I've Been Working On The Railroad
Susie Tallman Lyrics
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All the live-long day.
I've been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away.
Can't you hear the whistle blowing,
Rise up so early in the morn;
Can't you hear the captain shouting,
"Dinah, blow your horn!"
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow,
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen I know
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Strummin' on the old banjo!
Singin' fee, fie, fiddly-i-o
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o-o-o-o
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o
Strummin' on the old banjo.
The song "I've Been Working on the Railroad" has been a staple of American folk music since its creation in the mid-19th century. The song begins with the singer announcing that they have been working on the railroad all day long, and that they are doing so simply to pass the time. The call and response structure of the song is established when the singer asks the listener if they can hear the whistle blowing and the captain shouting for Dinah to blow her horn. The singer then leads the listener in a call-and-response refrain, urging Dinah to blow her horn.
The second half of the song takes a slightly different turn, as the singer informs the listener that someone is in the kitchen with Dinah, playing the banjo and singing "fee, fie, fiddly-i-o." This half of the song is more playful and light-hearted than the first, with a more upbeat tempo and a sense of camaraderie among the characters. In some interpretations, Dinah is seen as a symbol of freedom and release, as the train whistle and horn call evoke a sense of longing for a time and a place beyond the railroad. The song has endured for generations because of its catchy melody, simple structure, and evocative sense of nostalgia for a bygone era.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been working on the railroad
I have spent a considerable amount of my time and energy performing manual labor on the railway tracks
All the live-long day.
I have been doing this arduous work for the entire day, without any significant breaks
Just to pass the time away.
I have been doing this task to while away my time, perhaps because I have no other productive work to do
Can't you hear the whistle blowing,
Can you not sense the sound created by the warning whistle of the approaching train?
Rise up so early in the morn;
The train is known to move very early in the morning, even before sunrise
Can't you hear the captain shouting,
Can you not hear the loud voice of the captain, who is in charge of the train?
"Dinah, blow your horn!"
Captain is requesting Dinah, a member of the train crew, to take action by blowing the horn of the train
Dinah, won't you blow,
Kindly request Dinah, the crew member who has been assigned the task of sounding the horn of the train, to perform her duty now
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
There is another person present in the kitchen along with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen I know
I am aware that another person is present in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
It is confirmed that there is another person present in the kitchen with Dinah, as I can hear them playing an old banjo
Strummin' on the old banjo!
They are playing the old banjo instrument by strumming its strings in a rhythmic manner
Singin' fee, fie, fiddly-i-o
They are singing a lively tune with the words 'fee, fie, fiddly-i-o'
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o-o-o-o
They continue to sing this tune, emphasizing the last 'o' sound to prolong the melody
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o
The people in the kitchen are still engrossed in their music-making activity, and are continuing to sing the same tune as before
Strummin' on the old banjo.
As they are singing, they are also continuing to play the old banjo by strumming its strings
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.