“The Baggage Coach Ahead”

Description

The passengers on the train are awakened by a child's cries. They complain to the child's father. He tells them that the child's mother is dead "in the baggage coach ahead." Upon learning this, the passengers turn helpful

Notes

Various "real" stories have been claimed as the inspiration of this ballad -- e.g. Randolph reported it to be based on the real-life story of Dr. James B. Watson and family. Watson's daughter Nellie was born in 1867, and the girl's mother died in 1869. Watson was taking his wife's body back to her home in Pennsylvania when the events described took place.

On the other hand, Spaeth notes that Charles K. Harris wrote a song "Is Life Worth Living," with almost the same plot, some years before Davis produced "Baggage Coach." Whether based on an actual incident or not, the idea amply met the nineteenth century demand for tearjerkers.

Cohen's notes on the song include four other dead-body-on-the-train songs, and list other people on whose story the song might have been based. Adding it all up, it seems likely that there was *something* in existence before Davis worked on ths song, though the Davis text does seem to have become canonical. - RBW

Recordings

• Fiddlin' John Carson, "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (OKeh 7006, 1924)
• Vernon Dalhart, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (Columbia 15028-D, 1925) (Edison 51557 [as Vernon Dalhart & Co.], 1925) (Victor 29627, 1925) (Supertone 9248, 1928) (Perfect 12199 [as Bob Massey]; Perfect 12644, 1930) (CYL: Edison [BA] 5011 [as Vernon Dalhart & Co.], n.d.)
• Red Evans, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (Vocalion 5173, 1927)
• George Gaskin, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (CYL: Collumbia 4080, c. 1898)
• George Hobson [possibly a pseudonym for George Reneau?] "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (Silvertone 3047, 1924)
• Andrew Jenkins & Carson Robison, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (OKeh 45234, 1928)
• Lester McFarlane & Robert Gardner, "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (Brunswick 200Brunswick 326/Vocalion 5200, 1928; rec. 1927)
• George Reneau, "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (Vocalion 14918, 1924)
• Kate Smith, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (Columbia 2605-D, 1932)
• Ernest Thompson, "In The Baggage Coach Ahead" (Columbia 216-D, 1924; Harmony 5124-H [as Ernest Johnson], c. 1930)

References

1. Cohen-LSRail, pp. 304-315, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (1 text plus some excerpts, a copy of the sheet music cover, and four texts on related theme, 1 tune)
2. Randolph 704, "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (1 text)
3. LPound-ABS, 58, pp. 131-132, "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (1 text)
4. Spaeth-ReadWeep, pp. 155-156, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (fragmentary text, partial tune)
5. Geller-Famous, pp. 173-178, "In the Baggage Coach Ahead" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. cf. Gardner/Chickering, p. 477, "The Baggage Coach Ahead" (source notes only)
7. Roud #3529
8. BI, R704