Wabash Cannonball
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"The Wabash Cannonball" is an American folk song about a fictional train, thought to have originated sometime in the late nineteenth century. Its first documented appearance was on sheet music published in 1882, titled "The Great Rock Island Route" and credited to J. A. Roff. All subsequent versions contain a variation of the chorus:
- Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble, and the roar,
- As she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore,
- See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out,
- As they speed along in safety, on the "Great Rock-Island Route."
A rewritten version by William Kindt appeared in 1904 under the title "Wabash Cannon Ball".[1]
The Carter Family made one of the first recordings of the song in 1929, though it was not released until 1932. Another popular version was recorded by Country Music Hall of Famer Roy Acuff in 1936.[2]
It is one of the primary fight songs of Kansas State University, and a signature song of the University of Texas at Austin's band. It was also used as the theme song by the USS Wabash (AOR5).
The song "The Wabash Cannonball" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.[1]
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[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics as performed by The Carter Family in their 1929 recording:
Verse:
- Out from the wide Pacific to the broad Atlantic shore
- She climbs flowery mountain, o'r hills and by the shore
- Although she's tall and handsome, and she's known quite well by all
- She's a regular combination of the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
- Oh the Eastern states are dandy, so the Western people say
- Chicago, Rock Island, St. Louis by the way
- To the lakes of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
- No chances to be taken on the Wabash Cannonball.
Chorus:
- Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumor and the roar
- As she glides along the woodland, o'r hills and by the shore
- She climbs the flowery mountain, hear the merry hobos squall
- She glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
- Oh, here's old daddy Cleaton, let his name forever be
- And long be remembered in the courts of Tennessee
- For he is a good old rounder 'til the curtain 'round him fall
- He'll be carried back to victory on the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
- I have rode the I.C. Limited, also the Royal Blue
- Across the Eastern countries on Elkhorn Number Two
- I have rode these highball trains from coast to coast that's all
- But I have found no equal on the Wabash Cannonball.
Chorus:
- Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumor and the roar
- As she glides along the woodland, o'r hills and by the shore
- She climbs the flowery mountain, hear the merry hobos squall
- She glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball
[edit] Variations
Many variations of the lyrics exist, including: [3][4][5]
- 'Glory' instead of 'Victory'
- 'Dixie' instead of 'Victory'
- 'Daddy Claxton', 'Danny Claxton', 'Daddy Clayton', or 'Boston Blackie' instead of 'Daddy Cleaton'
- 'While' or 'We're' instead of 'You're', in the final line of the chorus
- There are several known versions of the second and final lines of the first stanza. Some believe that "she's the 'boes accommodation called the Wabash Cannonball" was most likely the original final line of the first stanza, even though it is probably the least popular today. One common variations calls her a "streamlined combination."
- There are alternative versions in which the second and third stanzas are changed significantly, including the 1966 recording by Johnny Cash.
[edit] History
In addition to The Carter Family's 1929 recording and Roy Acuff's 1936 recording, many hillbilly artists recorded "The Wabash Cannonball" during the Great Depression era of the 1930s and 1940s. The song increased in popularity during this time.
[edit] Origins
There are many theories of the origin of "The Wabash Cannonball". Utah Phillips states that hobos somewhere imagined a mythical train called the "Wabash Cannonball" and created the lyrics and music to go with the myth.
Another theory [6] states that the song is based on a tall tale in which Cal S. Bunyan, Paul Bunyan's brother, constructed a railroad known as the Ireland, Jerusalem, Australian & Southern Michigan Line. After two months of service, the 700-car train was traveling so fast that it arrived at its destination an hour before its departure. Finally, the train took off so fast that it rushed in to outer space, and for all is known, it is still traveling through space. When the hobos learned of this train, they called her "The Wabash Cannonball" and said that every station in America had heard her whistle.
[edit] Namesakes
When the song gained popularity, Wabash Railroad named its express run between Detroit and St. Louis as the Wabash Cannonball. A roller coaster at the now-defunct Opryland USA theme park was titled after the song as well.
[edit] Kansas State University
The tradition of using "The Wabash Cannonball" as a fight song at Kansas State University began in 1968. On December 13, 1968, the music building, Nichols Hall, burned to the ground, destroying all the music and instruments. The only piece of sheet music left was "The Wabash Cannonball," which the music director, Phil Hewett, had taken home in his briefcase. The band needed to play for the following Monday night's basketball game against Syracuse University, so the band had to borrow instruments from other local schools. The only song the band played was "The Wabash Cannonball." It has been in use by the pep and marching bands ever since.
Whenever played during football games and other events, the band and fans participate in a dance whereby each person pivots back and forth at the waist on each beat. The action is alternated along each row of seats such that a fan pivoting forward should have a fan pivoting backward on her left and right. This alternation continues down the row forming a wave-like effect across entire sections of seats. According to the current band director, Dr. Frank Tracz, this dance was originally started by the clarinet section and eventually was followed by the rest of the band and fans. [7]
[edit] University of Texas
The University of Texas Longhorn Band plays the song at the beginning of every fourth quarter during football season. The tradition began when Texas was in the Southwest Conference and Kansas State was in the Big 8 Conference. Band director Vincent R. DiNino once asked football coach Darrell K. Royal if he had any songs he would like to hear the Longhorn Band play. His response was that they didn't play enough country music and that he would like to hear Wabash Cannonball. A bit of "band rivalry" has developed since both schools joined the Big 12 Conference.
[edit] Jukebox Cannonball
In 1951, Jesse Rogers adapted "Wabash Cannonball" into "Jukebox Cannonball" by retaining the original melody but replacing it with a new set of lyrics. Many recordings of this song were made in the early 1950s, primarily by artists from the New York-Pennsylvania region, including Rogers himself, Ray Whitley, and Rex Zario. Bill Haley and The Saddlemen (later known as The Comets) also had a minor hit with the song in 1952, which was considered an early example of rockabilly. Haley re-recorded the song in 1979.
[edit] Television History
In the third season (1952-53) of the popular television sitcom "I Love Lucy", Ernie Ford sings a rendition of the song in the episodes "Tennessee Ernie Visits" and "Tennessee Ernie Hangs On".
[edit] Robert Fripp & The League Of The Crafty Guitarists
An arrangement of "Wabash Cannonball" was recorded by Robert Fripp & The League Of Crafty Guitarists on their album Intergalactic Boogie Express: Live in Europe....
