Canadian Railway Songs
While listening to the Vinyl
Cafe on CBC Radio Two on June 6, 1998 I started to think about the
number of Canadian songs with a railway theme. This particular edition of
the programme was devoted to railway songs. There was some discussion
about the importance of the railway to Canadians and that started me
thinking about the songs. That's when I decided to compile this list. If
you have any suggestions for additions or corrections please let me
know.
My thanks to Dave Baker, Florian Bodenseher, Hugh Brodie, Gerry Burridge, Roger Chrysler, Ian Cranstone, Paul Duncan, Ron Dyer, David Gagnon, Bobber Gibbs, Doug Hately, Bruce Hollett, Bill Linley, Bruce MacPherson, Valerie Magee, Marty McGuire, Chuck Mier, Paul Morns, John Andrew Robertson, Tim Rogers, Pat Scrimgeour, Stafford Swain, Len Turple, Ross Turvey, Ian Wilson, and Steven Yakimets for their contributions to the list.
- 19Y On the Fly by Jim Downey9
- 49 Tons by Fred Eaglesmith
- A Canadian Hobo's Lullaby3
- Algoma Central #69 by Stompin' Tom Connors
- B.C. Rail1
- Bad Day for Trains by Patricia Conroy
- Ballad of Volcanic Brown (The)2
- Bill Miner's Jailbreak2
- Brakeman Boogie (The)2
- Brakemen's Breakdown (The)2
- C.P.R. Line1
- Canadian Pacific by Ray Griff3
- Canadian Railroad Trilogy
by Gordon Lightfood3
- Caribou (The) by Jim Downey9
- Champlain and St. Lawrence Line (The){ by Orval Prophet
- Climb Aboard That Kettle Valley Train6
- Coquihalla Slide5
- Dear Train by Doug Parks
- Delicate As a Flower6
- Didn't Hear the Train Barra MacNeils
- Donnybrook in Midway (The)5
- Dreams of the Hobo by Glen Reid
- Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill1
- E&N Won't Run Here Anymore (The) by Dave Baker4
- E&NA Track by "Stevedore Steve" Foote
- Electric Railway Line, The by Bruce Coughlin
- End of the line
by John Andrew Robertson
- Fast Freight by Gordon Lightfoot
- Five Two Twelve by Bobber Gibbs
- Flat Creek Wreck (The)6
- Flyin' CPR (The) by Stompin' Tom Connors
- Gandy Dancer's Ball by Dave Baker3
- Ghosts of Myra Canyon by Dave Baker3
- Gold Dust (The Bill Miner Story) by Patrick Smith3
- Goodbye Railway by Jim Downey9
- Guysborough Train (The) by Stan Rogers
- Harvest Train7
- Hobo's Blues (The) by Wilf Carter
- Hobo's Song to the Mounties by Wilf Carter1
- Hockey Train by Jim Downey9
- Hudson Bay Line by John Leader3
- Hudson Bay Line by John Leader1
- I Loved Working on the Railroad by Jim Downey9
- I'm Gonna Ride to Heaven on a Streamlined Train
- Iron Horse by Stevedore Steve Foote
- Kettle Valley Blues6
- Kettle Valley Line by Ean Hay
- Kettle Valley Memories5
- Kettle Valley Railroad by Dave Baker3
- Kootenay Cannon Ball by Mel Hynes8
- Last Train Before Christmas by Jim Downey9
- Le Train du Nord
by Felix Leclerc
- Little Town Lost by Dave Baker3
- Log Train by Stompin' Tom Connors
- Log Train by Stevedore Steve Foote
- Maritime Express by Eddie Legere
- McCulloch's Ghost Train5
- Movin' In by Stompin' Tom Connors
- Myra's Majesty5
- Mysterious Jessica Wreck (The)5
- Mystery Train by Herman Parker, Jr.
- Never Did Like That Train by Murray McLaughlin
- Newfoundland Cowboy by Jim Downey9
- Newfoundland Express (The Answer to The)11
- Newfoundland Express (The)10
- Nobody Cares About the Railroad Anymore by Reid Jamieson
- norman's Ride by Peter Deachman
- One Way Track Prairie Oyster
- Orangedale Whistle by Jimmy Rankin3
- Our Island's Lament by Jim Downey9
- P.E.I. Express1
- Padre (The) by Jim Downey9
- Passion Train by Jim Downey9
- People of the Rupert Rocket6
- Politically Bartered Affair by Jim Downey9
- Prairie Harvester's Song1
- Prairie Harvester's Song3
- Rail by Reid Jamieson
- Railroad Boy1
- Railway Tune by James Keelaghan
- Rattlesnake Rain5
- Restless by Gordon Lightfoot
- Ridin' on That Kettle Valley Train5
- Riding on the Railway by David Newland
- Rocket (The) by Fred Eaglesmith
- Royal Hudson by Dave Baer3
- Salvation Train6
- Section Men by Jim Downey9
- Sixteen Miles
by Gordon Lightfoot
- Stag Creek Wreck (The)13
- Steam Above Trout Creek5
- Steel Rail Blues
by Gordon Lightfoot
- Storm of '74 by Jim Downey9
- Talken' Freight
by Gordon Lightfoot
- The Fireman's Lament12
- The Jitney Blues6
- Thirty Seven Sixteen by Dave Baker1
- Train Through A Northern Town
- Train Wreck at Almonte by John McNab Beattie3
- Train Wreck at Almonte by Beattie John McNab1
- Trainyards Washboard Hank
- Trans Canadian Super Continental (The) by Fred Penner
- Watchman's Gone (The)
by Gordon Lightfoot
- West Coast Special5
- Wreck of the Evening Mail1
From the world of public transit there also comes:
- Toronto Subway Song (The)
- Tramway Cannonball (The)14
- TTC Skedaddler by Stompin' Tom Connors
Notes
If you have any comments or suggestions feel free to drop me a note.
1. Included in Songs of the Iron Trail: The Canadian Railroad Experience in Song produced by Sefel Records of Calgary, AB.
2. Included in the CD Climb Aboard by the Kettle Valley Brakemen and which is available through their website.
3. Included in Songs & Sound of Canadian Steam by Dave Baker which is available on CD or cassette from Capcan.
4. Included in A Portrait of the Westcoast in Song by Dave Baker which is available on CD from 5. Included in the CD Railway Tales Along the Trail by the Kettle Valley Brakemen and which is available through their website.
6. Included in the CD Climb Aboard by the Kettle Valley Brakemen and which is available through their website.
7. by Tamarack or James Gordon
8. Included on the CD "Kootenay Legends" Living Room Music Productions, Invermere BC, 2006
9. Included on the CD "I Loved Working on the Railroad," Jim Downey, Box 130, RR#1, Doyles NL A0N 1J0
10. Recorded by Helen Creighton from Private Alfred Gaudet, 1943. Deposited in the Nova Scotia Provincial Archives. Multiple print versions are available in the Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, 1982, 16(2) and 16(4).
11. Multiple print versions are available in the Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, 1982, 16(2) and 16(4).
12. Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, 1982, 16(2), p. 18
13. Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, 1982, 16(4), p. 18-19.
14. Canadian Folk Music Bulletin, 1982, 16(4), p. 26.
©2007 James R. Hay