Fred Eaglesmith (born as Frederick Elgersma on July 9, 1957 in Caistor Cent… Read Full Bio ↴Fred Eaglesmith (born as Frederick Elgersma on July 9, 1957 in Caistor Centre, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. Some of his albums have been credited to Fred J. Eaglesmith. Eaglesmith was one of nine children of an immigrant family from the Dutch province Friesland and raised in rural Southern Ontario. As a teenager, he hopped a freight train out to Western Canada, and began writing songs and performing. He is known for writing songs about machines or vehicles, including songs about trains, tractors, trucks, cars, and engines. Rural life, dogs, guns, drinking and farming/ranching are other common themes. Many of his songs are about failing farms and small businesses. Eaglesmith's songs are populated with down and out characters dealing with loss of love or livelihood, and quirky rural folk. His songwriting uses many of the techniques of short-story writing, including unreliable narrators, surprise endings, and plot twists.

In addition to his own albums, Eaglesmith frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett, a past member of Eaglesmith's band, who had to step down after a heart attack in spring 2007. Eaglesmith's fans are known as Fredheads because of the similarities to deadheads. He has appeared in several movies, including "The Gift" and "50 Odd Dollars." His band is known as The Flying Squirrels or The Flathead Noodlers. Both bands have the same lineup, but play different styles. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. An early incarnation of the band was known as The Smokin' Losers. When Fred does solo appearances he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith. In addition to the songs, a typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Fred. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S./Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve. Eaglesmith is the owner and president of A Major Label, which publishes his records.

Current band members
* Fred J. Eaglesmith - Guitars, Vocals
* Matt Simpson - Acoustic guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
* Kori Heppner - Drums
* Luke Stackhouse - Bass, Vocals

Former members
* Willie P. Bennett - Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals
* David Essig - Mandolin, Guitar
* Kevin Komatsu - Drums
* Roger Marin Jr. - Pedal Steel, Guitar, Vocals
* Ralph Schipper - Bass
* Jude Waldman - Drums
* Dan Walsh - Dobro, Guitar, Vocals
* Skip Wamsteeker - Drums
* Washboard Hank - Washboard, Dobro
* Darcy Yates - Bass

Discography
* Fred Eaglesmith (1980)
* The Boy That Just Went Wrong (1983)
* Indiana Road (1987)
* There Ain't No Easy Road (1991)
* Things Is Changin' (1993)
* Paradise Motel (1994)
* Drive-In Movie (1995)
* Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline (1997)
* 50 Odd Dollars (1999)
* Live: Ralph's Last Show (2001)
* Falling Stars and Broken Hearts (2002)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1' (2002)
* Balin (2003)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2' (2004)
* Dusty (2004)
* Milly's Cafe (2006)
* Tinderbox (2008)

www.fredeaglesmith.com

49 Tons
Fred Eaglesmith Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If there were seventeen cars out in my back yard
The boys in blue were callin' my name
Semi-automatics up on the rooftop
They just wanted to talk to me
I'd tell 'em what they wanted to hear
The only thing that I knew
Forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive
Couldn't drag me back to you

Everywhere you go there's a train wreck baby
Everywhere you go there's a runaway train
Play my heart like a bottleneck baby
Sliding up and down and and pulling my strings
Everywhere you go everybody knows
You're looking for someone to do
Forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive
Couldn't drag me back to you

If I was a brakeman I was a switch man
If I was an engineer
I'd take that train on down that line
And clear on out of here
If I was the man swinging the lantern
I'd swing it 'til I was blue
Forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive
Couldn't drag me back to you

Forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive
Couldn't drag me back to you

Overall Meaning

The first verse showcases a notion of being on the wrong side of the law. The singer has a large number of cars in his backyard, which attracts the attention of the police. The presence of semi-automatics on the rooftop creates a more serious tone, and the lyrics suggest that they are after him. Despite this, he claims that he would tell them what they want to hear, admitting that he has knowledge of wrongdoing. The chorus centres around the idea that the singer is constantly on the move and avoiding something, someone or somewhere to which he doesn't want to return. The recurring phrase "forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive" emphasises his power and determination to avoid getting caught or going back.

The second verse follows the above trend, the singer or the singer, using transport-related imagery, refers to society's perception of his moves. "Everywhere you go there's a train wreck baby, Everywhere you go there's a runaway train," suggests a degree of anarchy in his behaviour, highlighting the potential danger he poses to those around him. The singer repeats the powerful phrase "forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive" again, suggesting the depths that he will go to avoid the thing he seeks to avoid. The third verse sees the singer considering where he fits in if he were working on the trains. He implies that he has better things to do and that working with the locomotive would ultimately be pointless, as he would most likely just leave anyway.

Overall, "49 Tons" is a song about someone who is on the run and is not looking back, showcasing a character who, even in the face of danger or obstacles, is committed to avoiding something or someone. The repetition of the phrase "forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive" emphasises the power and determination that is essential for the singer's journey, regardless of the reasons for the journey.

Line by Line Meaning

If there were seventeen cars out in my back yard
If I had all the riches in this world

The boys in blue were callin' my name
The authorities are after me

Semi-automatics up on the rooftop
I'm in trouble and I'm on the run

They just wanted to talk to me
They don't intend to harm me

I'd tell 'em what they wanted to hear
I'll say anything to get out of trouble

The only thing that I knew
All I cared for was you

Forty-nine tons of diesel locomotive
Anything in this world

Couldn't drag me back to you
Is not as important as you to me

Everywhere you go there's a train wreck baby
Everywhere you turn is a disaster waiting to happen

Everywhere you go there's a runaway train
Everywhere you go, things are out of control

Play my heart like a bottleneck baby
You have the power to control me