I've been Working on the Railroad, a Classic Train Song from Family Garden Trains^TM

Some sources claim that the "Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah" part is even older - older than steam trains! The tune to that part seemes to be related to "Goodnight Ladies," written in 1847, and the words may be borrowed from an old minstrel song "Old Joe, or Somebody in the House with Dinah," first published in London before 1850.

Conversely, Pete Seeger seemed to think that the Dinah section was added by "crazy college students," presumably some time after 1900.

I've been working on the railroad
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,
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.

You-Tube Videos of This Song

So at any given time, our list will only be videos we think will be helpful and enjoyable that are available the day we update this page.

If one of these links comes up blank, simply put the artist and song name in the YouTube search field, and you'll probably find it or find one close.

• John Denver

• Rooftop Singers - an early 1960s Folk group

• Pete Seeger

• Johnny Cash - a mashup of several Folk songs, including "Down By the Station"

• Paul Tremaine & Orch. - a 1929 swing arrangement

• Liberace

Click here to return to the Classic Train Songs page.

Whatever else you get out of our pages, I hope you come away with some great ideas for "sharing the joy."

And please stay in touch!

    - Paul Race

All material, illustrations, and content of this web site is copyrighted (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 by Paul D. Race. All rights reserved.
Classic Train Songs(tm) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

For questions, comments, suggestions, trouble reports, etc. about this page or this site, please contact us.