never figured that out. 🙂
In the description of last week’s train song, I said that I was going to upload a studio version that Pap and I did of this song. When I pulled it out, I knew immediately that it needed to be remixed and that I should also redo my lead vocal, so I’ll hang onto that and not share at this time. Maybe one day, Lord willing, I can release it on a CD with some other unreleased stuff that we did years ago.
As always, thanks so much for watching! I hope to upload some videos of a recent performance of the Millsaps Family soon and the complete audio of the “Words of Life” Album.
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is one of mine and Pap’s Songs of Christmas cds. Leave a comment on this post to be entered. *Giveaway ends November 30, 2023. If you’re in the mood for traditional Christmas songs you can pick up a copy of the cd here.
Paul
What lovely harmony and playing on this, another beautiful song NEW to me. Thanks for sharing your talent,Paul!
Enjoy all the songs and playing. Like you Tipper I play upright bass. I have not played in 7 years. After my husband passed who was a fiddle player I care to play anymore. Keep the music alive. Have a blessed day!
I love the train series! I’m hearing songs I never knew I loved!!
I’ve been listening to the Christmas cd and I must tell you it’s becoming my fast favorite! Thank you for sharing your family’s music!
Happy new week! May you find many blessings in it!
Tipper dear, Since I discovered you last summer, you’ve become my “daily dose of happiness”! I wrote a long comment on Thanksgiving Day, but clicked the wrong button and it disappeared. I was too tired to start it all over, so I’ll write again for Christmas. Please know that I love everything about you and your beautiful, loving family……..your faith, your values and your kindness to each other. I wish more families could be like yours! I especially love Pap’s beautiful voice when he sings harmony with Paul on Silent Night. His voice is so unique and soothing!
Love and Blessings,
Jackie
Being as in Christ we’re family, praying for Granny and her caregivers. Play on Bro. Paul.
This is such a good old dong. Thanks
Great train song Paul, you all three did an awesome job singing and playing. I suppose the third person here was Tipper on the far side of Paul. I used to hear the train whistles early in the mornings, but now I can no longer hear them at all here in Virginia. I sure do miss hearing the train whistle blow in the wee hours of the morning. So happy to hear that Granny has finally finished her treatments and doing well. God bless the Wilson and Pressley families. AMEN
Wonderful song! 🙂
Beautiful music !!! Thank you for sharing!!! I would love to have a chance to win a CD !!!
When I was younger I’d take the kids walking and we would wind up walking on the railroad sometimes.
On most of our walks we would be harvesting greenery for decorating for Christmas. I hope they all remember me doing that with them and the good times we’ve had. We live close enough to the railroad now that I can hear that lonesome train sometimes. It makes me think of younger days and how exciting it was to see the train going by. Another Gospel Song that I like is Life’s Railway to Heaven. It’s a good one too. Thanks for sharing your talents with us.
I enjoyed listening to your father and brother tonight.
I love to go back and watch old videos, including the ones with your music. Hope everyone had a wonderful a thanksgiving.
You are not cheating, Tipper, by re-posting your charming version of “Blow Your Whistle, Freight Train.” And you are far, far from lazy. What you are is a hard-working, creative, tender-hearted and utterly delightful woman who has invited us into your Appalachian life. Furthermore, over the past couple-three difficult years you have shown us your increasing ability to appropriately manage your time, energy and resources. Good for you! And good for all of us who so greatly benefit from the bounty you provide.
So, bring on the reposts! They are rich fare indeed.
So happy that Granny got to “ring the bell” for finishing her radiation treatments! She’s a trouper for sure.
Miss Tipper and Paul, Enjoyed hearing this older recording. Reminds me of my dad and my mom’s cousin, by marriage. He and daddy would use an empty unit, in the cold water flat we lived in then, to do some home recordings. I particularly remember one they sang, it was called “The Billy Goat Song.” We all loved it and laughed every time they sang it. Done in fun, It was so funny. Those were definitely the days. So long ago. Thank you all and have a great week. Love and prayers to Granny and Baby boy, as to the family. Bye now. Jennifer
Have you ever listened to Scott Woods? He’s a Canadian fiddler who won the Canadian fiddle competition. This post made me think of him, because Orange Blossom Special is on one of his CDs. I think you would like his music.
