This third train song from this year’s series came from the great Stonewall Jackson. Like many other train songs, “Smoke Along the Track” is about wander lust and about loving travel more than his lady.
If you’re unfamiliar with Stonewall, he was a very popular country singer in the late 50’s and early 60’s. It’s hard to describe his vocal style. He had a unique voice and unconventional phrasing. Pitch-wise he seemed like he was always bending the notes toward the correct pitch, rather than singing dead on pitch. Whatever he was doing, it worked well and made for a style all his own. He also wrote quite a few of his songs. This was back in the days when every singer was different and was immediately distinguishable from all the other singers.
When I was very young, one of mine and Tipper’s favorite songs was a Stonewall Jackson song called “BJ the DJ,” which was on a compilation album that Pap and Granny owned. Jackson had a lot of great story songs, and I hope to feature some of them in an upcoming story song series, Lord willing.
When my nephew Ben (aka guitar man) was a kid, I remember that I made a tape for him of Jackson’s song “Herman Swartz.” Ben and his parents thought the song was really funny, and so did I. 🙂
Anyway, having said all of that, I first heard “Smoke Along the Track” from Dwight Yoakam in the early 90’s or late 80’s. Yoakam’s recording is really solid and features some great “train” picking from his guitarist Pete Anderson. It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered that Yoakam was covering the song from Jackson. I think that shows that Yoakam is well versed in a wide range of country material that pre-dates his own music, not just the typical stuff from Haggard, Nelson, Cash, etc. that most modern “country” stars know about.
Yoakam changed the lyrics from Jackson’s original in several places, seemingly just to “smooth” things up a little. I like the changes he made, so I sung this cover more with Yoakam’s lyrical arrangement than with the original.
I really enjoyed getting together with Tipper and the Pressley Girls, although we are all painfully out of practice. This is a second take of the song. The first one was so out of tune it wasn’t useable or bearable. 🙂
I liked Katie’s fiddle “whistle” and Corie’s impromptu harmony. Lord willing, we’ll close out this year’s train song series next week with a train song that Pap and I recorded back in the day.
Thanks so much for watching. I didn’t include lyrics or links to Yoakam’s version or Jackson’s version, but you can easily find them by searching on YouTube.
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 24, 2023. If you’re in the mood for traditional Christmas songs you can pick up a copy of the cd here.
Paul
I noticed my comment didn’t get posted. (Maybe I forgot to hit “Post Comment”!) Can’t remember what I said except how amazing that a fiddle can sound so much like a train whistle! Great playing and singing as usual.
I love this! My Grandma had a lot of his music and loved the train songs. This brought back so many memories of laying in the floor at her feet and listening to her sing along with Stonewall.
Very, very good playing and singing. Paul, will you and Granny please sing a few Christmas songs for us this holiday season. Thanks.
Such good music…..love the train “whistle”. Good job. Love and prayers to all of you and Granny, too.
Paul, Thank you for all your music and the history too. Love it! The CD looks wonderful.
Just love to hear your family play and sing. Who knew a fiddle could sound just like a train whistle!
Much better!
Excellent! Thanks for sharing your great talents.
Paul, I am enjoying the Train songs so much. Thanks for sharing your music , and the history of the songs.
I swear that Katie’s playing is giving me the itch to get my violin out from under the bed. One of these days.
This really was a toe tapper! Loved Katie’s whistle.
Great job even though you were out of practice. I would never have known.
Thank you for sharing, I’m sure it’s not easy to find time for you all to get together but it’s definitely a treat for us followers.
What a fun song! You can’t not tap your toes or nod your head to this one! I loved it! Pure joy to sit in on this session! Thanks for letting us join you!
Paul, I truly enjoy listening to you singing with Pap. I love when the girls join in as well, but you and Pap are just so special together…father and son. I love the sound of trains going by with the rhythmic clickity clack, clickity clack of the wheels on the rail. I would be so honored to win a cd of you and Pap singing together. What a blessing you have so many videos to watch of your dad! God’s blessings on you and yours!
I’m not familiar with this song, but I really enjoyed it!
good music and good singing! I enjoyed it!
I still want to hear Wreck of the Ole 97, please.
Robert-you can hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVkeu7ut86w 🙂
I really like train songs and trains in general, I’m hoping to visit Colorado in the future and take a train ride through the Rocky Mtns.
