From underneath a rock in Media Void
Week 10: Songs about trains
“My train of thought got derailed.”
Week Ten
in the BDFL is a salute to train songs. The Bulletin staff
thought there were like 100 “train” songs. Upon further review, there’s
more like a 1,000. Actually, if you Google or Wikipedia it… there’s
really too many to count, probably over 5,000. So, no question the
backbone of the expansion of the United States was the railroad, so
here’s a few of the train-related songs – rock, folk, country – that you
should all know.
Dogs Are Rolling Like a Freight Train:
He might be kicked back in The Preserve smoking a stogie, but Dog does
not deny that he’s from the wrong side of the tracks from the tiny
hamlet of Brookside, Alabama. He’s seemingly worked hard to distance
himself from the moniker. But, he’s also embraced it with his perennial
underdog Brookside Dogs, who are now the clear favorites in the BDFL.
Mark’s Mutts are like a freight train rolling downhill. In Week Ten,
facing another top contender… all the Dogs did was shovel the coal into
the engines and run right past the Black Creek Freebirds, 45-32. In
2019, the Dogs are like the Doobies Long Train Running, “The
Illinois Central &
the Southern Central Freight, got to keep on pushin' mama, You know
they're running late. Without love, where would you be now.”
Now, the Dogs are way out in first. Note: Here’s one from Skynyrd (for
the Freebirds): “Train roll on, on
down the line, won't you please take me far away…”
Grenadiers Rock South – Roll Over Gamblers:
“Rock
me momma like a south bound train… hey, momma rock me,”
The Bulletin will let ya’ll argue the version you prefer, but
Bob Dylan wrote it, so… it’s a folk song, and chances are you like his
version the least. In the BDFL, the Mineral Springs Grenadiers rolled
south and demolished the Gulf Coast Gamblers in Week Ten. This game
wasn’t very close as the Commissioner got a big win, and then went
around the Beau Rivage like Uncle Ray, pumping his fist in the air like
a conductor and shouting, “Woo, woo! Woo woo!” Oh… we better include
this one for the losers in this particular game from their
semi-namesake, Kenny Rogers: “On a
warm summer's eve… on a train bound for nowhere…”
Blitz Chugs Past Dorians, 40-29:
The Druid City Blitz thought they had “…climbed
aboard the Dream Weaver train,”
when they arrived at the home stadium of the Altadena Dorians. It was
kind of like an ‘out of body experience’ for the Gritz Blitz as they
scored 40-points on their way to a relatively easy win against the
Fighting Stephenson’s. Jerry Fritz’s “little engine that could” seems to
be picking up momentum in the 2019 BDFL season, and their take a
chugging vict’ry that they hope will propel them to a nice stretch run.
As for Barry, all he could do in defeat was quote the world’s greatest
country and western song, “got
runned over by a damned old train.”
Armadillos Leave Mayors at the Station:
“I
hear the train a comin’… it’s rolling around the bend.”
Well, you can’t go wrong with Johnny Cash and Folsom Prison Blues. So,
the Armadillos found this classic on their Spotify account on their
mobile device, and decided to run with it all the way down to San Anton.
On their way around the country this past weekend, the Duncanville
Armadillos decided to drop in on the Magic City Mayors for a BDFL
contest, and the ‘Dillos dominated against the Cronies, coming up with a
big 30-16 vict’ry. The Mayor then decided to leave town after the
embarrassing defeat, “on that
midnight train to Georgia.”
Cheetahs Run Over Wildcats:
“Busted
flat in Baton Rouge, waitin’ for a train…”
Butch probably doesn’t want to hear anything about Red Stick (The
Bulletin doesn’t speak French) at this particular point and time.
In fact, he’s probably feelin’ ‘bout as faded as his jeans after the
events of Saturday night in Bryant-Denny Stadium. However, the Southside
Cheetahs shook off the Tide loss and rebounded with a special effort on
Sunday. The Sin Wagon’s special effort in the BDFL, earned them a 23-14
vict’ry over the Western Hills Wildcats. The exact specifications of
“special” could not be determined by The Bulletin staff, but
reports are somewhere between “midnight special,” and “orange blossom
special.” So, you decide, “let the Midnight Special shine its light on me,” or “Hey,
look a-yonder comin' - Comin' down that railroad track. It's the Orange
Blossom Special… bringin' my baby back.”
