listen to me play wabash cannonball...i bought some sticks and a cowbell..

[cleofus1]

lo fi link

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4274479&q=lo

hi fi link

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4274479&q=hi

[cleofus1]

1. origins from wikipedia

Origins
There are many theories of the origin of The Wabash Cannonball. One plausible theory by Utah Phillips states that The Wabash Cannonball came about when hobos somewhere imagined a mythical train called the "Wabash Cannonball" and created the lyrics and music to go with the myth.

Another theory <4> states that the song is based on a tall tale in which Cal S. Bunyan, Paul Bunyan's brother, constructed a railroad known as the Ireland, Jerusalem, Australian & Southern Michigan Line. After two months of service, the 700 car train was traveling so fast that it arrived at its destination an hour before its departure. Finally, the train took off so fast that it rushed in to outer space, and for all is known, it is still traveling through space. When the hobos learned of this train, they called her "The Wabash Cannonball" and said that every station in America had heard her whistle.


Namesakes
When the song gained popularity, Wabash Railroad named its express run between Detroit and St. Louis as the Wabash Cannonball. A roller coaster at the now-defunct Opryland USA theme park was titled after the song as well.