WABASH CANNON BALL
(Traditional - Alvin P. Carter)
The Carter Family - 1927
Roy Acuff - 1938
Deuce Spriggins & His Orch. - 1946
Lonnie Donegan - 1956
"Little" Jimmy Dickens & The Country Boys - 1957
Red River Dave & His Texas Tophands - 1957
Eddy Arnold - 1959
Blind Willie McTell - 1960
Ernest Tubb & His Texas Troubadours - 1960
Jean Ritchie & Doc Watson - 1963
Pete Seeger - 1961
Ramblin' Jack Elliott - 1962
Hank Locklin - 1962
Bing Crosby - 1963
The Limeliters - 1963
The Ventures (Instr.) - 1963
Connie Francis & Hank Williams Jr. - 1964
Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys - 1964
Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs - 1965
Johnny Cash - 1966
Wanda Jackson - 1967
Dick Todd - 1967
Chet Atkins (Instr.) - 1967
The Louvin Btothers - 1967
Bonnie Owens & The Strangers - 1968
Jerry Reed - 1968
Billy Walker - 1968
Carl Smith - 1969
The Charlatans - 1969
Dick Curless - 1970
Jim & Jesse - 1970
Willie Nelson - 1970
Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass (Instr.) - 1970
Hank Snow - 1971
Boots Randolph (Instr.) - 1972
Bashful Brother Oswald - 1972
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & Doc Watson - 1972
Charlie McCoy (Instr.) - 1976
Willie Nelson & Hank Wilson - 1984
Front Porch String Band - 1992
Townes Van Zandt - 1994
Also recorded by:
Norman & Nancy Blake; Boxcar Willie; Mother Maybelle Carter;
Judy Canova; Floyd Cramer; The Chieftains; Travis Edmondson;
Kinky Friedman; Foster & Allen; The Four Lads; Robert Fripp;
Glen Yarbrough; Lawrence Welk; Patsy Montana; Moon Mullican;
Dan Zane; Merle Travis; Bill Monroe; Nashville Superpickers;
Dolly Parton; Fiddlin' Mutt Poston; Leon Russell; Kay Starr;
Billy Strange; Phil Coulter; The Wood Brothers; Mac Wiseman;
The Easy Riders; Hank Ferguson; Spade Cooley & Tex Williams;
John Greenway; James Coffey; Clarence Jackson; Benny Martin;
Lawrence Welk; Billy Strange; Ray Smith: ....... and others.
From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific Shore
From sunny California to icebound Labrador
She's mighty tall and handsome, she's known quite well by all
She's the 'bos accomodation called the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear those lonesome hobos call
While travelling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
This train she runs to Memphis, Mattoon and Mexico
She rolls through East St. Louis and she never does it slow
As she flies through Colorado, she gives an awful squall
They tell her by her whistle, the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear those lonesome hobos call
While travelling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Our eastern states are dandy, so the people always say
From New York to St. Louis and Chicago by the way
From the hills of Minnesota where rippling waters fall
No changes can be taken on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear those lonesome hobos call
While travelling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Now here's to Boston Blackie**, may his name forever stand
And always be remembered by the 'bos throughout the land
His earthly days are over and the curtains round him fall
We'll carry him home to glory on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear those lonesome hobos call
While travelling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
** The name "Boston Blackie" is often replaced by "Daddy Claxton"
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ALTERNATE VERSION:
From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore
From the green and flowery mountains to the south belt by the shore
She's mighty tall and handsome, she's known quite well by all
She's a modern combination called the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, over hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobo's call
Traveling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Oh the Eastern States are dandy, so the Western people say
From New York to Chicago, and Rock Island by the way
From the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
No chances to be taken on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, over hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobo's call
Travelling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
I rode the IC Limited, also the Royal Blue
Across the Eastern counties on the Elkhorn number two
I rode these highball trains from coast to coast, and that's all
But I have found no equal to the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, over hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobo's call
Travelling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever be
Always be remembered in the courts of Tennessee
His earthly race is over now, the curtains round him fall
They're carrying him home to victory on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, over hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hobo's call
Traveling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
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ALTERNATE VERSES FROM VARIOUS RECORDINGS:
From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shore
From the green ol' Smoky mountains to the south lands by the shore
She's mighty tall and handsome, and she's known quite well by all
She's the regular combination known as the Wabash Cannon Ball
From the waves of the Atlantic to the wide Pacific shore
From the coast of California to icebound Labrador
There's a train of a duesy layout that's known quite well by all
The 'bos accommodations called the Wabash Cannon Ball
This train runs into Quincy, Monroe an' Mexico
Roars through Kansas City an' she's never run'n slow
She whips into Birmingham an' makes a awful squall
Folks know by 'er whistle, she's the Wabash Cannon Ball
Now the train it is a wonder and it travels mighty fast
It is made of shining silver and it takes off like a blast
You leave Mobile at seven, at eight you reach St Paul
And there's a lonely whistle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
She pulled in to the station one cold December day
As she rolled up to the platform you could hear all the people say
Now there's a gal from Birmingham, she's long and she's tall
She came down from Georgia on the Wabash Cannon Ball
I've rode the I.C. Limited, also the Royal Blue
And I have travelled many a mile on mail train number two
I've rode those highball trains from coast to coast that's all
And I have found no equal to the Wabash Cannon Ball
Here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever stand
As the man that built the railway throught this here land
When his earthly race is over, and the curtain around him falls
We'll carry him home to victory, on the Wabash Cannon Ball
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As recorded by ROY ACUFF:
From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore
From the green and flowing mountains to the south belt by the shore
She's mighty tall and handsome, and known quite well by all
She's the combination known as the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, o'er the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
You're travelling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
She came down from Birmingham, one cold December day
As she rolled into the station, you could hear all the people say
There's a girl from Tennessee, she's long and she's tall
She came down from Birmingham on the Wabash Cannonball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
as she glides along the woodland, o'er the hills and by the shore
hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
you're travelling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Our Eastern states are dandy, so the people always say
From New York to St. Louis and Chicago by the way
From the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
No changes can be taken on that Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland, o'er the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
You're travelling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever stand
And always be remembered 'round the courts of Alabam'
His earthly race is over and the curtains 'round him fall
We'll carry him home to victory on the Wabash Cannon Ball
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland, o'er the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo squall
You're travelling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannon Ball
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As recorded by LONNIE DONEGAN:
She came down from Birmingham one cold December day
As she rolled into the station you could hear the people say
That train from Indiana she's long and she's tall
A handsome combination called the Wabash Cannonball
Hey listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she comes down the mountains, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of engine, hear the lonesome hobos call
He's a racing through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball
From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore
From the green and flowing mountains to the old dell by the moor (sic)
She's long and she's handsome, and quite well known by all
A handsome combination called the Wabash Cannonball
Hey listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she comes down the mountains, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of engine, hear the lonesome hobos call
He's a racing through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball
Well here's to that old engineer, his name will ever stand
He'll always be remembered in the courts throughout the land
When this mighty race is over and the curtain round it falls
They'll carry him back to Dixie on the Wabash Cannonball.
Hey listen to the jingle, hear the rumble, hear the roar
As she comes down the mountains, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of engine, hear the lonesome hobos call
Aaahhhhh! You're racing through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball
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