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Harry Manx — Reubens Train
Album: Dog My Cat
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 780









Released: 2001
Length: 4:01
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Ol Reuben made a train he put it on a track
He ran it to the Lord knows where
Oh me, oh my ran it to the Lord knows where

Should been in town when Reuben's train went down
You could hear that whistle blow 100 miles
Oh me, oh my you could hear the whistle blow 100 miles

Last night I lay in jail had no money to go my bail
Lord how it sleeted it snowed
Oh me, oh my Lord how it sleeted & it snowed

I've been to the East, I've been to the West
I'm going where the chilly winds don't blow
Oh me, oh my I'm going where the chilly winds don't blow

Oh the train that I ride is 100 coaches long
You can hear the whistle blow 100 miles
Oh me, oh my you can hear the whistle blow 100 miles

I got myself a blade, laid Reuben in the shade,
I'm startin' me a graveyard of my own.
Oh, me, oh lordy my, startin' me a graveyard of my own.
Comments (47)add comment
The great thing about Radio Paradise is that you get to hear songs like this, you may never hear sounds like this on standard radio. I love divergent music!
 tomcool wrote:

Today, Bill went from "Wild Mountain Thyme" to "Copperhead Road" so seamlessly that you'd have thought the two songs had been scored together. And in Master DJ terms, they had been. I know Bill works on his seques, but his acoustic memory and imagination are amazing. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn't pull off such a hyperdimensional sound stream for one single day. And he's been dong it, 24 x 7 x 365, since 2000.
 
Totally agree.  Bill’s an artist.   
That is a visceral and moving piece of music....for me anyway. Touched something deep inside.
 westslope wrote:
What do the lyrics mean?
Anybody care to take a stab?
 
It's a traditional folk song.  Apparently it's about a train called the Reuben Wells.  An interesting history.
This is why I love listening to RP. 


tomcool wrote:

Today, Bill went from "Wild Mountain Thyme" to "Copperhead Road" so seamlessly that you'd have thought the two songs had been scored together. And in Master DJ terms, they had been. I know Bill works on his seques, but his acoustic memory and imagination are amazing. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn't pull off such a hyperdimensional sound stream for one single day. And he's been dong it, 24 x 7 x 365, since 2000.
 

I love the binaural microphone technique used on Harry in this recording.  It sounds like he's standing in front of me, not inside my head.
What do the lyrics mean?
Anybody care to take a stab?
 easmann wrote:
The segue from Steve Earle's Copperhead Road was so seamless I could not detect the transition. Nice.

 
Today, Bill went from "Wild Mountain Thyme" to "Copperhead Road" so seamlessly that you'd have thought the two songs had been scored together. And in Master DJ terms, they had been. I know Bill works on his seques, but his acoustic memory and imagination are amazing. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn't pull off such a hyperdimensional sound stream for one single day. And he's been dong it, 24 x 7 x 365, since 2000.
This guy could play a tennis racket and make it sound good.
Really nice segue Bill!
 easmann wrote:
The segue from Steve Earle's Copperhead Road was so seamless I could not detect the transition. Nice.

 
Yeah, that...
Love this guy.  If he ever records with Jai Uttal, there will be a singularity.
I think I heard 4 bars and I reached over to turn the volume up.  This guy is SO good!

Thanks for the good tunes.  :-) 
The segue from Steve Earle's Copperhead Road was so seamless I could not detect the transition. Nice.
Good sound. Reminiscent of songs that used to make me reach for a dirty glass
 Cannucklehead wrote:
Oh ya. looking forward to seeing Harry on the 6th!
 
I have never seen anyone in the Studio at the Arts Centre. Do they have seats? Or standing room? I understand this is general admission so I guess its first come? He is playing two nights I think?

This song is soooo good for the ears...
 

Oh ya. looking forward to seeing Harry on the 6th!
Good thing Satchmo was in this lineup:  might think it the Redneck Hour, otherwise.

Great Sunday afternoon train song...thanx RP


Nice one!
 Dragonfly_Launch wrote:
Damn this guy sounds like Kelly Joe Phelps. What is up with that?
 

Perhaps, although he plays an incredbly difficult machine (Mohan Veena),  doesn't have a spastic rocking movement going on, has good diction and was born on the Isle of Man.......oh well, you get my drift.
Seen them both live several times, prefer Harry by far.  

Quote:The instrument is actually a modified Archtop guitar and consists of 20 strings viz. three melody strings, five drone strings strung to the peghead, and twelve sympathetic strings strung to the tuners mounted on the side of the neck.<1> A gourd (or the tumba) is screwed into the back of the neck for improved sound quality and vibration. It is held in the lap like a slide guitar. The Mohan Veena is under tremendous tension; the total strings pull to be in excess of 500 pounds.<2>

Some of the popular performers include its inventor Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, the fusion artist Harry Manx and Pandit Satish Khanwalkar.



Yibbyl's favorite track on the cd.

I like it, too.
 madaxeman wrote:
Lovely. An 8 on first listen.
 
Mad Max Rules!

Great song!
Great song! It sounded even better live.
Lovely. An 8 on first listen.
Dragonfly_Launch wrote:
Damn this guy sounds like Kelly Joe Phelps. What is up with that?
Yes, he does, I thought it was him. this station needs more of him. and this is wonderful.
Absolutely outstanding artist.
Damn this guy sounds like Kelly Joe Phelps. What is up with that?
Anyone listening here in the SF Bay Area? Harry Manx plays the Freight and Salvage October 23rd, 2007! It's a great venue for sound: (click here)
Moak wrote:
After this gem and the Joe Ely song, I'm packing for my road trip - yeah right...
Gonna take a ride on the Reading Railroad? To Atlantic City?
After this gem and the Joe Ely song, I'm packing for my road trip - yeah right...
resonator wrote:
Then we need to hear from The Great Train Robbery, an excellent ska-ish band from Buffalo in the late 80's.
Dude - I never thought anyone would mention them on RP! Small freakin world... "...and police feel so tall, with a gun in his hand, and a girl by his side."
Every time Manx is played, I have to consult the playlist from wherever I am in the office. Love that opening....
Somebody likes songs about trains alot :D And I see that this is a common mix around here... ;)
he's got my attention.
bluedot wrote:
it's a "train set." an honored historical disk jockey tradition in free-form radio!
Then we need to hear from The Great Train Robbery, an excellent ska-ish band from Buffalo in the late 80's.
innocentblue wrote:
This is a cool song, but what's with all these songs with "train" in their title? Crazy trains...
it's a "train set." an honored historical disk jockey tradition in free-form radio!
Appropriate name for a guy from the Isle Of Man... Jason
nice pickin\'
Great seque, Bill. Sound great coming out of Springsteen\'s \"World\'s...\") track.
Hmm, sounds a bit like Kelly Joe Phelps. Interesting. I like it.
WOW! Yet another good artist I\'ve never heard of before! Thanks RP!