Sometimes we surprise ourselves with the songs that we never got around to running as part of Tracks, and revisiting the email pile turned up this gem. Yeah, the album came out a while ago (2022 to be exact) but what the heck, eh? Because, with the guitar playing from, the voice of and the songwriter from (well, one of each of those anyway) this song does have something of a Long Ryders feel to it. But this is a Carla Olson produced song, on which she also adds vocals, that is taken from the train themed album ‘Americana Railroad‘. It’s a really strong song, and it opens an album of great new and covered songs about trains, engines, and the whole mystique of rail travel in America. And from wonderful contributors – John Fogerty, Dom Flemons, Robert Rex Waller Jr, Dave Alvin, Peter Case and many more.
Album Producer/performer Carla Olson observed that “Growing up in Austin, Texas during the 1950s the fascination with trains was the stuff childhood dreams were made of. Walking home from school the temptation to put your ear to the track to hear if the train was close was a daily routine. We lived five blocks from the railway and heard the whistle of the trains well into the night. For some the call was a way to escape small town blues, for others thoughts of exotic destinations lured many to hop a freight and disappear over the horizon. The Americana Railroad album is a collection of both history and metaphor for your listening and thought provoking pleasure.”
The album is still available – on vinyl and CD as well as through Bandcamp. So it’s past time to hop on board, ride those rails, toot that whistle and enjoy a delicious snack from the well stocked buffet car situated towards the middle of the train in Coach D…