Joan-I don’t think we have. We will try to look him up 🙂
i honestly love these sitting round playing music videos, they remind me of my childhood growing up when we’d go to visit kin or they’d come and it wouldn’t be no time til music was being played…they certainly trigger memories…thank you for sharing and resharing…
I love a good train song and this doesn’t disappoint. Thanks for sharing!
Love the train series. Great job!
I always enjoyed hearing your dad sing as well as Paul’s guitar picking.
I’m still improving from the “neck breaking experience” in July. The neck is doing well – the effects of the concussion are lingering. I had to use my walker again this AM for church – the first time in about six weeks. The vertigo cropped up again.
Happy for the news about Granny completing her treatments and keeping her spirits up. Still praying for her complete recovery.
Jackie-thank you for the prayers! I’m still praying for your complete healing!!
This would be a most treasured CD to have. I love Pap & Paul’s music.
I had their version on an old LP I found somewhere, also the beautiful « Blue Railroad Train. » Deceptively simple songs. You do a great job. Thank you !
Such a wonderful song and the harmonies seem so effortless! Listening reminds me of my Dad and his guitar.
Hi Tipper. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving too. I really appreciate what you do. I’m still amazed that you post something everyday! Traditional Christmas music is so comforting this time of year. I definitely prefer it over more modern Christmas music. I pray that you and your family are well. I know you are wishing for some snow this year and I am too. Let’s keep wishing for a snowy Christmas! God bless.
Love to hear that close family harmony. Pap’s high tenor is great! Would love to have the CD.
I’ve got several cassette tapes of my family band performing various places from the 1980s. I need to find someone to transfer them to CDs. Not sure which route to go.
I really enjoy the train song series and seeing you and Pap play together.
I’ve already been listening to Christmas music for the past couple weeks. I’d love to add y’alls album to my collection!
As a recent subscriber to Celebrating Appalachia and Blind Pig And The Acorn, I love that you link your old videos and love your music with your late father, especially. So heartwarming and a piece of Americana I would never have had the chance to appreciate. Bought your gospel CD of originals and it’s truly moving. I’m from Northern Ohio, outside of Cleveland. Keep on keeping on!
love it!!!! and the little yodeling..sounded good to me..who was the other person playing?
Your music is always a welcomed post!!!
Hi Tipper
I always enjoy Pap and Paul when they sing together and just looking at Pap reminds me so much of my own father, truly you have such a wonderful family and the music they play puts the joy right back into my soul, one of your viewers mentioned the song In The Garden, a sure favourite of mine, I had not played it in awhile but just did and how that song brings it altogether for me, I listen to it with hope and I can feel His spirit in my heart, He tells me I am His own. Thank you Jesus.
That’s a great song! The harmony is beautiful. I have really enjoyed the train series this year and look forward to it again next November. Thank you, Paul for all you do and all you share. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!!
I have enjoyed your posts.
Good morning, Paul! I so SO enjoy listening to you and Pap singing together. What a comfort it has to be to have so many memories of you and your day picking and singing together. I love trains and the rythmic clickity clack of the wheels. Somehow it’s just kind of comforting. God bless you and yours!
Tipper, lazy just isn’t even an adjective ever to be associated with you! we should all be so ” lazy”. lol
You sure have quite the energy reserve. Lucky for all your viewers and readers.
Oh how I would treasure the CD! Love the song.
I love your Christmas songs! Would love this cd!
Paul, you can repost you & Pap’s music anytime – – !!
Would love one of pap’s cd’s.
I enjoyed hearing you and Pap play and sing that fine old song.
I guess one could say, “there ain’t no bad train songs”, Paul. Could be that so many of them feature our Appalachian “high lonesome sound” …….. As a young’un, there was nothing like seeing and listening to a steam engine under a load emerge from a mountain side tunnel with smoke and whistle blowing …….