I love train songs and Christmas songs…well, actually I love most songs. When I was little I’d get into daddy’s records and sit and listen for hours. His Louvin bros albums were my favorite. I remember being so sad when I read the story of Ira’s death on the back of one of them. Charlie was at a festival one time and daddy pointed him out to me and me being a little kid I couldn’t believe it was him. I said “Daddy you’re pulling my leg, that’s an old man!” I had only ever seen the album covers where he was younger and couldn’t fathom him being that much older!
I love the whistle sounds made by Katie’s fiddle. I just wish I could do it myself!
“Biscuit time!!”
Oh I love this song! It is a real toe-tapper. Makes a person want to get up & dance a little jig!
Loved it and I especially loved ya’ll getting together to sing and play for us. I have really enjoyed the train series. Have a blessed Sunday everyone!!
I liked the pickin’ on that.
Biscuit time!
That’s the song that fits the whole state of Virginia right now, because of the forest fire in Lexington, Virginia which is 45 minutes east of us.
Hi Tipper
I love to comment when something really hits home to me and this post did today, where I live now is not far from the old train station, sadly our train is gone and the station is now a museum, always something about trains that again brings back memories to me, for me is when my brother who I loved dearly received one from Santa and his eyes lit up and when Daddy and my uncle, his identical twin used to sing the old songs and whistle, Tipper these were such good memories, I love the memories but they tear me apart sometimes especially since the older I am getting, this is Life and I guess just like a train I have to keep moving. Thanks for the memories.
Love these train songs. I’ve always lived about a block from a train track. It gives me peace and comfort as the trains pass and wail throughout the night. God bless and Happy Thanksgiving! It’s biscuit time!
Beautiful song!!!!! I really enjoy listening to bluegrass harmony!!!!
I didnt think anyone but me ever heard or knew of the song BJ the DJ
Trains. A train whistle. They call to something within me, even though I’ve never rode one. Loving this series Paul. Thanks to you and all the family for the beautiful music you play and share.
Enjoyed the post.
I love the train songs of November! I can’t even express how much I would love to have this cd! I absolutely Love the way Pap and Paul sing together! ❤️
I love all of Stonewall’s music and most of Yoakam’s too. Both of the singers would have been proud of The Pressley Girls and Paul’s version of their song.
So much talent! You are all blessed to have each other and all the music in your family.
Thank you for sharing.
I like Paul’s guitar picking, but it seems he is even better when Kate and Corie are playing and or singing along with him. I like reading about the history and sometimes the motivation behind songs.
Enjoyed this song a couple of days ago on YouTube. Listened to it again this AM. I agree with you, Corie does a lovely job with the spurts of harmonizing and Katie has become a down right good fiddle player. Thanks Paul for your contributions not only on this Blog, but the YouTube channel Tipper and Matt host. I also enjoy The Pressley Girls YouTube channel. Happy Thanksgiving and congratulations on your upcoming retirement.
Good Lord have mercy! What a good looking train song trio greets me this morning- chipper and ready to go! Bye Bye so long I gotta get going! I’m ready to hop a train after hearing this song! I guess there’s a yearning deep in all of us to run off and find a wonderful place (that doesn’t really exist this side of heaven.) Doesn’t Corey have a beautiful voice! Doesn’t Katie look radiant? Doesn’t Paul do a train song proud? Those girls have a lovely complexion! You Wilson/ Pressley clan got it going on in the talent area!!! Much love and many blessings of Christ Jesus to the whole bunch of ya from sunny, yet cool hills of WV! It’s a beautiful day the Good Lord has given us and I AM BLESSED and THANKFUL!!! Amen!
Dwight Yoakam is indeed a music historian. This is one Thanksgiving reply that isn’t written in hope of winning the giveaway. I won this CD a few years ago and it’s one of my favorite holiday CDs.
I’ve never had a feeling serious enough cause me to leave my life behind and go in search of another. If I did I’d hope somebody would intervene and get me to a doctor.
“But she don’t understand me when I’m feelin’ blue.” Listen Dude, if she could understand you, she would be like you. The definition of psychoses are that normal, mentally healthy, people can’t understand you. In your case I fear that not only do others not understand you, but that you don’t understand you!
A friend of mine often said “no matter where you go, there you are”. It took me some time to fully understand what that phrase meant. When you’re running from yourself, you always lose. The outcome is the same as if you never ran a step.
I struggle to understand why a songwriter would pin the thoughts of a deviant mind so as to elevate them above those of stable human beings. Are the songwriters actually revealing the thoughts found within their own diaries? Does this not give life to a previously fictional character?
Ain’t nothing wrong with Paul and the Girls’ singing and playing. In fact I give them an A++!
