Woody Guthrie's 1944 Folk/Southern Country Gospel Rendition Of The Religious Song "Little Black Train" & Indra Rios-Moore's 2015 Jazz/Folk Rendition Of "Little Black Train"

T.A. Sedlak, August 8, 2009

Woody Guthrie Little Black Train The Asch Recordings Vol. 2 (1944)

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This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series on the early 20th century African American and White American traditional* religious song entitled "The Little Black Train".

*Traditional means that the composer/s of the lyrics and music for this song isn't (aren't) known.
 

This post showcases Woody Guthrie's 1944 folk music/Southern Country rendition of "Little Black Train".

This post also showcases a 2015 YouTube video of a Jazz rendition of that song by ndra Rios Moore. The lyrics for these two versions of "The Little Black Train" are also included in this post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/03/some-early-examples-of-black-american.html for Part I of this pancocojams series.  That post presents lyrics for and information about some versions of "The Little Black Train" from 1909-1940.

A sound file of The Carter Family's version of that song is also included in this pancocojams post. 

The content of this post is presented for folkloric and religious purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composer/s of "The Little Black Train". Thanks to Woodie Guthrie and to Indra Rios-Moore for their renditions of this song. and thanks to the publisher of these videos on YouTube. 

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WOODY GUTHRIE'S LYRICS FOR "LITTLE BLACK TRAIN"

There's a little black train a-coming
Coming down the track
You've got to ride that little black train
But it ain't a-gonna bring you back

You may be a bar-room gambler
And cheat your way through life
But you can't cheat that little black train
Or beat this final ride

You silken bar-room ladies
Dressed in your wordly pride
You've got to ride that little black train
That's coming in tonight
Your million dollar fortune
Your mansion glittering white
You can't take it with you
When the train moves in tonight

Get ready for your saviour
Fix your business right
You've got to ride that little black train
To make this final ride

You silken bar-room ladies
Dressed in your worldly pride
You've got to ride that little black train
That's coming in tonight

 
You may be a bar-room gambler
Cheat your way through life
But you can't cheat that little black train
Or beat this final ride

There's a little black train a-coming
Coming down the track
You've got to ride that little black train
But it ain't a-gonna bring you back

online source - https://genius.com/Woody-guthrie-little-black-train-lyrics 
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Click https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Guthrie for information about White American folk singer/songwriter Woody Guthrie ((July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967)

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 - Indra Rios-Moore - "Little Black Train" 

Indra Rios-Moore, Apr 15, 2015

Indra creates music that is timeless; music that is informed by jazz, folk, rock and country. On her new album, Heartland, her first album for impulse! label, it comes together in an eclectic mix that is simple and charming, yet so very elegant…..
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Click https://www.indrariosmoore.com/ for information about African American/Puerto Rican singer Indra Rios-Moore.

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LYRICS - LITTLE BLACK TRAIN
(As sung by Indra Rios- Moore) 

That little black train is coming
Get all your business right
You better set your house in order
Or the train may be here tonight

God spoke to Hezekiah
In a message from on high
You better set your house in order
For thou must surely die

That little black train is coming
Get all your business right
You better set your house in order
Or the train may be here tonight

He turned his face to the wall
To see the king and tell
He got his business fixed alright
And God spared him fifteen years

That little black train is coming
Get all your business right
You better set your house in order
Or the train may be here tonight

Listen men and listen women
They care nothing for the gospel life
Till the bell rang and the whistle blew
Oh that little black train in sight

That little black train is coming
Get all your business right
You better set your house in order
Or the train may be here tonight
You better set your house in order
Or the train may be here tonight

online source: https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Indra-Rios-Moore/Little-Black-Train

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

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