- Written by
- Elizabeth Cotten
- Composition date
- 1906
- Language
- English
- ISWC
-
T-900.836.213-8 ISWC
- Comments
-
"Freight Train" was written by Elizabeth Cotten when she was 11 or 12. After marrying and having a child, Cotten gave up music for many years. In 1945 she was hired as a domestic by the Seeger family and eventually started playing again. Peggy Seeger learnt "Freight Train" from her and took the song to the UK, where she played the song in folk clubs. Here it was heard by Chas McDevitt and Bill Varley, who copyrighted the song and recorded it with vocalist Nancy Whiskey.
First three verses -
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Please don't tell what train I'm on
They won't know what route I'm going
When I'm dead and in my grave
No more good times here I crave
Place the stones at my head and feet
And tell them all I've gone to sleep
When I die, oh bury me deep
Down at the end of old Chestnut Street
So I can hear old Number Nine
As she comes rolling by - Licensing
- Request a synchronization license
Adaptations
An adaptation is a musical work, which uses elements (music or lyrics) from another musical work.
-
Freight Train written by Elizabeth Cotten English 1906
- Den fredløse written by John Mogensen Danish 1957
-
Freight Train
written by Chas McDevitt, Bill Varley
English
December 1956
- Tren de carga written by Rafaelmo Spanish 1958
- Snälltåg written by Peter Himmelstrand Swedish July 1964
- Lyckan kommer, lyckan går written by Peter R. Alberth Swedish 1969
- Elfsborg, Elfsborg written by Lars Ekborg Swedish 1977
- Pakoon pakoon written by Reino Helismaa Finnish 1957
- Je change un peu de vent written by Jean-Michel Rivat French 1965
- רכבת המשא {Rakevet ha-masa} written by Ehud Manor Hebrew 1982
- Flökku-Jói written by Ólafur Gaukur Icelandic 1957
- Godstog written by unknown author(s) Norwegian 2013
- Tren de carga written by Augusto Algueró [Sr.] [Mapel] Spanish 1958
- Den fredlöse written by Gösta Rybrant Swedish September 1957
-
Till SJ
written by Stefan Demert
Swedish
1971
- Till SJ (Strån till stacken) written by Johan Johansson Swedish 2015
- Tigern är ett majsigt djur written by Lasse Åberg Swedish 1979