It’s the words of the song I find troubling!
What a great song! I love it when you three/four are playing together. Surely, a family that sings together stays together! God bless you all. Love to Granny.
I absolutely love all of the train songs. Paul, you are so talented and Katie and Cori, you two are just fantastic. Thank you so much!!
I watched this on YouTube as well and I thought it was wonderful! I purchased the Christmas cd but am waiting to open it until after Thanksgiving. I can hardly wait!!!
Blessings to all!
Oh I would love to win this CD with Christmas Songs! I enjoy all the harmony and songs your family plays together. You all are so talented!
Like the train songs! I even like hearing a distant train we hear about every evening in our community.
Love the train songs. Y’all did great!!! I have a friend that can do a train whistle with his voice perfectly. He is also a huge Rhonda Vincent fan and when her and her band do Orange Blossom Special she calls him up on the stage. My grandmother had a traintrack in her front yard practically. It shook the house twice a day. I would wave at the engineer and he would blow the whistle. Good childhood memories. Would make a good song.
That was really nice. Thank you Paul
Wonderful song and performance! I have to say whomever wins the Christmas CD is in for a treat. I bought it for myself last Christmas and have played it off and on all year, regardless of the season.
Happy Sunday! What a toe tapping song to wake us all up! Love hearing you all play. I always enjoy hearing Paul sing. Corie and Katie played outstanding and Katie made that fiddle sound just like a train. Great job!
I have never heard this song but think Paul and the Girls sounded real good. I have been listening and reading the older blog this morning, “Far Banks of Jordon I Stand”. I was suppose to go first, the words are words I wish I could have said to my wife. I have been shedding tears this morning.
Randy-I’m sorry. We were just talking about that song yesterday and missing Pap.
A good wife, mother and grandmother is the heart and soul of a family, when they pass on, they leave a huge hole in hearts of the ones they leave behind. Much of my will to live was buried with her. Tipper, you have a plate full, I will be ok, it is just starting out to be one of those days.
Randy, I’m so sorry you lost your wife. I promise it will be ok.
You are so blessed to have so much musical talent in your family.
What a great feat! Impromptu and sounded like you all had practiced – thank you! Tipper do you ever play and sing? Also – I’ve been following for a few months now – so relatively new. Just love your family and would love to have a CD with the girls and Paul. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Kathy-thank you! I am playing the bass on this one-you just can’t see me 🙂 I live the singing to the others 🙂
Enjoyed Smoke Along the Track and will check out the other versions. Loved the picking, singing and harmonizing. Your family is truly talented and blessed.
I love Christmas music.
This was great! I love to hear Paul with the girls! And it’s always biscuit time.
Good Sunday morning everyone.
Y’all sounded pretty good to be painfully out of practice.
My two favorite johnny Horton songs are North To Alaska and All For For The Love Of A Girl. Although he bent the notes to find the correct pitch, he was pretty good! So sad he died at a young age. Would love to have a copy of your CD.
Let’s go worship..blessings to all!
Another great example of the talent your family has.
I listened to this on you tube a few days ago. I just love the whole song..all of your voices, Katie’s train whistle and the guitar playing. Great song!
I am enjoying your train series so much. My Uncle Ed worked on the railroad for some 30 years, he had some fine stories. Your songs bring great memories of him. Thank you all for sharing your talents. God Bless you and yours.
Interesting that you should bring Stonewall and Yoakam into this conversation. My Hubby is a Country Music fan from the 50’s and has met both of these gentlemen. Actually when I was 12 and met my Husband he was playing an ole 78 record by Eddy Arnold. He does play the steel guitar and that has led him to meet quite a few of the best country music around. Thanks for sharing all you do about your love of family and your family history. Granny is in my prayers and God Bless you guys.
Fantastic! I’m lovin all the train music… if I was not watching I’d truly think that Katie’s was a real train! I can’t tell y’all haven’t practiced at all. Thanks for all the great music ! I’ve bought all the CD’s so far except that Christmas CD and rotate among them while driving my truck a long ways to see my doctors. I even sing along!
Blessings,
Allison
Love those train songs!
good morning Paul, good job by all, God bless you and granny Wilson, God bless Granny Wilson with Healing and and health in Jesus name ♥️
Amen!
I really love Thankful November. It’s been a pleasure to read every morning.
I really enjoyed your take on Stonewall Jackson’s Smoke Along the Tracks. He was one of my favorites back in the day. By the way, I like the pick guard on Paul’s guitar, the bird and trees!