Misc Traditional – Wabash Cannonball (Ukulele)
Key
-
Versions
(3)
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Speed:
1.0x
Chords
[Verse 1]
F Bb Out from the wide Pacific to the broad Atlantic shore C F She climbs the flowery mountains, over hills and by the shore Bb Although she's tall and handsome and she's known quite well by all C F She's a regular combination, the Wabash Cannonball.
[Chorus]
F Bb Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar C F As she glides along the woodland, over hills and by the shore Bb She climbs the flowery mountains, hear the merry hobo squall C F As she glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
[Verse 2]
F Bb Oh the Eastern states are dandy, so the Western people say C F Chicago, Rock Island, St. Louis by the way Bb To the lakes of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall C F No chances to be taken on the Wabash Cannonball.
[Chorus]
F Bb Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar C F As she glides along the woodland, over hills and by the shore Bb She climbs the flowery mountains, hear the merry hobo squall C F As she glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
[Verse 3]
F Bb I have rode the I.C. Limited, also the Royal Blue C F Across the Eastern counties on Elkhorn Number Two Bb I have rode these highball trains from coast to coast that's all C F But I have found no equal to the Wabash Cannonball.
[Chorus]
F Bb Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar C F As she glides along the woodland, over hills and by the shore Bb She climbs the flowery mountains, hear the merry hobo squall C F As she glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
[Verse 4]
F Bb Oh, here's old daddy Cleaton, let his name forever be C F And long be remembered in the courts of Tennessee Bb For he is a good old rounder 'til the curtain round him fall C F He'll be carried back to victory on the Wabash Cannonball.
[Chorus]
F Bb Oh, listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar C F As she glides along the woodland, over hills and by the shore Bb She climbs the flowery mountains, hear the merry hobo squall C F As she glides along the woodland, the Wabash Cannonball.
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Folk music is a wonderful thing. Here's some other lyrics -
[Verse 1]
F Bb From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shores, C F From the Queen of flowin mountains, to the south belle by the shore, Bb She's mighty tall and handsome and she's known quite well by all, C F She's the modern combination on the Wabash Cannonball
{Quite a bit of wordplay equating the train with a woman, which is
continued in the next verse}
[Verse 2]
F Bb She came down from Birmingham one cold December day C F And as she stood in the roundhouse you could hear all the people say Bb "There's a gal from Tennesee and, man, she's long and she's tall. C F She came down from Birmingham on the Wabash Cannonball"
{The next verse is very similar to the last in the previous post}
[Verse 3]
F Bb Well here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever be! C F And long be remembered in the courts of Tennesee. Bb His earthly trials are over as the final curtain falls. C F We'll carry him home to vict'ry on the Wabash Cannonball.
(Up to now the song has had a decidedly southern bent, despite the
fact that the train ran N_S and was named for a river in Indiana. The
next verse, probably a much later redaction, tries to gives some equal
time to our northern friends...}
[Verse 4]
F Bb Her eastern states are dandy, some people always say. C F From New York to St. Louis and Chicago on the way, F Bb From the hills of Minnesota, where the sparkling waters fall - C F No changes can be taken on the Wabash Cannonball.
{Check out the alliteration and internal rhyme on the next verse.}
[Verse 5]
F Bb So listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar C F As she glides along the foothills and the pathways to the shore. Bb Hear the mighty rush of the engines, hear the lonesome hobos call C F As they rumble through the jungle on the Wabash Cannonball.