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Reuben's Train

from Migrations by The Littlest Birds

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about

Sharon: I learned this song in traditional Rueben tuning, but couldn’t sing it, so in the way I always do, I changed the key, added and changed a few verses to make more of a story and re-arranged it.

lyrics

Old Rueben had a train
Put on the track
Run it to the Lord knows where
Oh me, oh my run it to the lord knows where

Rueben had a train
From Wyoming to Maine
Lord you could hear that whistle blow
Oh me, oh my, lord you could hear that whistle blow

Rueben had a train, hundred coaches long
Couldn’t get a letter from his home
Oh me, oh my couldn’t get a letter from his home

I’m 900 miles from my man and from my girl
Lord I’m a long way from home
Oh me, oh my, lord I’m a long way from home

If this train she runs alright, I’ll be home about daylight
Lord I’m a long way from home
Oh me, oh my lord I’m a long way from home

Rueben went to town, police shot him down
Could hear old Rueben yell a hundred miles
Oh me, oh my, could hear old Rueben yell a hundred miles

They found his head in the driving wheel,
But his poor body never was found
Oh me, oh my, Poor Reuben’s body never was found

There’s an empty set of track, ne’er a train runs down
Sometimes you’ll hear a whistle blow
Oh me, oh my sometimes you’ll hear a whistle blow

‘Cause old Rueben has a train from Wyoming to Maine
Sometimes you’ll hear his whistle blow.

credits

from Migrations, released October 14, 2011
Trad. Additional lyrics by Sharon Martinson Arr. The Littlest Birds

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The Littlest Birds Laramie, Wyoming

The Littlest Birds is the banjo-driven music of and Sharon Martinson, performing both solo concerts and currently with several duo and trio configurations. "Think instrumental virtuosity balanced by a breezy, backwoods soul, music that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally soothing."
- Dan Bolles, Seven Days Weekly, Burlington VT, 2011 ... more

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