The icon of the locomotive and the train it pulls has been
firmly embedded in artistic and popular culture since the Industrial
Revolution of the 19th Century harnessed steam and encased it in metal to
produce the first mammoths of power, movement, speed and beauty. These
incredible machines opened up land, sea and, subsequently, air travel to
an ever widening populace eager to exploit the New Century and its
celebration of Modernism. Little wonder that the railroad has been the
subject of setting for numerous stories in films, books and of course
music. No more so than in the USA where the train has been used within a
variety of musical forms and contexts: as a symbol of freedom - the means
of escape from the hardships of the South to the Northern streets of gold
- the way back home again; the means of getting to both Heaven and Hell -
sexual metaphor; a free ride for the migrant escaping the Great Depression
as well as the travelling songster and of course – disaster - the
inevitable wreck with its incompetent driver (or brave engineer)!
This 29-track compilation covers the above via an exciting mix of Pre- and
Post-War Blues, Hillbilly, Jazz, R 'n' B and Rock 'n' Roll. It includes 2
previously unreleased tracks and a wealth of rare material, some of which
has not been available re-mastered for digital audio.
View full size for track details
