Mystery Train: Classic Railroad Songs, Vol. 2 (1997)

About this title: The lure of the railroad is explored thoroughly in the second volume of Rounder's railroad compilations, with songs recorded from the 20s through to the 80s. The image of the railroad is burned into American history, representing just about anything you want it to represent - freedom, loss, greed, power, mystery, flight, mythology, integration, disintegration, growth ... whatever symbol you need. The fourteen songs here have as many themes to them, from the last fatal run of Casey Jones to men and women whose sweethearts waft away on long black trains. Most affecting when the songs come out ...

Tracks:

1. Casey Jones [Cash/Traditional]
2. Freight Train Boogie
3. City of New Orleans [Goodman]
4. Mystery Train [Parker/Phillips]
5. The Cannonball [Carter]
6. Big Black Train [Sherry]
7. Red Ball to Natchez [Delmore/Delmore]
8. Take the "A" Train [Strayhorn]
9. Waiting for a Train [Rodgers]
10. Life's Railway to Heaven [Stevenson/Tradition]
11. Old Train [Pedersen]
12. Bringing in the Georgia Mail [Clayton/Lazar/Rose]
13. Train 45 [Rakes]
14. Last Cannonball [McCaslin]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.