Ever feel like you just put in the longer day ever at work? That was the lives of many African Americans and immigrants who spent their days building our country’s railroads. They passed the days with music, and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” has secured itself in American Folk Music History. We address some of that history in today’s blog post.
The above video was featured on a DIRECTV special about American Folk Music.
“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” may be the best known folk song about the U.S. railroad system.
You may know our country’s railroads were built mainly by African-Americans and immigrants (mainly Irish immigrants). It was hard work and was made more tolerable by singing music.
In the case of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” the line “…all the livelong day” is a telling sign that the work these men were doing was grueling work, with long, long hours.
You may also remember there is a part in the song that talks about someone being “in the kitchen with Dinah.” This is from another folk song that was published in London in the 1830s. According to Wikipedia, “It was published as ‘Old Joe, or Somebody in the House with Dinah’ in London in the 1830s or ’40s, with music credited to J.H. Cave.” (This note was credited to the Mudcat Cafe, which is an excellent source for lyrics and the history of songs.)
Some believe that “Dinah” is a reference to the cook in the kitchen on the train. Others think that it was a generic reference to an African-American woman. At any rate, in addition to the popular verse:
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone’s in the kitchen, I know
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo
Read the lyrics of this wildly popular folk song, and tell us what you think it’s about!
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad,
All the live long day.
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Can’t you hear the whistle blowing?
Rise up so early in the morn.
Can’t you hear the captain shoutin’
“Dinah, blow your horn?”
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow your horn, you horn?
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow your horn?
Hey, someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah.
Someone’s in the kitchen, I know.
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo.
And singing, fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o-o-o-o.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o.
Strumming on the old banjo.
