Today’s post was written by Paul.

The Streamline Cannon Ball

Better late than never! In previous years, I filmed all the train songs well ahead of time. This year, I procrastinated, and the only one I filmed in advance was “The City of New Orleans.”

We were down to the wire with this last one. Matt and I were planning to do it a few days earlier, but several things came up, and we didn’t try filming until Saturday around 3:30.

Add to that the fact that my internet is down to an absolute crawl, and you get an upload that just barely made it.

On the bright side, we had great luck throughout the series when it came to getting good takes on the very first try, including this one.

Doing this song with Matt was super fun! We hadn’t picked or sung with him in quite a few years, but everything seemed to fall into place fairly well.

I apologize that the vocals are kind of hard to hear. We both should have sung louder, but with 5 instruments playing in one kitchen, it was probably a given that the vocals might be a bit smothered.

This song has more of a bluegrass feel than any song we’ve done in the series so far, except for “Bringing in the Georgia Mail” or “The Wreck of O’le 97.”

Since the vocals are a bit hard to hear, I pasted the lyrics below.

No matter what I say or do, Youā€™re never satisfied. Iā€™ve tried and Iā€™ve tried so many times… Iā€™m leaving you now. Goodbye.

Iā€™m riding on that midnight train. My head is hanging low. These awful blues will follow me Wherever I may go.

You broke a heart that trusted you. Why wasn’t it made of stone? You made my world as black as night, And yet I must travel on.

Iā€™m riding on that midnight train. My head is hanging low. These awful blues will follow me Wherever I may go.

Why on earth was I ever born? Iā€™ll never understand. Just to fall in love with a woman like you Who’s in love with another man?

Iā€™m riding on that midnight train. My head is hanging low. These awful blues will follow me Wherever I may go.

Thanks for watching!

Paul

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26 Comments

  1. Thanks to Paul, Matt and the group for bringing sunshine into my home this morning long before the sun rose…..I enjoyed the talk and banter as well as the music…..Just what I needed to keep the joy alive in our home….Today is day five since my Mary had surgery repairing two of three torn ligaments in her right hip….When she wakes, I will play your song for her…..Thank You All!

  2. I like Glen Campbell’s cover of, ‘Gentle On My Mind’. It’s difficult to hear but there is some serious picking going on behind the vocals. The lyrics are ‘old timey’ in my opinion, and the music is traveling, rolling, moving on in its rhythm.

    I wonder if you all would give a thought to covering it. I know you’d do it proper.

  3. Great! Matt has cut my hair a number of times and I never knew he played! The song was recorded early on by The Stanley Brothers.

  4. My father used to play and sing ā€œThe Wabash Cannonballā€ on the Banjo Yuke. The memory is still vivid in my soul. Songs, once sung, like a pebble tossed into still water, never end. They go on forever. Sing ye all in one voice. I still have the Banjo Yuke. My gift back to these mountains is my song and poems.

  5. Great job! We really enjoyed it! We have a request for Paul. If you’ve never done “Greenville Trestle High” by Doc Watson, we would love to hear you do that one. Sorry if we missed it if you have already done that one. God bless all of you.

  6. Some years ago there was a video that Corie abruptly ended by saying “What’s for supper?” I need answers to two questions. Was Matt Cook in that video? and What Was for supper?

    1. Ed-I don’t remember that exact video but Matt did show up in several of the The Pressley Girls videos šŸ™‚ Now what was for supper-I can’t remember!

  7. Tipper–I thoroughly enjoyed that–just my kind of music. I do have a request. Could you share the name of Matt’s YouTube outdoor channel? I listened to Paul say what it was several times but just couldn’t pick up the name. Thanks.

  8. I swear if I was not down with acute diverticulitis, Iā€™d have danced and flopped all over the house because this song ( although a sad subject) was a real ā€œ barn burnerā€ in my view!!! I canā€™t believe how fast fingered Stamey Creek gal is!!!! Their was smoke flying off those fiddle strings!!! What great talent yā€™all got!!! Youā€™re really fantastic musicians and thanks for the joy!!! I needed it!!!

  9. Great song and great performance by everyone! I enjoyed it immensely. Thank you for the lyrics and great description, Paul. It was fun seeing Matt Cook in the video. I hope he can join you guys again in more songs!

    Donna. : )

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