Blue Deacons Burned by Bullets in OT:
“And,
the train conductor said, take a break Driver 8,”
the Benton Bullets ‘took a break’ in Week Ten and lived to tell about
it. The Old Bullerino had his ‘old faithful’ (Tom Brady) out this past
weekend and the stellar Patriots defense also out. Then, to add
stupidity – or cockiness – to bad luck, the Bullets played a
place-kicker who did not play. Whether the Bullets were looking past the
Mt. High Blue Deacons was debatable. However, the Boys from Benton still
managed to pull out an overtime vict’ry against the Heavy Duty Bishop
Squad in front of the home folks in Benton, just off the banks of the
Alabama River and the railroad tracks that run as parallel to the river
as possible through the little Lowndes County town. And, the daily train
that runs through the town is not unlike the Wabash Cannonball:”Now
listen to the jingle, the rumble, and the roar… as she dashes through
the woodlands, and speeds along the shore.”
Juggernauts Flattened on Tracks by the Sleds:
Blackfoot railed, “Train,
train… take me on out of this town.”
Now, no one really believes they were talking about leaving Fairfield,
but no one could blame them if they were – talkin’ ‘bout leaving
Fairfield, that is. But, on Sunday in the fair city of Fairfield, the
homestanding PowerSleds got a decisive BDFL vict’ry over the Jugtown
Juggernauts by the final score of 18-9. Mad Jack was just glad to etch
one in the win column. The ‘Nauts were not so happy that they lost a
game but won the “Toilet Seat Team of the Weak,” award for being the
only team in the league in Week Ten to score in single digits. Can’t you
see… that nothing but Marshall Tucker could make you feel better at this
point, “Gonna take a freight
train, down at the station, don’t care where it goes…”
Last Game – Last Train – Sloths Top Bellcows 25-17:
“Take
the last train to Clarksville, and I’ll meet you at the station…” that’s
a train song by The Monkees. It’s got little or nothing to do with the
Sloth Monsters beating the Fieldstown Bellcows in Week Ten of the BDFL
season, except it’s the last game featured in this week’s edition of the
Bulletin. But, things continue to go bad for Bellhead and his Bellcows,
and you could even substitute David Belrose for Virgil Caine in the
classic Band tune, “The Night they drove old Dixie Down.” It starts like
this: “Virgil
Caine is my name, and I served on the Danville train… until Stoneman’s
calvary came, and they tore up the tracks again…” Well, after the game,
Bellrose was heard lamenting another loss, and the Bells were ringing…
and the people were singing, “nah,
nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nahhhh.”
Week 10 in the Jr BDFL - “It’s all
about the kids.”
In the JrBDFL, there was a lot of angst in the
teenage, junior league this weekend. That could be good or bad.
Sometimes the best thing to do, is NOT to “ask.” So… the JrBDFL rambles
on past Week Ten with most of the players in good shape, afterall…
ESPN.com is doing all of the heavy lifting.
Runaway
Train by Soul Asylum (1992)
Honorable Mention Train Lyrics…
Train I ride… 16 coaches long. (Elvis)
I grew up just west of the tracks, holding me to hold me back. (drivin’ n’ cryin’)
When love comes to town, I’m gonna catch that train… (B.B. King – Bono)
I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans, and I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done. (Arlo Guthrie or Woody)
…climbed aboard the Dream Weaver train
And I feel like I'm a rider on a downbound train… (The Boss)
In the shuffling madness… Of the locomotive breath…Runs the all time loser, Headlong to his death… (Jethro Tull)
Hey, Porter, Hey Porter, would you tell me the time? How much longer will it be, 'til we cross that Mason Dixon Line? Steel rails, chase the sunshine around the bend…
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express. They're taking me to Marrakesh, All aboard the train
Ride on the Peace Train…
Train kept a-rolling all night long…Train kept a-rolling all night long…
Pennsylvania 65-thousand… Pennsylvania 6, 5, oh, oh, oh,
Pardon me boys, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?
I’ve been working on the railroad, all the live long day…
Gonna hang around the tracks ‘til the mail train comes back, and roll in my sweet baby’s arms
Now listen to the jingle, the rumble, and the roar… as she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore
Cling to the Father and his Holy Name… and, don't go riding on that long Black Train