Train Songs
by Phil Cooper
We’re doing something a wee bit different today. I love music and each night I lullaby myself to sleep with music from the likes of The Who, Van Morrison, Adele, Sade, Joni Mitchell and Jefferson Airplane. No, I wasn’t a hippy but I loved the music from that era. Music can be very restful and, sometimes when I’m in a stressful situation, trying to sort a(nother) problem with my layout I’ll bung on this Youtube playlist. So this blog is a wee Hogmanay present to all of you. It is not a full list and there’s probably quite a few other songs hanging around in the waiting room. Because you’ve all been good boys and girls this year I[m going to list the songs in no particular order (as they say on Celebrity Come Dancing). I must get out more!
So to start (and things can only get better after this one) we have Abba’s “Waterloo” which you can find on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vRURpe6FXE
Right onwards and upwards:
The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vRURpe6FXE
Cat Stevens - Peace Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyeW62T7JVk
The Doobie Brothers - Long Train Running
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4tJSn0QtME
The Who 5.15 (Sorry about Noel Edmunds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DYgEcE67_0
Big Country - Field of Fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asZ1EBoremk
Big Country’s guitarist and singer, Stewart Adamson,died in 2001 after he resumed his hard drinking problems. I saw him and the band live in London and they were brilliant. Only 1 band bettered them but sadly they never played any songs with a train theme. That band was Runrig who you probably haven’t heard of. They were unbelievably good on stage and created a wild atmosphere. But now you’ve missed your chance to see them as they’ve retired. But you can still play their music. I suggest you listen to their live album, “Once In A Lifetime”. You won’t regret it.
Back to the playlist. Bizarrely we start the second half with an anti Vietnam War protest. Yes, It’s America’s answer to the Beatles
The Monkees - Last Train to Clarksville
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcXpKiY2MXE
Joni Mitchell - Just Like This Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNTjKbL6oYE
This video was shot in 1974 and I was there in the New Victoria Theatre. Back then I was a wee bit naughty so I took my cassette recorder (remember them?) and during a particularly sensitive moment, as the Canadian chanteuse seduced us, my recorder dropped on the floor making a big bang. She looked straight at me as I went very red!
Now we have one song performed by 2 singers. First:
Rod Stewart - Downtown Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC_zffOenk8
And
Tom Waits - Downtown Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSCxpidDO9c
Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ebwhu3nsM8&t=135s
Gladys Knight and The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSXLOQPozOc
Almost there but here’s another not-very-famous Scottish band.
Goodbye Mr McKenzie - The Rattler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGBwmLRNLJ4#
And finally,
The Glen Miller Orchestra Chatanooga Choo Choo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGBwmLRNLJ4
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The views and opinions expressed within the content are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Trackside Signs or its affiliates.
