Harvey
Amos Lyrics


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Do ya hear that whistle down the line?
I figure that it's engine number forty nine
She's the only one that'll sound that way
On the Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe

See the old smoke risin' 'round the bend
I reckon that she knows she's gonna meet a friend
Folks around these parts get the time of day
From The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe

Here she comes
Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Hey, Jim you'd better get the rig
Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
She's got a list o' passengers that's pretty big

And they'll all want lifts to Brown's Hotel
'Cause lots o' them been travelin' for quite a spell
All the way from Philadelphiay
On The Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe

All aboard, all aboard

Here she comes
Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
Hey, Jim you'd better get the rig
Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo
She's got a list o' passengers that's pretty big

And they'll all want lifts to Brown's Hotel
'Cause lots o' them been travelin' for quite a spell




All the way from Philadelphiay
On The Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "Harvey" by Amos are an ode to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway. The song begins by describing the sound of the train's whistle and how it can only belong to engine number forty-nine. This creates a sense of familiarity and recognition for those who know the train well. As the train approaches, the singer notes that the smoke is rising around the bend, indicating that the train and the people on board know they're arriving at a known destination where they'll meet their friends.


The song continues with the announcement that Jim, likely the driver of a horse-drawn carriage, should be ready to take on a large group of passengers who will need a lift to Brown's Hotel. These passengers have been traveling for quite some time, likely from far away places such as Philadelphia, and will be looking for a place to rest and rejuvenate. Overall, the song celebrates the tradition of train travel and the sense of familiarity and community that it can provide.


Line by Line Meaning

Do ya hear that whistle down the line?
Can you hear the sound of the whistle from the train approaching?


I figure that it's engine number forty nine
I believe that the train we hear is powered by engine number forty nine.


She's the only one that'll sound that way
This train is unique in its sound, as no other train sounds like that.


On the Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe
This train is running on the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe railroad line.


See the old smoke risin' 'round the bend
Looking ahead, we can see smoke rising from the train as it goes around the corner.


I reckon that she knows she's gonna meet a friend
I imagine that the train knows it will be meeting people it knows at its next stop.


Folks around these parts get the time of day
People in this area are very familiar with this train and are used to seeing it go by.


From The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe
This train is part of the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe railway system.


All aboard, all aboard
It is time for passengers to get on the train before it departs.


Hey, Jim you'd better get the rig
Hey, Jim, you need to get the horse-drawn carriage ready to take these passengers from the train to their destination.


She's got a list o' passengers that's pretty big
There are many passengers on this train who need to be taken to their destination.


And they'll all want lifts to Brown's Hotel
These passengers will need to be taken to Brown's Hotel from the train station.


'Cause lots o' them been travelin' for quite a spell
Many of these passengers have been traveling for a long time to get here.


All the way from Philadelphiay
Some of these passengers have traveled all the way from Philadelphia to get here.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

Jenny Burrow

Great video Mick. I really enjoy watching your escapades with the detecting. You never know what you will pull out of the ground!! It always holds wonderful secrets. :-) Thank you.

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