In 1950, he scored a huge success with his first recording for Capitol Records, John and Marsha, a soap-opera parody that consisted of the title characters (both played by Freberg) repeating each other's names. In a follow-up he used pedal steel guitarist Speedy West to parody the 1953 country hit A Dear John Letter as A Dear John and Marsha Letter.
Throughout the 1950s he made a name for himself writing and performing both original songs (Tele-Vee-Shun) and parodies of popular tunes (The Yellow Rose of Texas, Day-O, Heartbreak Hotel). With fellow voice actors Daws Butler and June Foray he produced a medieval parody of Dragnet called St. George and the Dragon-Net. The latter recording was a #1 hit for four weeks in late 1953.
Freberg's brilliant, authentic-sounding musical parodies were a byproduct of his collaborations with Billy May and his Capitol Records producer Ken Nelson. His brilliant 1957 spoof of TV "champagne music" master Lawrence Welk, Wun'erful, Wun'erful was a true collaboration with May, a veteran big band musician and jazz arranger (known for his work with Frank Sinatra among others) who loathed Welk's corny style. To replicate that sound, May and some of Hollywood's finest studio musicians and vocalists worked to virtually clone Welk's sound. Billy Liebert, a first-rate accordionist copied Welk's own accordion playing. The humor was lost on Welk; Freberg later recalled the bandleader denying he ever used the term "Wunnerful! Wunnerful!" (later the title of Welk's autobiography).
Another hit song to get the Freberg treatment was the weepy Cry, which Freberg rendered as Try ("You too can be unhappy... if you try!") Ray was furious, until he realized the success of Freberg's parody was helping sales and airplay of his own record; Ray and Freberg actually became close friends.
Freberg continued to skewer the advertising industry after the demise of his radio show, producing Green Chri$tma$ in 1958 (again with Butler), a scathing indictment of the overcommercialization of the holiday. Freberg, the son of a church minister and very religious himself, made sure to point out on that novelty record "Whose birthday we're celebrating." Despite his Jewish-sounding last name, Freberg is actually a Baptist of Swedish heritage.
"Green Chri$tma$" also foreshadowed his musical review on LP Stan Freberg Presents: The United States Of America, Volume 1: The Early Years (1961) in that both combined dialog and song in a musical-like style. Stan Freberg Presents: The United States of America, Volume 2: The Middle Years was planned for a release during America's Bicentennial in 1976 but did not emerge until 1996.
Rock Island Line
Stan Freberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(SF)
Now this here's the story about the Rock Island Line.
Now the Rock Island Line, she run down to New-w-w Orleans
And just outside of New Orleans there's a big toll gate
And all the trains
Pardon me, pardon me just a moment, pardon me?
(SF)
Yeah?
(PL)
Are you going to sing the song, or read it, or what?
(SF)
Well, I'm gon' sing it,
but first I always tell a little bit of the story behind the Rock
Island Line.
Sort of sketch in a little … a little background, as it were…
(PL)
You ARE going to sing, though?
(SF)
Oh, yeah, in just a second, I'll get to it.
(PL)
Well, let's get to it then, huh?
(SF)
Okay…
And all the trains that go through the tollgate
Why they, they got to pay the man some money
But of course, if you got certain things on board
Ya, okay… you have to pay the man on it
Ya, okay, okay with him. I mean you got certain things on board
(PL)
All right, let's step right along here, let's snap it up.
(SF)
Okay.
Now just now we see a train she's comin' down the line
And when she come up on the toll gate,
The driver, he shout down to the man, he say,
"I got pigs. I got horses. I got cows. I got…"
(PL)
(SF)
You didn't let me name all the animals.
(PL)
Yes, I know. But we don't need that.
(SF)
You didn't let me get to the sheep.
(PL)
Well, that doesn't make any difference.
(SF)
Well… it makes a difference to the sheep!
(PL)
Yes, I know,
but let's get the train rhythm going. And never mind the sheep.
(SF)
Okay.
After the driver he say,
"I got all that stuff,
I got all that stuff, I got all-l-l-l that stuff…"
The man say,
"Well, you're all right, boy. You go around here,
you don't have to pay me nothin' I mean, you know
(PL)
Now, look fella… fella?
(SF)
I didn't mention the sheep…
(PL)
Look, look - I know,
(SF)
Okay, I come to the best part now, where the driver foo him.
(PL)
He "foo" him?
(SF)
Yeah, he say,
"I foo'd you, I foo'd you …"
(PL)
L-L-Let's just sing the song.
(SF)
Right, you didn't let me get to the pig iron part.
It's the payoff to the, ah…. I
think you ought to let me tell how he
foo'd the tollgate man with the pig iron.
(PL)
Will you just sing the song, please?
(SF)
I get a big reaction to it in clubs… and a lot
of people waiting to see how the story come out…
(PL)
Will you just sing the song?
(SF)
Well, you're gonna disappoint ‘em, that's all.
(PL)
I'll take the chance.
(SF)
Okay, here we go,
"Oh, the Rock Island Line, is a mighty good road
The Rock I…" – you sure you don't want the pig iron part?
(PL)
Forget it, will ya? Forget it.
(SF)
Okay,
"…the Line – is a line the right
Oh, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
Well if you wan' to ride it
Gotta ride it like you father
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line"
(PL)
Look, Mumbles? Hey,
Mumbles… what is this? "Get your ‘chicken' at the station?"
(SF)
No, your "ticket" – "get your ticket at the station."
(PL)
Oh! Get your TICKET at the station…
(SF)
Gee whiz, try not to interrupt me, huh?
