THE WABASH CANNONBALL
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~Time signature: 4/4 Tempo: lively
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Traditional, adapted & popularized by the Carter Family and others.
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Accordion Notation
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Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent |
Either row: Buttons 4* - 8
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There are many versions, differing in tune or lyrics or both - no two seem to be identical. The following notation is based on the sheet music in Country Classics for Easy Guitar (A fine book from Hal Leonard Publication), adapted for the accordion. The lyrics are from the Hank Snow version (see his youTube video). You may have to make adjustments for some of the videos.
Verse 1 (of 4)
"5 "5 | "5 ;5 .6 .6 | .7 :8
From the great At - lan - tic O - cean /
"7* "6 | .7* .6 .6 .5* | .:4*
to the wide Pa - cif - ic shore, /
"4* "4* | .5 .5 .6* .7* | .7 :7*
From the banks of sweet Mar – y - land /
"7* "7* | .6* .5 .5* .5* | .:5
To the ice bound Lab – ra - dor, /
.5 | .5 "5 ;6 .6 | .7 :8 .
It's a scene of mag – ic splen - dor /
.7 | .7* .6 .7* .6 | ::4* |
That’s known by one and all, /
.5 .5 .6* .7* | .7 "7* ;7*
She’s a mod-ern com – bi – na - tion /
.7* | .5* .5 .5* .6* | ::6 | .:r
Called the Wa - bash Cann’n - ball /
Verse 1 (of 4)
"5 "5 | "5 ;5 .6 .6 | .7 :8
From the great At - lan - tic O - cean /
"7* "6 | .7* .6 .6 .5* | .:4*
to the wide Pa - cif - ic shore, /
"4* "4* | .5 .5 .6* .7* | .7 :7*
From the banks of sweet Mar – y - land /
"7* "7* | .6* .5 .5* .5* | .:5
To the ice bound Lab – ra - dor, /
.5 | .5 "5 ;6 .6 | .7 :8 .
It's a scene of mag – ic splen - dor /
.7 | .7* .6 .7* .6 | ::4* |
That’s known by one and all, /
.5 .5 .6* .7* | .7 "7* ;7*
She’s a mod-ern com – bi – na - tion /
.7* | .5* .5 .5* .6* | ::6 | .:r
Called the Wa - bash Cann’n - ball /
youTube VIDEOS
Twelve youTube videos in various keys: A=3 Bb=2 D=1 D,E=1 Eb=1 F=1 G=3
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Key: F
Singer: Hank Snow Posted by: Mr75eyes Hank Snow's version of the Wabash Cannonball is the one that I first heard as a boy, growing up near (very near) the rail line that passed through our community. This music captures the rhythm, sound and feel of train travel. |
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Key: G
Singers: Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs Posted by: TOSStarTrek |
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Key: G
Tempo: ~180 bpm. Posted by: Calikokat Piano This piano presentation brings out the pure beauty of this melody. To my ear, this presentation is close to (though not identical with) Notation Version 2. |
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Key: A
Tempo: ~190 bpm. Singer: Roy Acuff Posted by: ROYACUFFVEVO Roy Acuff recorded his version of this song in 1936, and it has sold more than ten million physical copies world-wide. It may be fair to say that although the Carters performed it in 1929 (perhaps borrowing much from one or two previous railroad songs), it was Acuff who made it popular. |
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Key: A
Singer: Boxcar Willie (a.k.a. Lecil Travis Martin) Posted by: onemediamusic |
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Key: D
Singer: Wanda Jackson Posted by: myblindfreddy9999 |
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Key: D from time 0 to 1:19
E from 1:19 to end Tempo: ~190 bpm. Singer: Johnny Cash Posted by: Rich Giles This is classic "Johnny Cash" - really great! |
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Key: A
Tempo: ~180 bpm Performers: Grand Ol' Oprey crew, lots of instruments and great singing. Posted by: Singnfisherman |
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Key: Eb
Tempo: ~174 bpm Singer: Ernest Tubb Posted by: Mr. Flapjack Presents This covers all five verses of Version 3 (below), with short instrumentals between verses 2 and 3, and between verses 4 and 5. |
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Key: G
Tempo: ~220 bpm Musicians: Our two talented Australians, Bob & Hector Posted by: bertosvids This is very fast, so fast that the novice learner may want to cut the play-back speed in half (using the little sprocket button in the lower right area of the window, below the youTube screen). |
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Key: Bb
Singer: Hank Locklin Posted by: Hank Locklin - Topic |
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Key: Bb
