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Wabash Cannonball

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The Wabash Cannonball is an American folk song that is thought to have originated sometime in the late nineteenth century. It was further popularized by Country Music Hall of Famer Roy Acuff, when he recorded the song in 1936. It is also one of the primary fight songs of Kansas State University, as well as one of the signature songs of the University of Texas at Austin's band.

The song "Wabash Cannonball" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "500 songs that shaped rock and roll" [link]

Contents

Lyrics

Lyrics as performed by bluegrass band The Carter Family in their 1929 recording.

Verse:

Out from the wide Pacific to the broad Atlantic shore
She climbs the flowery mountains, over hills and by the shore
Although she's tall and handsome and she's known quite well by all
She's a regular combination, the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
Oh the Eastern states are dandy, so the Western people say
Chicago, Rock Island, St. Louis by the way
To the lakes of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
No chances to be taken on the Wabash Cannonball.
Chorus:
Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland, over hills and by the shore
She climbs the flowery mountains, hear the merry hobo squall
As she glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
Oh, here's old daddy Cleaton, let his name forever be
And long be remembered in the courts of Tennessee
For he is a good old rounder 'til the curtain round him fall
He'll be carried back to victory on the Wabash Cannonball.
Verse:
I have rode the I.C. Limited, also the Royal Blue
Across the Eastern counties on Elkhorn Number Two
I have rode these highball trains from coast to coast that's all
But I have found no equal to the Wabash Cannonball.
Chorus:
Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland, over hills and by the shore
She climbs the flowery mountains, hear the merry hobo squall
As she glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.

Variations

Many variations of the lyrics exist, including: [link][link][link]

History

In addition to The Carter Family's 1929 recording and Roy Acuff's 1936 recording, many hillbilly artists recorded The Wabash Cannonball during the Great Depression era of the 1930s and 1940s. The song increased in popularity during this time.

Origins

There are many theories of the origin of The Wabash Cannonball. One plausible theory by Utah Phillips states that The Wabash Cannonball came about when hobos somewhere imagined a mythical train called the "Wabash Cannonball" and created the lyrics and music to go with the myth.

Another theory [link] states that the song is based on a tall tale in which Cal S. Bunyan, Paul Bunyan's brother, constructed a railroad known as the Ireland, Jerusalem, Australian & Southern Michigan Line. After two months of service, the 700 car train was traveling so fast that it arrived at its destination an hour before its departure. Finally, the train took off so fast that it rushed in to outer space, and for all is known, it is still traveling through space. When the hobos learned of this train, they called her "The Wabash Cannonball" and said that every station in America had heard her whistle.

Namesakes

When the song gained popularity, Wabash Railroad named its express run between Detroit and St. Louis as the Wabash Cannonball. A roller coaster at the now-defunct Opryland USA theme park was titled after the song as well.

Kansas State University

The tradition of using The Wabash Cannonball as a fight song at Kansas State University began in 1968. On December 13, 1968, the music building, Nichols Hall, burned to the ground, destroying all the music and instruments. The only piece of sheet music left was "The Wabash Cannonball", which the music director, Phil Hewett, had taken home in his briefcase. The band needed to play for the following Monday night's basketball game against Syracuse University, so the band had to borrow instruments from other local schools. The only song the band played was The Wabash Cannonball. It has been in use by the pep and marching bands ever since.

Whenever played during football games and other events, the band and fans participate in a dance whereby each person pivots back and forth at the waist on each beat. The action is alternated along each row of seats such that a fan pivoting forward should have a fan pivoting backward on her left and right. This alternation continues down the row forming a wave-like effect across entire sections of seats. According to the current band director, Frank Tracz, this dance was originally started by the clarinet section and eventually was followed by the rest of the band and fans. [link]

Jukebox Cannonball

In 1951, Jesse Rogers adapted "Wabash Cannonball" into "Jukebox Cannonball" by retaining the original melody but replacing it with a new set of lyrics. Many recordings of this song were made in the early 1950s, primarily by artists from the New York-Pennsylvania region, including Rogers himself, Ray Whitley, and Rex Zario. Bill Haley and The Saddlemen (later known as The Comets) also had a minor hit with the song in 1952, which was considered an early example of rockabilly. Haley re-recorded the song in 1979.

External links

 

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