BB logo white.png

SONG IMAGE

LYRICS

Well, Reuben Made A Train And He Put It On A Track

Hear That Whistle Blow A Hundred Miles

Oh Me, Oh My Hear That Whistle Blow A Hundred Miles

 

I Spent Last Night In Jail Nobody To Go My Bail

Lord How it Sleeted And Snowed

Oh Me, Oh My Lord How It Sleeted And Snowed

 

I’ve Been To The East, I’ve Been To The West

I’m Going Where The Chilly Winds Don’t Blow

Oh Me, Oh My I’m Going Where The Chilly Winds Don’t Blow

 

If This Train is Running Right, I’ll Be Home Tomorrow Night

I’m 500 Miles From My Home,

Oh Me, Oh My 500 Miles From My Home

 

I’m Walking Down The Track, Tears in My Eyes

Trying To Read A Letter From My Home,

Oh Me, Oh My Trying To Read A Letter From My Home

 

Ol’ Reuben made a train and he put it on a track

He ran it to the Lord knows where

Oh me, oh my, ran it to the Lord knows where

SONG SPOTIFY LINK

COVER ARTIST VIDEOS

“Reuben’s Train” – Doc Watson & Gaither Carlton Doc Watson 2020-05-28

BILLY STRINGS VIDEOS

Billy Strings - “Reuben’s Train” - Charleston, SC LawsonFilms 2023-03-11
Billy Strings - "Reuben's Train" (The Roundup) Rounder Records 2020-04-21

SONG

Reuben’s Train

Add to Wish List

Cover

SONG TYPE

WRITTEN BY

Traditional

ARRANGED BY

Traditional

ALBUM

SONG INFO

Origin: Traditional (Appalachia, Southeast, late 1800's).

Robert Duncan Bass recorded perhaps the earliest version of a variation of this song sung by two African-Americans in 1905 in Florence County, SC.

Later, Robert W. Gordon collected a version by Bascom Lamar Lunsford titled "Old Reuben" in 1925, of which Lunsford said he'd been taught it as a teenager in 1898 in Buncombe County, NC.

This old train song goes by many names, but most commonly "Reuben's Train," "Train 45," and "900 Miles."

First release as "I'm Nine Hundred Miles Away from Home" by Fiddlin' John Carson (1924)
First recorded as "Train 45" by Grayson & Whitter (1927)
Released as "Old Ruben" by Doc Watson, Gaither Carlton (1961)
Released as "Reuben's Train" by Dock Boggs (1970)
Also covered by Jeff Austin

SONG INFO

Origin: Traditional (Appalachia, Southeast, late 1800's).

Robert Duncan Bass recorded perhaps the earliest version of a variation of this song sung by two African-Americans in 1905 in Florence County, SC.

Later, Robert W. Gordon collected a version by Bascom Lamar Lunsford titled "Old Reuben" in 1925, of which Lunsford said he'd been taught it as a teenager in 1898 in Buncombe County, NC.

This old train song goes by many names, but most commonly "Reuben's Train," "Train 45," and "900 Miles."

First release as "I'm Nine Hundred Miles Away from Home" by Fiddlin' John Carson (1924)
First recorded as "Train 45" by Grayson & Whitter (1927)
Released as "Old Ruben" by Doc Watson, Gaither Carlton (1961)
Released as "Reuben's Train" by Dock Boggs (1970)
Also covered by Jeff Austin

SONG STATS

FIRST TIME PLAYED

2012-08-23 The Hayloft Inn – Traverse City, MI

MOST RECENT TIME PLAYED

2024-02-25 Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

TOTAL TIMES PLAYED

50

TOTAL TIMES YOU'VE SEEN

–

Longest Version (15:57)

Shortest Version (2:36)

LAST 3 TIMES PLAYED

2024-02-25 Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN2023-10-31 Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI2023-10-13 Cable Dahmer Arena – Independence, MO

VERSION

Longest Version (15:57)

Shortest Version (2:36)

TIMES PLAYED PER YEAR

SONG PLACEMENTS

TOTAL TIMES PLAYED: 50

Set 1

Set 2

Set 3

31 20 0

Set 1 Opener

Set 2 Opener

Encore

1 0 0

Set 1 Closer

Set 2 Closer

3 1

OFFICIAL BILLY STRINGS LINKS

Facebook Instagram Tiktok
Envelope Youtube Spotify Apple
Instagram Facebook

BillyBase.net © 2024