All Transportation, All The Time, Vol. 1 Trains

Published at 10:01 AM on December 1, 2006

By Nate Douglas

The previous KNATE post on driving songs got me thinking about the holidays and all the travelling to see various branches of the family.
So, we’ve decided to put together some playlists to celebrate TRANSPORTATION. Each Friday during the holiday season we will highlight a different TRANSPORTATION topic....today is TRAINS.

Ok, I admit, this is an easy one. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released a great Classic Railroad Songs compilation on this very topic. Really, can you be considered a true songwriter if you haven’t written a song about trains?

Here are some of our favorite train-related songs:

1. Drive-By Truckers - “The Day John Henry Died” (The Dirty South)
2. The Bees (U.S.) - “Catch Yer Own Train” (High Society)
3. 16 Horsepower - “Train Serenade” (Olden)
4. Chad Vangaalen - “Echo Train” (Infiniheart)
5. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - “Trains” (Jacksonville City Nights)
6. Dead Moon - “Last Train” (Echoes Of The Past)
7. Andy Partridge - “Train Running Low On Soul Coal” (Fuzzy Warbles Vol. 3)
8. Bright Eyes - “Train Under Water” (I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning)
9. Gob Iron - “Death’s Black Train” (Death Songs For The Living)
10. Hotel Lights - “I Am A Train” (Hotel Lights)
11. Amos Lee - “Night Train” (Supply Demand)
12. Johnny Cash - “On The Evening Train” (American V: A Hundred Highways)
13. Múm - “Asleep On A Train” (Yesterday Was Dramatic Today Is OK)
14. Beck - “Broken Train” (Midnite Vultures)
15. Rocky Votolato - “Tennessee Train Tracks” (Makers)
16. Shout Out Louds - “A Track And A Train” (Howl Howl Gaff Gaff)
17. Counting Crows - “Ghost Train” (August & Everything After)
18. Hem - “Betting On Trains” (Rabbit Songs)
19. Basement Jaxx - “On The Train” (Crazy Itch Radio)
20. Josh Rouse - “The Last Train” (Bedroom Classics Vol. 2)
21. Tom Waits - “Down There By The Train” (Orphans - Bawlers)
22. Josh Ritter - “Me & Jiggs” (Golden Age of Radio)