"I've Been Working on the Railroad" is an American folk song. The first published version appeared as "Levee Song" in Carmina Princetonia, a book of Princeton University songs published in 1894.[1] The earliest known recording is by The Shannon Quartet, released by Victor Records in 1923.[2]
"I've Been Working on the Railroad"
"I've Been Working on the Railroad", published as Levee Song in the Princeton University compilation Carmina Princetonia, 1898 Playⓘ
The melody of the opening line of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" may have been inspired by the very similar melody at the beginning of the cello solo about one minute into Franz von Suppé's 1846 Poet and Peasantoverture.[3]
LyricsEdit
The verses that generally constitute the modern version of the song are:[4]
I've been working on the railroad
All the live-long day.
I've been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away.
Can't you hear the whistle blowing,
Rise up so early in the morn;
Can't you hear the captain shouting,
"Dinah, blow your horn!"
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen I know
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Strummin' on the old banjo!
Singin' fee, fie, fiddly-i-o
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o-o-o-o
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o
Strummin' on the old banjo.
The 1894 version includes one verse very much like the modern song, though in minstrel dialect, and with an intro that is no longer sung and a very different second verse:[5][6]
The "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah" section, with its noticeably different melody, is actually an older song that has been absorbed by "I've Been Working on the Railroad". It was published as "Old Joe, or Somebody in the House with Dinah" in London in the 1830s or '40s with music credited to J.H. Cave.[7] "Dinah" was a generic name for a slave woman and, by extension, any woman of African-American descent.[8] The melody for this section of the song may have been adapted from "Goodnight, Ladies", written (as "Farewell Ladies") in 1847 by E.P. Christy.[9]
According to the liner notes to Pete Seeger's Children's Concert at Town Hall (1963), the "Dinah won't you blow" section is a more modern addition, contributed to the song by "some college students".[10]
Other extant verses and stanzasEdit
One extant verse that has been recorded in prominent sources follows the "Singin' fee, fie, fiddly-i-o" verse:
In another version of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" that is printed in "The Family Car Songbook", researched and edited by Tam Mossman, the song continues as follows:
"The Eyes of Texas" is the spirit song of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at El Paso. It is set to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" with alternate lyrics written in 1904. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University sing the song at Longhorn sports games and other events.[13]
NotesEdit
^James J. Fuld, The Book of World-Famous Music, 4th ed. (Dover, 1996), p. 309; cited at Mudcat Café's site Mudcat Cafe.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
I've Been Working on the Railroad
Levee Song in Carmina Princetonia: The Princeton Song Book (1898)
Discussion of "Someone in the Kitchen with Diana" [sic] at Mudcat Cafe
October 20, 2023
been, working, railroad, american, folk, song, first, published, version, appeared, levee, song, carmina, princetonia, book, princeton, university, songs, published, 1894, earliest, known, recording, shannon, quartet, released, victor, records, 1923, published. I ve Been Working on the Railroad is an American folk song The first published version appeared as Levee Song in Carmina Princetonia a book of Princeton University songs published in 1894 1 The earliest known recording is by The Shannon Quartet released by Victor Records in 1923 2 I ve Been Working on the Railroad I ve Been Working on the Railroad published as Levee Song in the Princeton University compilation Carmina Princetonia 1898 Play SongPublished1894Songwriter s Traditional Contents 1 Music 2 Lyrics 3 Other extant verses and stanzas 4 The Eyes of Texas 5 Notes 6 External linksMusic EditThe melody of the opening line of I ve Been Working on the Railroad may have been inspired by the very similar melody at the beginning of the cello solo about one minute into Franz von Suppe s 1846 Poet and Peasant overture 3 Lyrics EditThe verses that generally constitute the modern version of the song are 4 I ve been working on the railroad All the live long day I ve been working on the railroad Just to pass the time away Can t you hear the whistle blowing Rise up so early in the morn Can t you hear the captain shouting Dinah blow your horn Dinah won t you blow Dinah won t you blow Dinah won t you blow your horn Dinah won t you