Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation. According to biographer John Swenson, Haley later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. The spit-curl caught on as a 50's style signature, although Haley and others had worn the hairstyle much earlier.
In 1946, Haley joined his first professional group, a Pennsylvania-based western swing band called The Down Homers run by Kenny Roberts. It has often been reported in musical reference works that Haley's first professional recordings were made with the Down Homers on a pair of singles released in 1946 by Vogue Records. This was later debunked by Roberts and others, stating Haley had already left the group by the time the singles were made. In the early 2000s, however, a set of 1946 radio recordings by the Down Homers were discovered and Haley is definitely present as he is identified by name and sings a solo number "She Taught Me to Yodel"; these recordings were commercially released for the first time in 2006.
After gaining experience with the Down Homers, Haley set out on his own, forming several groups such as the Range Drifters and the Four Aces of Western Swing. With the Four Aces, he made a number of regionally successful country music singles in the late 1940s for Cowboy Records while working as a touring musician and later a radio DJ at WPWA. (Many of Haley's early recordings from this period would not be released until after his death.) After disbanding the Four Aces and briefly trying a solo career using the names Jack Haley and Johnny Clifton (as chronicled in the biography Sound and Glory), Haley formed a new group called The Saddlemen in either 1949 or 1950 (sources vary as to the exact year); this new group recorded for several labels, including one single for Atlantic Records, Haley's first exposure to a major national record company. In 1951, Haley was signed to Dave Miller's Philadelphia-based Holiday Records and began to change musical styles, recording cover versions of "Rocket "88"" (previously recorded by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats), and in, 1952, "Rock the Joint", previously recorded by several bands including Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians. (By the time of "Rock the Joint", Haley had graduated from Holiday Records to Miller's larger Essex label.) The relative success of these recordings (both sold in the 75,000-100,000 copy range in the Pennsylvania-New England region) convinced Haley that his new and as-yet officially unnamed hybrid of country and rhythm and blues could be a commercial success.and some of his family lives in oklahoma and there is a road named after his family.
Chatanooga Choo Choo
Bill Haley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Headin' for the station with a pack on my back
Tired of transportation in the back of a hack
I love to hear the rhythm of the clickety-clack
And sear the lonesome whistle, see the smoke from the stack
Pal around with Democratic fellows named Mac
So tTake me right back to the track, Jack
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Woo woo, woo woo ch'boogie
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Take me right back to the track, Jack
You wake up in the morning feelin' sharp as a tack
You open up a sack and then you gobble a snack
You smoke a cigarette you didn't get in the pack
While takin' off your shoes so you can empty the slack
There's nothing you can do about the dough that you lack
But beat it right back to the track, Jack
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Woo woo, woo woo ch'boogie
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Take me right back to the track, Jack
You reach your destination but alas in a lack
You need some compensation to get back in the black
You take a morning paper from the top of the stack
And read the situation from the front to the back
The only job that's open needs a man with a knack
So put it right back in the rack, Jack
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Woo woo, woo woo ch'boogie
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Take me right back to the track, Jack
I'm gonna settle down by the railroad track
And live the life of Riley in the beaten-down shack
So when I hear the whistle I can peep through the crack
And watch the train a-rollin' when it's ballin' the jack
I just love the rhythm of the clickety-clack
Take me right back to the track, Jack
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Woo woo, woo woo ch'boogie
Choo choo, choo choo ch'boogie
Take me right back to the track, Jack
"Choo Choo Ch'boogie" by Bill Haley is a story of a hard-working man who is tired of his daily routine and just wants to live life. The song talks about the man heading to the train station with a pack on his back, tired of transportation in the back of a hack. He loves the rhythm of the clickety-clack and the lonesome whistle which indicates freedom for him. The man just wants to pal around with democratic fellows named 'Mac' and take him right back to the track. The song is about the rhythm and sound of the train, which has become a synonym with freedom for many.
