Long Steel Rail

Impeccable scholarship and lavish illustration distinguish this landmark study of American railroad folksong. Norm Cohen provides a sweeping discussion of the human aspects of railroad history, railroad folklore, and the evolution of the American folksong. The heart of the book is a detailed analysis of eighty-five songs, from "John Henry" and "The Wabash Cannonball" to "Hell-Bound Train" and "Casey Jones", with their music, sources, history, variations, and discographies. A substantial new introduction updates this edition.