Doc played guitar in both flatpicking and fingerpicking style, but was best known for his flatpick work. His virtuosity combined with his authenticity as a mountain musician made him a highly influential figure during the folk music revival. He pioneered the fast and flashy bluegrass lead guitar style which has been adopted and extended by others such as Clarence White and Tony Rice. He was also an accomplished banjo player and in the past had accompanied himself on harmonica as well.
In 1986 he received the North Carolina Award and in 2000 he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 1997, Doc received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton.
He was generally joined on stage by his grandson and Merle's son Richard as well as his musical partner of twenty years, Jack Lawrence.
He was host to the annual MerleFest music festival held every April at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The festival features a vast array of acoustic style music focusing on the folk, bluegrass, blues and old time music genres. It's named in honor of Merle Watson and is one of the most popular acoustic music festivals in the world, drawing over 85,000 music fans each year.
In late May 2012, Watson was listed in critical condition but was responsive at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after undergoing colon surgery. Watson had fallen early in the week. Watson did not break any bones, but an underlying condition prompted the surgery. Watson died on May 29, 2012 at the medical center at the age of 89.
The Train That Carried My Girl From Town
Doc Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I knowed her number, Lord, I'd flag her down
Wish to the Lord that the train would wreck
Kill that engineer and break the fireman's neck
Hey, the train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey
I stand on the corner with my head hung down
If I had my gun I'd let the hammer down
Lord, I'd shoot that rounder that took my girl from town
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Rations on the table and the coffee's getting cold
And some dirty rounder took my jelly roll
Hello, Central, give me six-o-nine
I want to talk to that woman of mine
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Can you show me that woman that a man can trust
There goes my girl, somebody bring her back
'Cause she got her hand in my money sack
Hey, that train that carried my girl from town
Hey, hey, hey, hey
The Train That Carried My Girl From Town is a traditional American folk song that has been recorded by numerous artists over the years, including the legendary Doc Watson. The song is a lament by a man whose girl has left, presumably on the train that he sees passing by. He expresses his anguish, wishing that the train would crash, and even goes as far as contemplating violence against the engineer and fireman. The lyrics suggest that the girl has left him for another man, as he calls him a "dirty rounder" and accuses him of taking his "jelly roll". He also expresses his frustration with the situation, lamenting that his rations are getting cold and he doesn't know where his girl is.
The song highlights the deep emotions of heartbreak and desperation that can arise when love is lost. It speaks to the pain that comes with rejection, the sense of betrayal and anger it can generate, as well as the feelings of abandonment and hopelessness that can follow. The repeated refrain of "hey, hey, hey, hey" adds to the emotional intensity of the song, highlighting the singer's sense of urgency and desperation.
Overall, The Train That Carried My Girl From Town is a powerful and evocative work that captures the raw emotions of heartbreak and rejection. It speaks to the universal experience of love and loss, and the ways that we cope with these experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
There goes the train that carried my girl from town
The girl I love has left town on the train and I am watching it go by.
If I knowed her number, Lord, I'd flag her down
If I knew her phone number, I would try to contact her and stop her from leaving.
Wish to the Lord that the train would wreck
I wish something terrible would happen to the train so she would come back.
Kill that engineer and break the fireman's neck
I feel so desperate and angry that I would even wish harm upon innocent people just to get her back.
Where was you when the train left town?
Where were you when my love left? Did you see her go?
I stand on the corner with my head hung down
I am standing on the street corner feeling defeated and sad.
If I had my gun I'd let the hammer down
I am so upset that I would consider using a weapon to harm the person who took her from me.
Lord, I'd shoot that rounder that took my girl from town
I blame someone else for taking her away from me and I want to harm them.
Rations on the table and the coffee's getting cold
I am at home trying to eat and drink, but I am too upset to even do that.
And some dirty rounder took my jelly roll
Someone has taken what is mine and it feels like a violation.
Hello, Central, give me six-o-nine
I am trying to call my love on the telephone.
I want to talk to that woman of mine
I just want the chance to speak with her and express my feelings.
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Everything eventually comes to an end.
Can you show me that woman that a man can trust
It feels like I can't even trust the woman I love to stay with me.
There goes my girl, somebody bring her back
I am desperate for her to come back to me.
'Cause she got her hand in my money sack
I am worried that someone else is taking advantage of me financially in her absence.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TRADITIONAL, DOC WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
EastTnRailRay
Great song and as a Railfan it hits home
Ryanish Konk
What a classic. Those boys could flat do it. Rip doc, thanks for the memories..
Bob Pinson
Todays his birthday rip.
Imprsv
Thank you Billy Strings for introducing me to the wonderful legend that is Doc Watson. Truly special stuff!
Emily MacCaull
Choo-choo!