The train song of the day for today, #48 if you’re counting, is The Ballad of John Henry. There must be a squillion recorded versions of this tune. It’s a big story, that’s why. It’s a story of a proud man who refuses to be replaced by a machine. See, John Henry raced a steam drill, tunnelling through a mountain, and won, only to die with his 9 pound hammer in his hand. The story of John Henry is one of the most persistent legends to come out of the push to build railroads across the mountain west to the coast.  Here are some excellent versions…

Let’s start with Piedmont blues legends Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. It happens that these guys were the first performers I ever saw in a bar. It was at the old El Mocambo and they were fantastic.

Here’s a nice tough version by Mississippi Fred McDowell for all the guitar pickers out there…

Do you like Tennessee Ernie Ford

Here’s the Blind James Cameron String Band. I love this one. The tuba is perfect…

….and just for kicks, here’s a version on cookie tin fretless banjo

There are a lot of versions of this song. A quick Youtube search came up with over 15,000 results. These are just a few of the ones I enjoy.

Oh, wait….I almost forgot Furry Lewis. I love Furry’s version.

http://youtu.be/FIL9Vc3EAnk