I can't believe we haven't got a train songs thread

[humblebee]

I can't believe we haven't got a train songs thread!

This is partly self-interest, because I'm playing a gig on Sheffield station in a couple of weeks and I need suggestions for train songs to cover. But yeah - shout up with a few, eh?

Bit obvious but I've always loved this.

[tompony]

A couple of good Magnetic Fields ones:

[tonieee]

I like Freight Train by Strawberry Story - it's a cover, not sure who it's by originally.

When you playing?

[crystalball]

'London' is my second favourite Smiths song. Proper goosebumps.

There's this beauty by Robyn Hitchcock (video is <3)



And the Shangri-Las

[noLooking]

And the Shangri-Las:

I think this was intended as a response. I think. Chugging trains:



And obviously, steaming trains:



Last trains:



Sheffield trains (well, a station is mentioned):



And there were others, Spanish trains (Jane Siberry - In The Blue Light), trains going by (Po!) which don't seem to be there. Although that last one reminds me of a better Smiths one:

[humblebee]

This is just sublime, btw.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=1404207826 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small track=274091258][/bandcamp]

Gah, still not working! It's 'Signals Passed at Danger' by The Understudies. I'll just give you the link:
https://theunderstudiesuk.bandcamp.com/ ... -at-danger

[Yex]

This isn't actually a train song, but I feel obliged to mention it, because for some reason I listen to it every time I ride a train:



EDIT: ...wait... IS this a song about a train? I always assumed they were referring to a stagecoach, but a quick glance at google tells me that coach means something related to modern public transport in British English, although I can't quite decipher what exactly.

[Trev]

[noLooking]

This isn't actually a train song, but I feel obliged to mention it, because for some reason I listen to it every time I ride a train:



EDIT: ...wait... IS this a song about a train? I always assumed they were referring to a stagecoach, but a quick glance at google tells me that coach means something related to modern public transport in British English, although I can't quite decipher what exactly.

It's a sort of long, one decker bus, like a Greyhound Bus in the States.

There's something very Sarah about making it a coach station rather than a train but I'm not sure what. Probably the budgetary restrictions.

[Trev]

[noLooking]

I like train songs that chug:

[Michael Quentin]

14 Iced Bears:


Girls at Our Best!:


The second is either a cover or it's by 'Trad'.

There are zillions. I did a whole radio show of them once upon a time.

[Amanda]

I have two favorite train songs,



And two honorable mentions:

[Yex]

Not really about a train, but I think it counts:







Smokestack Lightning's probably about a train, right?



Michelle Shocked turned into a homophobic Christian nut, but I still secretly like her music; she had a song called If Love Was a Train, not one of my favorites of hers, but for the sake of the list I'm including it. I can't find it on youtube (she would be the sort to make sure no one gets to listen to her songs without shelling out the cash first), but you can find plenty of covers of it.

[noLooking]

Nearly forgot. Surely no train thread is complete without this.

[This Is Helena]

[This Is Helena]

[This Is Helena]

;)

[Yex]

There are the various versions of Casey Jones, ranging from the traditional...



...to its (Joe Hill-penned) political parody...



...all the way to the version that makes the story into a metaphor for cocaine -



***

Speaking of drugs, here's the song my wife and I danced to as our 'first dance' at our wedding. It's not about trains, but the first line is "There's a steel train comin' through" (although I think he's referring to a heroin needle):



Kind of weird lyrics to be "our song", but it has a pretty melody.

***

And here's one more:

[Yex]

Also, I'd like to officially put in a request to humblebee that he post the final setlist once the show is played and done, so that we can see what made the cut. Pretty please?