"Oh, ABC, WXYZ, the cat's in the cupboard but he don't see me…"
(PL)
Now wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.
The "ABC, WXYZ" with "the cat's in the cupboard"?
What does the ABC have to do with the cat's in the cupboard?
(SF)
Well, it's got nothin' to DO with it…
(PL)
I know, is it a social significance of some kind?
(SF)
No, no, no… it's a traditional lyric…
(PL)
It's a traditional lyric.
(SF)
I don't know, yeah
(PL)
Well, thanks very much, that'll be fine.
(SF)
I got one more chorus
Oh, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
Oh, the Rock Island Line
Is the one to ride
Oh, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
Well if you wan' to ride it
Gotta ride it like you father
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line!"
(PL)
Is that it? That's the end?
(SF)
Yeah, that's it. I hope,
I just hope it sells without the pig iron part.
(PL)
Well forget about the pig iron part
(SF)
Well, I'm just trying to sketch in a little background, that's all.
(PL)
Yes, I know. Sketch in the background.
(SF)
Are you gonna release the record?
(PL)
No, I don't think so.
(SF)
Okay.
(PL)
Okay.
The lyrics in Stan Freberg's song Rock Island Line depict a train's journey from New Orleans to a toll gate just outside the city. The train driver insists that he has various animals including pigs, horses, and cows on board, so he shouldn't have to pay the toll. The gatekeeper allows the train to pass without paying and the driver celebrates his success by shouting, "I foo'd you, I foo'd you." Although the song doesn't have a conventional structure, it gives us a glimpse of the life and language of railway workers.
Freberg's style of storytelling is unique and captivating, and his conversational tone brings a touch of humor to the lyrics. The song also hints at the African American roots of blues and rock n' roll, as the Rock Island Line referenced in the lyrics was a real train line that carried black musicians and their musically inclined white protégées from the South to Chicago.
Overall, the lyrics in Rock Island Line are a witty and lighthearted portrayal of the train's journey, as well as a nod to the importance of railroads in shaping American history.
Line by Line Meaning
Now this here's the story about the Rock Island Line.
The song is about the Rock Island Line and the story behind it.
Now the Rock Island Line, she run down to New-w-w Orleans
The Rock Island Line is a railroad track that runs to New Orleans.
And just outside of New Orleans there's a big toll gate
There is a toll gate outside of New Orleans where trains have to pay money to pass through.
And all the trains that go through the tollgate
Every train that goes through the toll gate has to pay money.
Why they, they got to pay the man some money
They have to pay the toll gate operator to pass through.
But of course, if you got certain things on board
If you have certain things on your train, you don't have to pay the toll gate operator.
Ya, okay… you have to pay the man on it
You have to pay the operator if you don't have those certain things on board.
Ya, okay, okay with him. I mean you got certain things on board
The toll gate operator is okay with letting you pass for free if you have those certain things on your train.
Now just now we see a train she's comin' down the line
A train is coming down the line.
And when she come up on the toll gate,
When the train arrives at the toll gate,
The driver, he shout down to the man, he say,
The train driver yells down to the toll gate operator.
I got pigs. I got horses. I got cows. I got…
The driver lists all the animals that are on the train.
You didn't let me name all the animals.
The driver wasn't allowed to finish naming all the animals.
After the driver he say,
After the driver says what animals are on the train,
The man say,Well, you're all right, boy. You go around here, you don't have to pay me nothin'
The toll gate operator allows the train to pass without payment.
He 'foo' him?
He tricked him.
"I foo'd you, I foo'd you …"
The driver tells the toll gate operator that he tricked him.
Oh, the Rock Island Line, is a mighty good road
The Rock Island Line is a good railroad track.
Well if you wan' to ride itGotta ride it like you father
To ride the Rock Island Line, you have to ride it like your father did (with respect).
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line
To ride the Rock Island Line, you need to purchase a ticket.
Is the one to ride
The Rock Island Line is a great option for travel.
Writer(s): NEW ADDITIONAL MATERIAL BY, ALAN LOMAX, HUDDIE LEDBETTER WITH
Contributed by Makayla M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
ERL
The timing on "Well, it makes a difference to the sheep" and "I didn't mention the sheep" is genius. I love this absurdist comedy from Freberg. Was he ahead of his time?
Gaijin10000000
Stan Freberg was a genius. "Makes a difference to the SHEEP!" Classic. :D
Jonholio1
My Dad used to play this record. Always makes me smile.
mrblindfreddy9999
had the CD for 20 years first time in ages i've listened to it..absolute classic..there won't be another
Marlon Medina
My parents had this on an album when I was a kid. Loved it!!
mark ru2
the best of stan and I wished this song never ended
jeff werner
this is classic.....i have the "best of" in my own collection and this one is included....ty for uploading this comic genius....so far ahead of his time! jeff
Alan Canon
I've never heard of this Stanley Freberg so I tried to give this "Rock Island Line" a try, but I couldn't figure out if he was going to sing the song, or read it, or what.
Craaaazy.
Seriously, my favorite is "It's got nothing to -- 'do....' -- with it." As if the singer is completely perplexed and offended by the idea that the lyric be relevant, or, indeed cogent. It's those tiny little nuances in Freberg that are the most explosively funny. Even if it's radio or a record, with Freberg you still hear the fourth wall shattering. What an awesome body of work.
wildwombat
'Get your chicken @ the station' so much LOL
Thanks Stan for the mems
Ruth Cooper
Wonderful humor. Thanks, Stan.