“The Train That Never Returned”

Description

A train sets out, but "Did she ever return? No, she never returned, Though the train was due at one. For hours and hours the watchman stood waiting For the train that never returned." The song describes some of those who waited for it

Notes

I am assigning the Whitey Johns recording to this title, without having heard it, but I'm calling it a SAME TUNE to be on the safe(r) side. - PJS

Same tune

• Whitey Johns, "The Train That Never Arrived" (Romeo 1205, 1930)

Cross references

• cf. "The Ship that Never Returned" [Laws D27] (tune & meter) and references there
• cf. "The Wreck of Old 97" (tune & meter)
• cf. "The Rarden Wreck of 1893" (tune & metre, theme)
• cf. "The Flying Colonel" (tune)

Recordings

• Fiddlin' John Carson, "Did He Ever Return" (OKeh 45176, 1928)

References

1. Randolph 694, "The Train that Never Returned" (1 text)
2. BrownII 215, "The Ship That Never Returned" (1 text, filed as "c" under the parodies)
3. Spaeth-WeepMore, p. 139, "The Train that Never Returned" (1 text, tune referenced)
4. Roud #775
5. BI, R694