Several years back Paul declared November the Train Month over on the Blind Pig and The Acorn YouTube channel. Today’s post was written by Paul and is the first installment of this year’s Train Series.
Back when I started doing the train song series, I remember telling friend and local musician David Liden that I probably knew 40 train songs. One thing I wasn’t realizing at the time is that quite a few of them had already been uploaded to the BPA channel back when I was singing with Pap. Not repeating any of those songs will mean that I will have to learn a few new ones every now and then.
I heard Merle Haggard sing “Silver Ghost” about a year ago on Pandora. I thought it might be a good one to add to the series, especially since Halloween was this week, and as Hag pointed out in the opening of his recording of the song, this one involves the supernatural. 🙂 You can find his recording of the song on YouTube.
I was surprised to see that he didn’t write this song. It was written by Sterling Whipple.
Despite being a little awkward with its meter in a few places, it’s a neat, very imaginative song. Haggard released it in 1976 on an album full of train songs. On some versions of the album cover, he’s wearing a train hat similar to the one I’m wearing in this video. This is a one-take video. I had hoped to hook up with Tipper and the Pressley Girls for this one, maybe get Corie to do a train whistle sound on the electric guitar or Katie on the fiddle. I think Tipper’s bass would have helped too, but we weren’t able to find a time to get together. My plan B, as I sat down in front of the camera, was to come up with some kind of train rhythm that would work in a minor key and to have it gain speed as I started to sing the song. I liked my first attempt, but I couldn’t think of the first words and had to stop and start over.
When I first heard the song, I wondered if the second telegraph message was current or was somehow a repeat of the message that was sent on the night of the original train wreck. The speaker in the song says that he’s surprised when he first hears the telegraph. He also says that it “jumped to life,” which seems to imply that it may have been dormant for a long time. These details make me wonder if the telegraph was still being used at the time this story or song is set. A telephone is mentioned, which would certainly be a faster mode of communication. Let me know what you think in the comments.
The speaker uses the phrase “pounding down below” in one verse yet says in another verse that the train made only a wailing sound. I wonder if the sound of the train changed or if “pounding” refers only to the mechanical movement of the wheel drivers. I don’t know. That same term appears in Lightfoot’s “Big Steel Rails.” You can find me doing that great train song (long before the train series started) with Pap and my nephew Ben here.
The lyrics are below.
On a cold and rainy night, I was sittin’ in the light Of my switchman shack of mine post on the mountain. The storms were pretty bad, and the telephone was dead, But it was just eleven hours till the dawn. Then much to my surprise, the telegraph jumped into life. As I read the code, I thought, ‘could this be true?’ The train was on its way, headed up to mountain grade, But she didn’t have no engineer or crew.
At the other switch they tried to put her on the mountain side, But she kept on coming up the mountain grade. So I quickly dowsed the light to try to see into the night, Maybe I could spot her headlight in the rain. She was poundin’ down below. I could hear her whistle blow, And I thought Lord that’s a high and mournful sound. Then the telegraph again said there’s a cave in at the mine, And a hundred men are buried neath the ground.
Lord, she’s coming now I see, round the bend and straight at me, And her boiler’s glowin’ red as coal in hell. The headlight switchin’ wide, searchin’ all the mountain side, But the only sound she’s making it’s a wail. Then I recognized the train by the number and the name; It’s from miners’ Silver Ghost, 0-40-1. Then she vanished up the track by the lonely switchman’ shack, Like a mother who was looking for her son.
Now I heard the story how an engine went to glory, Over fifty years ago on the same line. It was steaming for the cave-in; there were men who needed savin’, But it missed the curve and trestle near the mine. And every now and then you’ll hear a whistle on the wind If the mountain slides and many men are lost. It’s a high and lonely wail, searching up and down the mountain. It’s the train they call the Miners’ Silver Ghost. The train they call the Miners’ Silver Ghost. The train they call the Miners’ Silver Ghost…
I hope you enjoyed this first installment.
Paul
Paul, I Thank you for this video, the lyrics and your post. I appreciate it as I had never heard this song. You are very talented and I am glad you share it! When I was a child my aged grandmother used to sing a train song, The Wreck of Old Number 9. Have you done it? PLEASE, IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH to me if you would make a video of yourself doing my old favorite.
Sandi-thank you!! So glad you enjoyed it. You can hear Paul do Old Number 9 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uECWWHHQQPY
My parents had this Merle Haggard album when we were kids, and this was always my favorite song on it.
Great job, Paul. My first train ride was from Abilene TX after a visit to my grandparents to Texas City Tx where we lived for a short while. I was 5 years old. What an adventure! That was a long time ago. I still like riding trains.
Great song, singing and playing!
When we lived near the railroad tracks in Demorest we would hear the train approaching and all the kids would run up to watch the train go by and to wave at the conductor. Most of the time they would throw packs of chewing gum to us kids. It is a good memory.