Love the music. I always enjoy listening to Pap and Paul. Hoping everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I got up early this morning and enjoyed my coffee while looking at the fireplace and watching the birds and squirrels enjoy the “squirrel proof “ bird feeder. Hahaha. Love and prayers to all and Granny and Little Mama too.
Would love to hear his music!
I don’t understand “Pap and I probably should have sung this song at least a couple of frets higher, but we kept it in D flat for the sake of the guitars.” I’m not much at musical terminology but that went way over my head. I’m not used to the word “frets” being used in reference to singing.
Then, “kept it in D flat for the sake of the guitars.” Does that mean you are playing in the key of D flat or do you have your guitars tuned in D flat (drop D, I think it’s called)? Is that where the “for the sake of the guitars” comes from. I know that tuning a guitar higher than it is built for can cause stress on it but tuning it down a half tone shouldn’t. Or does it?
I’m not trolling you! I am sure there are many people reading this who understand completely but I am sadly not in that number. Help me understand.
Hope everyone has a Blessed Sunday.
I really enjoy the train series songs, please enter me in the drawing for the Christmas CD.
Love your music!
what a blessing your family is to me. i always look forward to your Sunday song. we miss Pap. his harmony with Paul is awesome. may God always keep yall in His arms./
I just love hearing stories about the past. So many “story-tellers” from my family are gone or too far away. It’s nice to hear ya’ll tell stories of your family. Thanks for sharing and hope ya’ll had a great Thanksgiving. Hope Granny is feeling better.
The cd sounds great Sometimes old is better!
Have a wonderful Sunday.
I always enjoy hearing Pap and Paul singing videos. The harmony is just so good. On this video I thought it was interesting how the sun light from the window was shining mostly on Pap. It just made me think how Pap along with so many others are now in continuous heavenly light surrounded by God’s glory that is bright beyond our imagination. One day all that have asked Jesus into their hearts, asked for God’s forgiveness and following God’s Holy Word the best we can through prayer and guidance of the Holy Spirit, will see God face to face in all His glory. Oh what a glorious day that will be! I didn’t mean to get off track from the Train video, but seeing the light on Pap and hearing the sweet harmony just directed my thoughts in a heavenly direction since that is my desired destination one day. Wonderful train series this year and thank you Paul for reposting this one. I and others have enjoyed it. Have a blessed Sunday!
I love Christmas music.
And yet another fall morning slowly leading us into the depths of winter. I was reading the month of December on the Almanac that we purchased from you and the Northwest of the country and a little more east will have a lots more snow than I think even you would say…OK, maybe a little less. Thanks for giving us another of Pap and Paul’s talent to appreciate. May your Sunday be one of rest and enjoyment with your family. My Hubby’s Granny would have a fit if you did anything other than prepare food. God said Sunday is a day of rest and reflection on what God gave and is giving us. So, be well, safe and start preparing for Monday. Praying for Granny and you guys…God Bless.
I this is my first year to hear the train songs. I love them.
Congrats on your retirement!!
I have never heard this song. I am one of the ones that likes to read the old post. Paul is talking Greek to me when he is talking about the different cords, I don’t know one cord from another. I only know it either sounds good or it don’t to me. I spend a lot of time listening to the old post especially if they are ones of the Gang singing the old time gospel hymns. I am looking at one right now and am going to listen to it, it is In The Garden, it has been a long time since I head that hymn. The old song “Give Me That Old Time Religion” that has a line about the old time preaching, praying, singing is me up one side and down the other. I can’t get into or like today’s new so called religious music, thank God my lifetime old country church is still old fashion. My church was founded/started in 1815.
We enjoyed listening, it put a smile on our faces this morning. Thanks for sharing this song.
Well done!!! I do hope that you get the time to put together the CD with this and the other unreleased songs.
Prayers for Granny and all of her family.
Everyone have a Blessed Sunday.
That is a fine song! Thanks for Train Song month Paul, I have really enjoyed the tunes, and appreciate the stories that go along with them.
Thanks for all you do, I know we all appreciate it.
Blessings to all
I really enjoy all your music.
Good morning Tipper, thank you for praying for me and my family God bless Granny Louzine Wilson with healing and health in Jesus name