In the second verse of the song, the story continues with the hardworking man who wakes up feeling sharp as a tack. He opens up a pack and gobbles a snack, takes a cigarette, and takes off his shoes to empty the slack. The man has no money but needs to beat it right back to the track. The rhythm of the clickety-clack and the whistle of the train have a calming effect on the man making him want to go back to the train station.
In the last verse of the song, the story comes to a close with the man deciding to settle down by the railroad tracks, live life carefree in a beaten-down shack, and watch the train a-rollin' when it's ballin'. The rhythm of the train and its sounds have become so entwined in this man's life that he just wants it to be a part of his life forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Headin' for the station with a pack on my back
I am making my way to the train station with all of my belongings packed up.
Tired of transportation in the back of a hack
I am bored of traveling in taxis and cars; I want to ride the train.
I love to hear the rhythm of the clickety-clack
The sound of the train moving on the tracks makes me happy and excited.
Hear the lonesome whistle, see the smoke from the stack
When the train whistle sounds and steam comes from the engine, it gives me a feeling of nostalgia.
Pal around with Democratic fellows named Mac
I enjoy spending time with my friends who are named Mac and share similar political views.
Take me right back to the track, Jack
I want to go back to the train station and ride the train again, Jack.
You wake up in the morning feelin' sharp as a tack
When you wake up feeling alert and focused, it's like being as sharp as a tack.
You open up a pack and then you gobble a snack
After opening a package, you quickly eat something to satisfy your hunger.
Then smoke a cigarette you didn't get in the pack
You light up a cigarette that you obtained somewhere other than the pack you just opened.
While takin' off your shoes so you can empty the slack
Before using the restroom, you take off your shoes so that you can relax and take your time.
Ain't nothing you can do about the dough that you lack
Even if you don't have enough money, there's nothing you can do about it.
But beat it right back to the track, Jack
The only option is to immediately return to the train station and take the train somewhere.
You reach your destination but alas in a lack
When you arrive at your desired location, you discover that something is missing or lacking.
You need some compensation to get back in the black
To get back to a position of profit or success, you need some kind of restitution or compensation.
You take a morning paper from the top of the rack
You go to the newsstand and pick up a newspaper to read.
And read the situation from the front to the back
You read the newspaper thoroughly to understand the current state of affairs.
The only job that's open needs a man with a knack
The only job available requires a person with a certain skill or expertise.
You put it right back in the rack, Jack
You don't take the job and instead return the newspaper to its stand.
Gonna settle down by the railroad track
I'm going to live near the train tracks and make a home for myself there.
Live the life of Riley in the beaten-down shack
I'll be happy living a simple life in a rundown shack, free from worries and responsibilities.
So when I hear the whistle I can peep through the crack
When I hear the train's whistle blow, I will look out of the cracks in my home to see it passing by.
And watch the train a-rollin' when it's ballin' the jack
I'll enjoy watching the train move quickly and smoothly when it's going as fast as it can.
Take me right back to the track, Jack
I want to go back to the train station and ride the train again, Jack.
Take me right back to the track, Jack!
I am so excited to ride the train again that I am asking Jack to take me there immediately.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Denver Darling, Milton Gabler, Vaughn Horton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bennyjazzful
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a 73yo Aussie fan.
One of the true musical giants of all time,Bill Haley & His Comets.
@heilvirus
bill haley is absolutly cool
@Hikaru809
gotta love this kind of music, better than what most people my age listen to (18)
@Frates1
Fantastic version of this song-I love it !
@ljiljanacvejic2637
Hit like hit... All says he is cheater... no! Very good Chattanooga choo choo from Glenn miller this is very cool!
@john19751
Great recreation of a Glenn Miller hit
@4001firstdiesel
This has a much stronger beat then Glenn Miller's original. Both are just as good as either.
@colintodd9525
Great version.
@willpn100
"swing music" was a strong influence on Bill´s recordings.
@inkey2
wow....this is a pretty decent version