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Uplifting Thoughts for the Isolated and Depressed in Times of Plague
- Thread starter Praefectus Praetorio
- Start date
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montycrusto
Guest
Eulalia
Poet Laureate
Oh indeed, I'm sure there are plenty of songs about trains and train journeys -
comic ones, children's ones etc., but I was thinking more specifically of the kind of sentiment,
making the railway a romantic symbol, a kind of metaphor for life
especially from the times of hardship and depression, when jumping a ride on freight train
becomes a kind of escape legend, taking men away to some vaguely hoped-for promised land -
and also the haunting melancholy, nostalgia and regret prompted by sounds of trains - whistles
and wheels rattling by ...
I'd still maintain that's a distinctive genre, unique to the US, part of its 'foundational myths'
comic ones, children's ones etc., but I was thinking more specifically of the kind of sentiment,
making the railway a romantic symbol, a kind of metaphor for life
especially from the times of hardship and depression, when jumping a ride on freight train
becomes a kind of escape legend, taking men away to some vaguely hoped-for promised land -
and also the haunting melancholy, nostalgia and regret prompted by sounds of trains - whistles
and wheels rattling by ...
I'd still maintain that's a distinctive genre, unique to the US, part of its 'foundational myths'
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
So right Eul!
And the sons of Pullman porters
And the sons of Engineers
Ride their fathers' magic carpets made of steam
Mothers with their babes asleep
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream
Good morning America how are you?
Don't you know me I'm your native son
It's all there! Tell me you've ever heard a better metaphor than "Magic carpet made of steel?"
Silent_Water
Tribune
Yes, you are most probably right. This special feeling does also exist in German songs but it is not a genre by itself in Germany, I think.
In any case, if you want to make a list about almost all songs from all over the world with trains, railways etc. which many Germans ever had in their minds, then you can look and search here in this forum:
Die besten Songs über Züge – Rolling Stone Forum
Meine 5 Favoriten: 1. The Clash - Train In Vain 2. Bob Dylan - It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry 3. Tom Waits -...
forum.rollingstone.de
Frank Petrexa
Tribune
Silent_Water
Tribune
Oh, how wonderful I always found Peter, Paul & Mary.
By the way, I just remembered a trio from Switzerland - Peter, Sue & Marc - who had them as their idols and tried to sing like them.
Because they were in fact tri-lingual in this trio, they made two wonderful songs in different languages and they had the rare effect that their songs were unique and almost perfect in every language they used. They sang in German, Italian, English and French and everyone in Switzerland says until today, they formed the greatest trio in Switzerland ever because you can take their songs at least in German and Italian to learn these languages in a beautiful and perfect way.
Decide yourself:
By the way, I just remembered a trio from Switzerland - Peter, Sue & Marc - who had them as their idols and tried to sing like them.
Because they were in fact tri-lingual in this trio, they made two wonderful songs in different languages and they had the rare effect that their songs were unique and almost perfect in every language they used. They sang in German, Italian, English and French and everyone in Switzerland says until today, they formed the greatest trio in Switzerland ever because you can take their songs at least in German and Italian to learn these languages in a beautiful and perfect way.
Decide yourself:
M
montycrusto
Guest
Me too, and Justin Timberlake and Carey Mulligan did a lovely version of i in the Coen Brothers movie Inside Llewyn Davis
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
Speaking of 500 Miles, there is always the Scottish genre which emphasized walking (or dancing)
Eulalia
Poet Laureate
Yes, that PPM song has haunted me since schooldays, I was lucky to have a music teacher who was part of the 'folk revival' herself, and taught us a lot of songs like that one. The Seekers 'Morningtown Ride' really a kids' song, but it's another one that turns the train-ride into a metaphor for life's journey
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
A great song, a great performance in London, back when there were concerts. Still uplifting
M
montycrusto
Guest
If a band is called “PPM” then it must involve a lot of concentration 
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montycrusto
Guest
I keep saying this all the time.. I grew up in the pre-corona period, you see
Eulalia
Poet Laureate
Richard Anthony's French version is very romantic too -
while the American song is very much in the genre I'm thinking of,
the French version is more, well, French - the sound of the train whistle in the night
reminds him of parting with the only girl he truly loved,
and regrets letting her go ...
Silent_Water
Tribune
That "PPM" & "PSM?" and some French versions remind me of my growing problems with modern French which became more and more like a secret language for me, especially when French teenagers were talking, even worse when they were writing: "K7" (= "ka sept" sounds like cassette and always meant a MusiCassette) and a "Vététiste" is a mountainbiker (derived from "vélo pour tout terrain" = VTT => vétété => "Vététiste"!)
So easy to understand, isn't it?
So easy to understand, isn't it?
fallenmystic
Tribune
Ah... I knew someone would mention PPM sooner or later 
I always regretted how musical groups nowadays are often created by business men, rather than discovered as they used to be back in the days. However, PPM was actually an odd exception for a 60s group as they were a creation of Bob Dylan's manager, who wanted to form a popular folk group by bringing together "a tall blonde, a funny guy, and a good-looking guy."
But of course, they were not just beautiful, handsome, and funny people singing just uninspiring cover songs. So came to light another legendary musical group from the great era for pop and folk music.
(Probably I should have chosen an original from them, like the popular Puff the Magic Dragon. But who can resist a total package consists of PPM, Andy Williams, and Bob Dylan?)
Oh, by the way, as we've been talking about train songs,
And just because Barbara mentioned Thomas
My favourite train song, however, is "Atchison Topeka, and Santa Fe" from one of Judy Garland's musical films in the 40s. But I'll save it for another thread.
I always regretted how musical groups nowadays are often created by business men, rather than discovered as they used to be back in the days. However, PPM was actually an odd exception for a 60s group as they were a creation of Bob Dylan's manager, who wanted to form a popular folk group by bringing together "a tall blonde, a funny guy, and a good-looking guy."
But of course, they were not just beautiful, handsome, and funny people singing just uninspiring cover songs. So came to light another legendary musical group from the great era for pop and folk music.
(Probably I should have chosen an original from them, like the popular Puff the Magic Dragon. But who can resist a total package consists of PPM, Andy Williams, and Bob Dylan?)
Oh, by the way, as we've been talking about train songs,
And just because Barbara mentioned Thomas
My favourite train song, however, is "Atchison Topeka, and Santa Fe" from one of Judy Garland's musical films in the 40s. But I'll save it for another thread.
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montycrusto
Guest
Praefectus Praetorio
R.I.P. Brother of the Quill
An uplifting movie!