Misc Traditional - Wabash cannonball
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Tuning: E A D G B E
WABASH CANNONBALL
This is song is a piece of history; with many, many variations on lyrics. This set of lyrics comes from my
mother's fakebook. (Her fakebook is comprised of sheets from various fiddle books she got at music shops
when she was a teenager around 1970, so I'm not sure the source.)
[Wikipedia: 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. ...
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 Roy Acuff in 1936.]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabash_Cannonball
According to an article posted to HistoryNewsNetwork.org by James W Loewen on on Jun 23, 2013, the
destinations listed in the song are likely a mix of places along The Great Rock Island Route and the Wabash
tracks: Two different railroads. The Wabash connected Chicago to St. Louis. It also went to Detroit and
Kansas City. The "jungle" may refer to "hobo jungles" at the edge of train yards.
http://historynewsnetwork.org/blog/152354#sthash.81ryCsW5.dpuf
According to a forum post by "Thelma Phillips" on Feb 16, 2002, "In 1984 I wrote to Roy Acuff, and asked him
who "Daddy Claxton" was and who wrote that verse. He answered me and said "Nobody knows who wrote the Wabash
Cannon Ball".
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CLAXTON/2002-02/1013842193
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Intro: Instrumental
1. GFrom the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific Cshore,
To the greenD old flow'ring mountains, to the ice-bound LabradGor
GShe's long and tall and handsome and known quite well Cto all.
DShe's the modern combination called the Wabash Cannonball. G
GSo listen to the jingle, the jumble and the Croar
as she glidDes along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shorGe.
GHear the mighty rush of the engine, and the lonesome hoboes sCquall,
While ridiDng through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball. G
Instrumental
2. GShe came in from Birmingham on a cold and frosty Cday.
As she rDolled into the station, you could hear the people sGay,
"GThere’s a gal out there form Tennessee, she’s long, boy, and Ctall.
DShe's the modern combination called the Wabash Cannonball."G
GSo listen to the jingle, the jumble and the Croar
as she glidDes along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shorGe.
GHear the mighty rush of the engine, and the lonesome hoboes sCquall,
While ridiDng through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball. G
Instrumental
3. Now the GEastern states are dandy, so the all the people Csay,
From DNew York to Saint Louis and Chicago by the Gway,
From the Glakes of Minnehaha where the laughing waters fCall,
No cDhange in standard gauging on the Wabash Cannonball. G
GSo listen to the jingle, the jumble and the Croar
as she glidDes along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shorGe.
GHear the mighty rush of the engine, and the lonesome hoboes sCquall,
While ridiDng through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball. G
Instrumental