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, opinions and images expressed and displayed within the above content are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Trackside Signs or any of its affiliates.