This article is about the traditional folk song. For the song by Grateful Dead, see Casey Jones (song).
"The Ballad of Casey Jones", also known as "Casey Jones, the Brave Engineer" or simply "Casey Jones", is a traditional American folk song about railroad engineerCasey Jones and his death at the controls of the train he was driving. It tells of how Jones and his fireman Sim Webb raced their locomotive to make up for lost time, but discovered another train ahead of them on the line, and how Jones remained on board to try to stop the train as Webb jumped to safety. It is song number 3247 in the Roud Folk Song Index.
Composer: Eddie Newton Lyricist: Wallace Saunders, T. Lawrence Seibert
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Casey Jones
The song helped preserve the memory of Jones' feat down through the years in its 40 plus versions and enhanced Casey’s legendary status to the extent that he has even become something of a mythological figure like Pecos Bill or Paul Bunyan to the uninformed. Books and pulp magazines about the railroad and its heroes helped to perpetuate his memory as well.
Soon after Casey’s death, the song was first sung by engine wiper and friend of Casey’s named Wallace Saunders to the tune of a popular song of the time known as "Jimmie Jones."[1] He was known to sing and whistle as he went about his work cleaning the steam engines. In the words of Casey’s wife: "Wallace's admiration of Casey was little short of idolatry. He used to brag mightily about Mr. Jones even when Casey was only a freight engineer." But Saunders never had his original version copyrighted, and thus there is no way of knowing precisely what words he sang.
As railroaders stopped in Canton, Mississippi, they would pick up the song and pass it along. Soon it was a hit up and down the I.C. line. But it was up to others with a profit motive to take it and rework it for a nationwide audience. Illinois Central Engineer William Leighton appreciated the song's potential enough to tell his brothers Frank Leighton and Bert Leighton, who were vaudeville performers, about it. They took it and sang it in theaters around the country with a chorus they added. But apparently even they neglected to get it copyrighted.
Reportedly, Saunders received a bottle of gin for the use of the song. Nothing more was heard from him after this, and he is now known only for preserving the legend of Casey Jones.
Finally, with vaudeville performers T. Lawrence Seibert credited with the lyrics and Eddie Newton with the music, it was published and offered for sale in 1909 with the title "Casey Jones, The Brave Engineer". As their intent was to entertain, it was hailed on the cover of the sheet music as the "Greatest Comedy Hit In Years" and "The Only Comedy Railroad Song." This version was the one that was strenuously objected to by Casey's widow, for making her appear to have been unfaithful to Casey. The offending lines read: "Mrs. Jones sat on her bed a sighing/Just received a message that Casey was dying/ Said go to bed children and hush your crying/Cause you got another papa on the Salt Lake line." This is similar to a line in the song "Duncan and Brady". She spent her remaining years refuting those lines, once saying "That devil hasn't shown up in 58 years!"
By World War I, dozens of versions had been published and millions of copies were sold, securing the memory of a new American folk hero. Poet Carl Sandburg called the song "Casey Jones, the Brave Engineer" the "greatest ballad ever written". Casey Jones figures in many railroad songs, such as "Freight Train Boogie", by the Delmore Brothers.