Tempo: Group: The Carter Family Posted by: VinylCountryMusic |
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Background Information & Links
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LYRICS Verse 1 Chorus Verse 2 Verse 3 Verse 1 Verse 2 Verse 3 Verse 4 Verse 5 Verse 1 Verse 2 Verse 3 Verse 4 |
LYRIC VERSION 1 Published by Hal Leonard in the Easy Folksong Fake Book (A highly recommended series of books). From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific's shore, From the ones we leave behind us to the ones we see once more, She's mighty tall and handsome, and quite well known by all, How we love the choo - choo of the Wabash Cannonball. Hear the bell and whistle calling, hear the wheels that go clack - clack, Hear the roaring of the engine, as she rolls along the track. The magic of the railroad wins hearts of one and all. As we reach our destination on the Wabash Cannonball. Listen to the rhythmic jingle and the rumble and the roar, As she glides along the woodlands through the hills and by the shore. You hear the mighty engine and pray that it won't stall, While we safely travel on the Wabash Cannonball. She was coming from Atlanta on a cold December day. As she rolled into the station, I could hear a woman say: He's mighty big and handsome, and sure did make me fall. He's a coming tow'rd me on the Wabash Cannonball. LYRIC VERSION 3 Published by Hal Leonard in Country Classics for Easy Guitar (An excellent source) From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore From the queen of flowing mountains to the South bell by the shore, She's mighty tall and handsome and known quite well by all, She's the combination on the Wabash Cannonball. She came down from Birmingham, one cold December day. As she rolled into the station, you could hear all the people say ... There's a girl from Tennessee, she's long and she's tall. She came down from Birmingham on the Wabash Cannonball. Our eastern states are dandy, so the people always say, From New York to St. Louis and Chicago by the way. From the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall, No changes can be taken on that Wabash Cannonball. Here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever stand, And always be remembered 'round the courts of Alabam' His earthly race is over, and the curtains 'round him fall, We'll carry home to victory on the Wabash Cannonball. Listen to the jingle to the rumble and the roar, As she glides along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shore. Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear that lonesome hobo's call. You're travelin' through the jungles on the Wabash Cannonball. LYRIC VERSION 4 Sung by Hank Snow (My favorite) From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore From the banks of sweet Maryland to the ice bound Labrador It's a scene of magic splendor that is known by one and all, She's a modern combination called the Wabash Cannonball. Listen to the jingle to the rumble and the roar, As she dashes through the woodlands that steal along the shore, She's a mighty rushin' engine, you can hear them hobos call As they ride the rods and the brake beams on the Wabash Cannonball. Your cities may be fairer as you can plainly see, From Saint Paul to Minneapolis and the famous Albany, Then back to ole Niagara where the laughing waters fall, You can hear them hobos singin' on the Wabash Cannonball. Here's health to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever stand, And always be respected by folks throughout the land. And when his mortal race is run and the curtains around him fall, We'll carry him home to Glory on the Wabash Cannonball. |
Composition: |
This song has been recorded by many country, folk and popular musicians, with many variations in the lyrics and some in the melody. In most, if not all, cases their lyrics can be comfortably sung with either tune version 1 or 2 given at top of this web page.
For more on the origin and evolution of this folksong check out the following web sites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabash_Cannonball https://historynewsnetwork.org/blog/152354 https://www.whitegum.com/introjs.htm?/~acsa/songfile/WABASH.HTM |
Publisher: |
Hal Leonard is a large publisher of sheet music, in both book form and as individual sheets. I recommend them highly. You can purchase their music books from Amazon, or directly from them. The Hal Leonard series of "fake" books in the key of C may be a useful resource for beginners with some knowledge of music theory, as the melodies are shown in relatively simple sheet- music format.
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