Thursday, February 19, 2009

Trains: Hey Conductor


Dave Carter: Hey Conductor introduction (from Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, 8/19/01)

Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer: Hey Conductor

[purchase] (scroll down to Tanglewood Tree CD)

I've posted Dave Carter songs a time or two on this blog - he was a brilliant songwriter who still, over six years after his death, is so much missed. I was thrilled to remember I had a live recording of Dave's introduction of Hey Conductor - what a great storyteller he was as well...

This song also possesses the ubiquitously joyful train tempo - I tried to do it justice but when I went to my friend RG's site (if you need folk chords and lyrics, this is the place for you!) for inspiration, I found Ron said it better than I ever could...

This rollicking, knee-slapping, toe-tapping tour-de-force is one the most wildly entertaining songs I've ever heard. From Tracy's exuberant "Yee-ha!" after the second chorus to her absolutely hysterical tribute to The Wabash Cannonball during the mandolin break, it never fails to crack me up.

Here's the most poetic and thorough article I've ever read about Dave and Tracy (written before Dave's passing), even though it doesn't even touch on their third recording, Drum Hat Buddha, released May 2001...

blog comments powered by Disqus