^Lomax, John A. and Alan Lomax. American Ballads and Folk Songs. (1934; reprint, New York: Dover, 1994), p. 34
^"Casey Jones". UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive. UC Santa Barbara Library. 16 November 2005. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
^Abbott, Francis H. "Casey Jones" (Mp3). Loc.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
^"Casey Jones (The Union Scab) | Smithsonian Folkways Recordings". folkways.si.edu. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
External linksedit
The Ballad Of Casey Jones, Wallace Saunders lyrics
Other sourcesedit
"A Treasury of American Folklore," by B. A. Botkin, (American Legacy Press, NT, 1944) pp. 241–246)
April 1932, Erie Railroad Magazine, vol 28, no. 2, p12
February 15, 2024
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This article is about the traditional folk song For the song by Grateful Dead see Casey Jones song This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Ballad of Casey Jones news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Ballad of Casey Jones also known as Casey Jones the Brave Engineer or simply Casey Jones is a traditional American folk song about railroad engineer Casey Jones and his death at the controls of the train he was driving It tells of how Jones and his fireman Sim Webb raced their locomotive to make up for lost time but discovered another train ahead of them on the line and how Jones remained on board to try to stop the train as Webb jumped to safety It is song number 3247 in the Roud Folk Song Index The Ballad of Casey Jones SongWrittencirca 1909Songwriter s Composer Eddie Newton Lyricist Wallace Saunders T Lawrence SeibertWikisource has original text related to this article Casey Jones The song helped preserve the memory of Jones feat down through the years in its 40 plus versions and enhanced Casey s legendary status to the extent that he has even become something of a mythological figure like Pecos Bill or Paul Bunyan to the uninformed Books and pulp magazines about the railroad and its heroes helped to perpetuate his memory as well Contents 1 History 2 Recordings 3 See also 4 References 5 External links 6 Other sourcesHistory editSoon after Casey s death the song was first sung by engine wiper and friend of Casey s named Wallace Saunders to the tune of a popular song of the time known as Jimmie Jones 1 He was known to sing and whistle as he went about his work cleaning the steam engines In the words of Casey s wife Wallace s admiration of Casey was little short of idolatry He used to brag mightily about Mr Jones even when Casey was only a freight engineer But Saunders never had his original version copyrighted and thus there is no way of knowing precisely what words he sang As railroaders stopped in Canton Mississippi they would pick up the song and pass it along Soon it was a hit up and down the I C line But it was up to others with a profit motive to take it and rework it for a nationwide audience Illinois Central Engineer William Leighton appreciated the song s potential enough to tell his brothers Frank Leighton and Bert Leighton who were vaudeville performers about it They took it and sang it in theaters around the country with a chorus they added But apparently even they neglected to get it copyrighted Reportedly Saunders received a bottle of gin for the use of the song Nothing more was heard from him after this and he is now known only for preserving the legend of Casey Jones Finally with vaudeville performers T Lawrence Seibert credited with the lyrics and Eddie Newton with the music it was published and offered for sale in 1909 with the title Casey Jones The Brave Engineer As their intent was to entertain it was hailed on the cover of the sheet music as the Greatest Comedy Hit In Years and The Only Comedy Railroad Song This version was the one that was strenuously objected to by Casey s widow for making her appear to have been unfaithful to Casey The offending lines read Mrs Jones sat on her bed a sighing Just received a message that Casey was dying Said go to bed children and hush your crying Cause you got another papa on the Salt Lake line This is similar to a line in the song Duncan and Brady She spent her remaining years refuting those lines once saying That devil hasn t shown up in 58 years By World War I dozens of versions had been published and millions of copies were sold securing the memory of a new American folk hero Poet Carl Sandburg called the song Casey Jones the Brave Engineer the greatest ballad ever written Casey Jones figures in many railroad songs such as Freight Train Boogie by the Delmore Brothers Recordings editCollins amp Harlan 1910 Columbia A907 Billy Murray as The Ballad of Casey Jones 1912 Edison Blue Amberol 1550 2 Furry Lewis as Kassie Jones 1928 Anthology of American Folk Music American Folklife recording 1932 3 Pete Seeger 1956 reissued 1992 American Industrial Ballads 4 The Dixieaires 1949 Burl Ives 1954 Decca 29129 Johnny Cash Milt Okun 1957 Baton BL1203 The Golden Gate Quartet 1960 Bing Crosby included the song in a medley on his album 101 Gang Songs 1961 Merrill Jay Singers 1961 Songs of the Railroad Viking Record Company Elizabeth Cotten 1965 Smithsonian Folkways Records Vol 3 When I m Gone Robert DeCormier Singers Arabesque Z6675 Joe Hickerson as Drive Dull Care Away 2002 Folk Legacy Records Spike Jones and his City Slickers with new lyrics about Casey Jones Jr who serves as a bombardier during World War II Mississippi John Hurt The Ballad of Casey Jones is distinct from Casey Jones by the Grateful Dead and several other songs on the subject See also editList of train songsReferences edit Lomax John A and Alan Lomax American Ballads and Folk Songs 1934 reprint New York Dover 1994 p 34 Casey Jones UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive UC Santa Barbara Library 16 November 2005 Retrieved 1 April 2022 Abbott Francis H Casey Jones Mp3 Loc gov Retrieved 2008 01 15 Casey Jones The Union Scab Smithsonian Folkways Recordings folkways si edu Retrieved 1 April 2022 External links editBallad of Casey Jones The Ballad Of Casey Jones Wallace Saunders lyricsOther sources edit A Treasury of American Folklore by B A Botkin American Legacy Press NT 1944 pp 241 246 April 1932 Erie Railroad Magazine vol 28 no 2 p12 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Ballad of Casey Jones amp oldid 1195117674, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
