His name was J.P. Nestor, and this is the only name to be found on the original 78, and consequently, the LP reissue. Little has been learned about him other than that he died a few years ago, and his middle name was Preston. He apparently went by the nickname "Pres".
After recording four numbers on August 1, 1927, in Bristol, Tennessee, for the Victor company, Nestor and the accompanying fiddle player Norman Edmonds were offered paid transportation to New York City to make more records. Unfortunately, Nestor flatly refused to leave the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Hillsville, Virginia area, and was never recorded again. "
Train On The Island
J. P. Nestor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go, tell my true love I can′t hold the wheel
I can't roll the wheel, Lord, it′s I can't hold the wheel
Thought he heard it blow, Lord, he thought he heard it blow
Train on the island since I heard it blow
Go tell my true love, sick and I can't go
Sick, and I can′t go
Train on the island since I've heard it squeal
Go tell my true love, how happy I do feel
Thought he heard it blow, Lord, thought he heard it blow
Train on the island since I′ve heard it blow
Go, tell my true love long as I can go
Long as I can go
Lord, he thought he heard it blow
Train on the island since I've heard it blow
Go tell my true love, sick and I can′t go
Sick, and I can't go, Lord, sick and I can′t go
Thought he heard it blow, Lord, thought he heard it blow
The song "Train on the Island" by J.P. Nestor is a ballad that tells the story of a man who hears a train whistle blowing in the distance, and realizes he must leave his true love to go work on the train. The lyrics convey a sense of sadness and longing as the man grapples with the separation from his love, while also expressing a feeling of excitement for the adventure that awaits him on the train. The repetition of the phrase "I can't hold the wheel" and "thought he heard it blow" creates a haunting effect, underscoring the sense of inevitability in the man's decision to leave.
The song can be interpreted both as a reflection of the hardships faced by railroad workers during this time period, as well as a metaphor for the struggle between love and duty. The imagery of the train as a symbol of progress and possibility, while also representing the dangers and uncertainties of life, also provides a rich thematic context for the song. Overall, "Train on the Island" is a poignant and powerful meditation on the human experience of longing and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Train on the island since I heard it squeal
I have been thinking about the train on the island ever since I heard its sound
Go, tell my true love I can′t hold the wheel
Please inform my beloved that I am unable to control the wheel
I can't roll the wheel, Lord, it′s I can't hold the wheel
I cannot steer the wheel, it is beyond my capacity
Thought he heard it blow, Lord, he thought he heard it blow
I think I heard the train whistle blowing in the distance
Train on the island since I heard it blow
Ever since I heard the train whistle, it has stayed on my mind
Go tell my true love, sick and I can't go
Please let my sweetheart know that I am unwell and unable to go anywhere
Sick, and I can′t go
I am feeling ill and cannot travel
And I can′t roll the wheel
I am incapable of steering the wheel
Train on the island since I've heard it squeal
The sound of the train on the island has been stuck in my head
Go tell my true love, how happy I do feel
Inform my dear that I am filled with joy
Thought he heard it blow, Lord, thought he heard it blow
I thought I heard the train whistle once again
Train on the island since I′ve heard it blow
The train on the island has been on my mind since I heard its whistle
Go, tell my true love long as I can go
Let my beloved know that I will go on as long as I am able
Long as I can go
I will keep going as much as I am capable of doing
Lord, he thought he heard it blow
I believe I heard the train whistle again
Train on the island since I've heard it blow
I have been thinking about the train on the island ever since I heard its sound once again
Go tell my true love, sick and I can′t go
Please inform my beloved that I am unwell and cannot leave this place
Sick, and I can't go, Lord, sick and I can′t go
I am ill and unable to travel, it is beyond my capacity
Thought he heard it blow, Lord, thought he heard it blow
I heard the train whistle again, I am certain of it
Writer(s): j.p. nestor
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheBWJohnson
buenas fotos y gran canción! Yo nací en un tren, ya sabes ...
@brothermule
Hot licks!
@TheBWJohnson
excelentes fotografías y video! Yo nací en un tren, no te conozco
@thebrazilianatlantis165
It's Nester like the 78 says and his family says.
@RedWindField
Does anyone know whether the banjo player is using a clawhammer or bluegrass technique? It's so fast, I don't really imagine 2 human beings playing this. Beautiful
@steven98092
Clawhammer. And, this was recorded in 1927, well before Bluegrass was invented
@raybin6873
@@steven98092 - yes indeed! Way before bluegrass legends popularized this style of playing - I first heard modern version of this song - got curious of it's origin and found this...awesome! 😀
@thomasbecker8711
Up Picking (Seeger style without drop thumb) rather than clawhammer
@RedWindField
@@thomasbecker8711 years on, my vocabulary and knowledge around banjo technique has grown. Up picking tho?! Phenomenal projection and speed. And talk about the meter, this music so innocent in its conception without the conditioning of expected meters from pop music, it sounds like a freedom so magical. Such mysterious music to me. I love it.
@ArkRed1
Sounds like frailing.