blow Dinah won t you blow Dinah won t you blow your horn Someone s in the kitchen with Dinah Someone s in the kitchen I know Someone s in the kitchen with Dinah Strummin on the old banjo Singin fee fie fiddly i o Fee fie fiddly i o o o o Fee fie fiddly i o Strummin on the old banjo The 1894 version includes one verse very much like the modern song though in minstrel dialect and with an intro that is no longer sung and a very different second verse 5 6 SOLO I once did know a girl named Grace QUARTET I m wukkin on de levee SOLO She done brung me to dis sad disgrace QUARTET O wukkin on de levee I been wukkin on de railroad All de livelong day I been wukkin on de railroad Ter pass de time away Doan yuh hyah de whistle blowin Ris up so uhly in de mawn Doan yuh hyah de cap n shouin Dinah blow yo hawn Sing a song o the city Roll dat cotton bale Niggah aint half so happy As when he s out o jail Norfolk foh its oystahshells Boston foh its beans Chahleston foh its rice an cawn But foh niggahs New Awleens The Someone s in the kitchen with Dinah section with its noticeably different melody is actually an older song that has been absorbed by I ve Been Working on the Railroad It was published as Old Joe or Somebody in the House with Dinah in London in the 1830s or 40s with music credited to J H Cave 7 Dinah was a generic name for a slave woman and by extension any woman of African American descent 8 The melody for this section of the song may have been adapted from Goodnight Ladies written as Farewell Ladies in 1847 by E P Christy 9 According to the liner notes to Pete Seeger s Children s Concert at Town Hall 1963 the Dinah won t you blow section is a more modern addition contributed to the song by some college students 10 Other extant verses and stanzas EditOne extant verse that has been recorded in prominent sources follows the Singin fee fie fiddly i o verse Someone s makin love to Dinah Someone s making love I know Someone s making love to Dinah Cause I can t hear the old banjo 11 In another version of I ve Been Working on the Railroad that is printed in The Family Car Songbook researched and edited by Tam Mossman the song continues as follows I ve been working on the trestle Driving spikes that grip I ve been working on the trestle To be sure the ties won t slip Can t you hear the engine coming Run to the stanchion of the bridge Can t you see the big black smokestack Coming down the ridge ChorusI ve been living in the boxcars I m a hobo now I ve been living in the boxcars Which the yard bulls won t allow Brother can you spare a quarter Buy me something good to eat Brother can you spare a nickel Till I m on my feet ChorusI ll be owner of this railroad One of these here days I ll be owner of this railroad And I swear your pay I ll raise I ll invite you to my mansion Feed you on goose and terrapin I ll invite you to the racetrack When my ship comes in Chorus 12 The Eyes of Texas Edit The Eyes of Texas is the spirit song of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at El Paso It is set to the tune of I ve Been Working on the Railroad with alternate lyrics written in 1904 Students faculty staff and alumni of the University sing the song at Longhorn sports games and other events 13 Notes Edit James J Fuld The Book of World Famous Music 4th ed Dover 1996 p 309 cited at Mudcat Cafe s site Mudcat Cafe Victor matrix B 27740 I ve been workin on de railroad Shannon Quartet Discography of American Historical Recordings Retrieved 2023 02 06 Studwell William Emmett Cooper B Lee Hoffmann Frank 1997 The Americana Song Reader Psychology Press p 73 ISBN 9780789001504 Folksongs for Everyone Remick Music Corp 1962 Carmina Princetonian The Princeton Song Book 21st ed G Shirmer 1927 pp 70 71 cited at Mudcat Cafe Carmina Princetonia The University Song Book Eighth Edition Martin R Dennis amp Co 1894 pp 24 25 Fuld p 513 514 cited at Mudcat Cafe Woman s Rights Convention New York Herald October 26 1850 NOTE 3 U S Women s History Workshop Assumption College Archived from the original on 2012 08 06 Retrieved 2019 09 17 Fuld pp 255 256 cited at Mudcat Cafe Liner notes Pete Seeger s Children s Concert at Town Hall Columbia Records 1963 reissued 1990 Silber Irwin Silber Fred 1973 Folksinger s wordbook Oak Publications p 103 ISBN 9780825601408 OCLC 248127864 Mossman Tam 1983 The Family Car Song Book Philadelphia Running Press The Eyes of Texas History Committee Report PDF The University of Texas at Austin March 9 2021 External links Edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article I ve Been Working on the Railroad Levee Song in Carmina Princetonia The Princeton Song Book 1898 Discussion of Someone in the Kitchen with Diana sic at Mudcat Cafe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title I 27ve Been Working on the Railroad amp oldid 1177882112, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