That’s an incredible song. Incredible lyrics and singing!!
Ain’t nothing like a good mysterious song. I wonder if it’s based on any truth? Alot of them are. Good one Paul, I enjoyed it.
You did a great job on this one, Paul.
If you ever decide to repeat any that you’ve done, I vote for Wreck of the Old 97. My Pa used to sing this a lot.
Blessings to all and especially for Miss Louzine.
Wonderful job Paul! The train series is always enjoyable, and I appreciate the time you take to explain the songs. Thank you for all you do. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!!
I had never heard the words to that song until Paul sang it but the melody is familiar. There is another song with that same music but different words. It’s driving me crazy trying to remember! SOMEBODY HELP ME!
Enjoyed the ghostly story and playing
Great job Paul!!
I love those lyrics!
Beautifully haunting story and well done by Paul. Thank you!
As one who has lived beside a railroad track I can attest to the fact that you can feel a train coming before you can hear it. Perhaps that is the pounding the writer is referring to.
This pounding occurs more frequently these days in the trunks and back seats of the cars of immature adult male. Subwoofers I think they are called. No room for the surreptitious romantic activity of previous generations, no. Just a jumble of wires and boxes with lights.
First you feel it, then you hear it. Or maybe not at all! Whoomp!-Whoomp!, whoomp.-whoomp.
Yes, that pounding can be heard long before a train passes by. The telegraph may have long been disconnected since the advent of the telephone, but with the ghostly train coming, the telegraph had ghostly help
The earliest train songs I can remember were Life’s Railway to Heaven and the Jimmy Rodgers song Waiting for a Train. My dad sang them all the time, those and The Freight Train Blues.
Gene, my father in law and best friend would often sing Life’s Railway To Heaven at church for the special music if that is the same song with these words “life is like a mountain railroad”.
I’ve often wished I lived closer to train tracks so I could hear that far away whistle.
Spooky song. I’m looking forward to this years train series.
Love your channel. God bless you and your family
Very soulful and passionate. Nice!
Paul’s singing is always beautiful! Those train songs can be sad and that song sure paints a vivid picture that you can see in your mind! Praying for Granny and the family! May God bless you all.
Neat song. Who doesn’t love to see a train coming around a bend ? Thank you for sharing.
Paul sounds as good as any recording star! Great song! There have been many accounts over the years of people actually encountering ghost trains!
I like it!!….Also am a Lightfoot fan. Was backing up rock-billy Buddy Knox about 1968. He had been touring Canada and turned me on to Lightfoot. I bought his first two albums….all acoustic. Red Shea and Lightfoot on guitars and I forget the bass players name. I remember “Shiny Rails of Steel”….my favorite of Gord’s songs are “Bitter Green” & “Early Morning Rain”. If I didn’t give those albums away in a recent give-away, I still have them. Keep on keepin’ on!!!
Good Sunday morning everyone! Enjoyed the song, story of the silver ghost and always Paul’s singing. I’m sure he’s looking forward to retirement. Praying for the family, Israel and our country. Jesus is coming!
What a coincidence, my family and I rode the train from Bryson, NC to a little place called Dills——- something yesterday, it was a fun day. I believe they said it carried 710 passengers. We really wanted to see the beautiful fall leaves but 95% were probably gone, we were lo late for that however the river was pretty and the temperature was in the 20s when we started yesterday morning but warmed up nicely. I got to see where the Cherokee’s had a village, some of my ancestors came from there, a lovely place to visit. I love most of the train songs.
Blessings to all
Dillsboro! Named for William Allen Dills, the first postmaster there.
Listened to this on YouTube. Loved it and all train songs. YOUR VOICE IS AWESOME!
Paul, you look quite dapper in your railroad cap! The HAG came up with a pretty good train song and did you ever do this song proud! You play a great guitar, sing like a country legend and have really good stage presence! I know of some fellas that play the Grand Ole Opry and I swear you’d fit right in any time!!! I liked this tune and tapped my toes right along as the Ghost Train raged on thru the spirit filled night. I hear the whistle of that train in the wind sometimes or so I think (not really but sounds fitting.) lol GOD BLESS YOU ALL THIS DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE REJOICE!!!
Happy Sunday! May God’s blessings be on you all. I always enjoy hearing Paul sing, as I do all your family. I’ve not heard this song before, but I enjoyed hearing it. Prayers continue for Granny and all your family.
Absolutely enjoy Paul and his playing. This is a good one to start his rendering. We had occasion several years back on a ‘County’ cruise out of Miami and met Hag and his family. We heard him first hand along with other country band…what a cruise that was. Paul has such a clean clear tone but in the strumming and his voice. Thanks for sharing him. God Bless you guys.
Thank you for this song. You did great! I’m sure the “Hag” would be pleased.