The band members, already accomplished musicians, first came together in early 2001. Originally comprised of guitarist/vocalist Todd Sheaffer, violinist/vocalist Tim Carbone, mandolinist/vocalist John Skehan, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Andy Goessling, drummer/vocalist Carey Harmon, and bassist ]Dave Von Dollen, the group played both original compositions mostly written by Sheaffer, the former From Good Homes songwriter, as well as traditional songs. After just three weeks of rehearsals, they went into a local recording studio and tracked a five song demo. Recorded live with no overdubs except backing vocals, The Black Bear Sessions set Railroad Earth's career in motion. Within a week they had a manager on board who then sent their demo out to some of the country’s most prestigious festivals, quickly landing a slot at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. That was their tenth gig. The Black Bear Sessions was released to the public in June 2001, and following their appearance at Telluride Sugar Hill Records approached the band and offered them a record deal. The Black Bear Sessions contains some of the most popular songs in Railroad Earth's repertoire, including "Seven Story Mountain" and "Head."
In June 2002, one year from the release of their debut, Railroad Earth’s second album, Bird in a House, came out on Sugar Hill Records, featuring songs such as "Bird In A House," "Like A Buddha," and "Mighty River.". The band continued its steady touring schedule, playing theatres, folk-music festivals, jam-band festivals, and other venues, while gathering much praise for its unique sound and enjoyable live concerts. The band eventually built up a fanbase who call themselves Hobos.
In 2003 Dave Von Dollen was replaced by bassist Johnny Grubb. In 2004 the band released its third studio effort, The Good Life, featuring "Storms," Mourning Flies," and "Goat." The band continued to tour throughout the country, and its first live album, Elko, was issued in late January 2006. They performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on September 15, 2007.
The band's fourth studio album, entitled Amen Corner, was released on June 10, 2008. The new album features songs such as "Been Down This Road," "Hard Livin'," "Waggin' The Dog," and "Lovin' You".
On November 11, 2009, Grubb announced his departure from the band after Railroad Earth's New Year's Eve run of shows in Portland, OR. In February 2010, Andrew Altman of the Codetalkers and Blueground Undergrass was named as his successor.
The band's self-titled fifth album was released on Oct 12, 2010. The album features Andy Goessling playing electric guitar for the first time, plus an 11-minute instrumental written by John Skehan entitled "Spring-Heeled Jack" (SHJ is John Skehan's initials backwards); the latter is the longest studio track to date for the band.
Andy Goessling passed away in October 2018.
Old Man and the Land
Railroad Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
when a place of beauty, a lay of land
spoke out to him, said understand,
you should rest now,
i'm an open hand
and the man said yes!
i'd like the days here
i'd like the nights here
i'll spend my days here
the rest of my days here
here I will watch the world go round
there came a time for the old man
when a place of beauty, a lay of land
spoke out to him like a long lost friend
said stay with me now until the end
the man said yes!
I'd like the summers here
i'd like the winters
here I will settle me down
i'll spend my days here
rest of my days here
here I will watch
the world go round
and so they lived
the man and the land
they lived as one
until the end
and the man sang out
I like the days here
I like the nights here
oh! how the world spins around
I like the summers here
I like the winters here
here I will sleep in the ground
here I will sleep in the ground
here I will sleep in the ground
Railroad Earth's song Old Man and the Land speaks of the deep connection that can exist between a person and the natural world. The song tells the story of an old man who finds a place of beauty and decides to stay there until the end of his life. The land speaks to him, and he understands that he should rest there, settling down and watching the world go round. The man and the land become one, and he sings of his love for the place and the world around him until he ultimately decides to rest in the ground upon his death.
The lyrics of the song are rich with symbolism and meaning. The land itself can be seen as a metaphor for the cycle of life and death. The old man's decision to stay there until the end speaks to a desire for a sense of permanence in a constantly changing world. His love for the land and the world around him emphasizes the importance of finding a sense of connection and meaning in life.
Railroad Earth's Old Man and the Land is a beautiful, meaningful song about the connection between humanity and the natural world. It speaks to the desire for permanence and the importance of truly appreciating the beauty and cycles of the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
there came a time for the old man
The story begins with an old man who found something special.
when a place of beauty, a lay of land
The old man discovered a beautiful piece of land.
spoke out to him, said understand,
The land spoke to the old man and asked him to take care of it.
you should rest now,
The land invited the old man to rest in its beauty.
i'm an open hand
The land promised to take care of the old man, just like an open hand.
and the man said yes!
The old man gladly accepted the land's invitation.
i'd like the days here
The old man expressed his desire to spend his remaining days on the land.
i'd like the nights here
The old man appreciated the peaceful nights on the land.
here I will settle me down
The old man decided to make the land his home.
i'll spend my days here
The old man planned to spend the rest of his days on the land.
the rest of my days here
The old man wasn't looking for anything else, just to spend the rest of his days on the land.
here I will watch the world go round
The old man was content to simply observe the world from the land.
when a place of beauty, a lay of land
The beauty of the land continued to inspire the old man.
spoke out to him like a long lost friend
The land had become a close companion to the old man.
said stay with me now until the end
The land extended an invitation for the old man to stay until the end of his life.
and the man said yes!
The old man was happy to agree.
I'd like the summers here
The old man appreciated the warm summers on the land.
i'd like the winters
The old man also enjoyed the cold winters on the land.
here I will sleep in the ground
The old man acknowledged that he would eventually pass away and be buried on the land.
and so they lived
The story concludes with the old man and the land living together.
the man and the land
The relationship between the old man and the land was strong and intimate.
they lived as one
Their lives were intertwined.
until the end
Their bond lasted until the old man's death.
oh! how the world spins around
Even though the old man was gone, the world continued on.
here I will sleep in the ground
The old man rest in the ground where he lived and found peace.
Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@asmarrahbedford4290
I’m listening to this while driving through the Highlands of my new home, Scotland ❤️
@markbushnell4019
love these guys...they have saved my faith in REAL, honest, non-ego oriented music. I've been out of the loop for a while, but these guys are pulling me back in...thank you Railroad Earth
@GaryD9871
Without a doubt, my second favorite song of all time. Behind Louis Armstrong's "What a wonderful world".
@zr24X4ROCKS
remember this back in the day, great times,
@citizenx3365
What a cool jam!
@gregd6361
I love them too
@MrReptilianhumanoid
finally! a band that knows how to play their fucking instruments!
@2bellamama
i know about them
@xtrmn8r1
Weezy on this track?
@tecskate
@highwire51 Ya they are...Its too bad not many people know about them.