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Wanderlust
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I just came across this soothing video of a ten-hour passenger train ride through snowy central Norway, looking straight ahead down the track:
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Here’s a “permanent” version:
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Beautiful David
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David, nice find, this is quite relaxing watching the landscape unfold through powdery snow everywhere. Is this an actual live video, of a whole 10 hour train ride? It appears to be because when you stop the video and resume, you are in another scene.
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Jung, I don’t think it’s truly live, because a while ago I watched the train pull into the final station, and then suddenly it was pulling out of the beginning station. So I think it’s a looped video, but somehow it’s displayed as a live stream.
The guy running the live chat is evasive about exactly when it was filmed. We’d all like to know whether this is what this region looks like in July, or if the footage is from the middle of winter. (Edit: now he’s stated that it was filmed in January.)
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Wow David, 10 hours train ride. I already thought the documentation „Timelapse Of The Future“ in January was a challenge (7 hours and 49 minutes), but this time you really pushed me to my limit (But a few pots of coffee and some snacks „Schnittchen“ and everything was okay). ????
But now once seriously. Thank you for the railroad video from Norway. Touring the charming countryside there by train is certainly a great experience (There is or was a TV station in our country that broadcast such train journeys in real time at night). When I saw the video, I spontaneously thought of the Glacier Express in Switzerland. Probably one of the most beautiful and impressive railroad lines in Europe. The Alpine landscape in Austria is already awesome, but the Swiss landscape can still somehow top that.
PS: unfortunately, the stream you posted is no longer available. It worked for two days, then youtube blocked it for us, too bad.
PPS: there is a beautiful IMAXX production (“Rocky Mountain Express”): the film is about the construction of the railroad line from Vancouver to Calgary by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Beautiful landscape shots and a great sound (best with subwoofer). When the steam locomotive blasts steam out of the pistons or races through tunnel passages, your pant legs will flutter. I like that.
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The railroad seems to be the preferred means of travel here in this topic when it comes to wanderlust ????. Maybe you can think of some nice songs that have to do with the theme of railroads?
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Possibly the greatest train-inspired wanderlust song.
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Yes and a sad one too. Thanks for posting Tom. I saw the filmed biography of Johnny Cash in the cinema (Walk the Line). His life was not always sunny, but I still sometimes wonder how he came up with the lyrics to his songs. There are some weird things described in his songs.
What’s about this one?
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From the same era as Take the A Train:
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Thanks for the permanent link of the live stream David. Then I can travel to Norway again. ????
Chattanooga Choo Choo, yes probably one of the classics par excellence. There is also a German version of this song, but with political content. By the way: The German music scene of the 60s had the bad habit of covering English songs in German and completely alienating the lyrics. Here comes a song where it worked the other way around: “Monsieur Dupont” by the German singer Manuela from 1967 was covered by Sandy Shaw two years later. With completely different lyrics. I have very fond childhood memories of this song. And what was the song about? Right! About the railroad.
(translated lyrics)
In a garden, there is a wagon,
And in the wagon lives a man.
And when we were children at that time,
Then we knocked on his door.
[Refrain:]
“Monsieur Dupont, Monsieur Dupont,
It’s so nice to see the world with your railroad!
Monsieur Dupont, and your carriage,
It’s the most beautiful railroad carriage in the world!”
He takes the cap, he sets the points,
We’re off: Paris, adé!
Through green forests, through wide fields,
And in Switzerland, there lies the white snow.
[Refrain]
[Station announcer:]
“All aboard, please!
Close the doors!
And be careful at the platform edge!”
We came to this wagon yesterday,
That’s when the wagon looked lonely.
Where we were so happy as children,
There were roses growing out of the windows.
“Monsieur, Monsieur, Monsieur Dupont!
Monsieur Dupont,
It was so nice to see the world with your railroad!
Monsieur Dupont, and your carriage,
It was the most beautiful train carriage in the world! -
Did anyone notice Milton Berle in the Glenn miller video?
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Didn’t recognize him! I’ve never seen him that young.
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And let’s not forget the people who make train travel possible in the first place:
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I didn’t know that song yet, thanks David. And when I see the LP cover like this, a very special engine driver comes to mind:
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I love The Big Bang Theory, Juergen! I was planning to ignore it when it premiered, expecting it to be another “let’s make fun of nerds” show. But I gave it a try when I found out that the writers were consulting with actual physicists, and it turned out to be delightful and relatable.
Speaking of trains on film, have you ever seen the 1976 movie Silver Streak? It takes place on (and off) a train trip from Los Angeles to Chicago. It stars Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, and it’s great!
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Yes David, I also love the “Big Bang Theory” very much. A little bit of Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj lives in each of us. It’s a pity that there are no new episodes. But I’m sure I’ll watch all the episodes again in a few years. Until then I comfort myself a little with “The young Sheldon”. Also very entertaining, but not as good as Big Bang.
I don’t know the movie Silver Streak, but I will catch up on it. Thanks.
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Lots of people have covered this one, but of course I’m partial to the Seekers’ version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NZFoa4onB4
I happen to live near the very train route featured in this song, about two hours on past Danville.
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Jurgen, train themed songs bring this one to the front for me. Grand Funk Railroad doing “Locomotion”. A rockier version of Little Eva’s Locomotion I’ve always liked.
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The timeless Little Eva original from 1962.
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Thanks Jung. A very cool number even after all the many years since it was produced. Both versions of the Locomotion have their own charm. I didn’t know the Grand Funk version yet. It’s Rocking.
Another song with the title Locomotion. But that’s where the similarities end.
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Love riding trains, even though my train riding has been kind of limited: VIA rail from Niagara Falls to Toronto; GO Transit from Oakville to Toronto; and (kind of stretching it here) the TTC in Toronto…guess there is a “Tronna” theme, lol.
Jurgen, you posted a Johnny Cash video. Have to post one more. Ride This Train Story 34 [The Year 1859, to Titusville, Pennsylvania]. My Mom was born and raised in Titusville. We visited my Grandparents several times a year, always visiting Drake Well. Mom and Dad (he called it his second home) were married there. Finally, they are laying in the peace of the St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Titusville, so Deb and I go back to visit.
To have Johnny Cash write and perform a song about such a special place to is both thrilling and humbling. Hope that everyone enjoys this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxxtrK___n4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxxtrK___n4
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Hi Christopher,
thanks for posting the video. Apparently Johnny Cash wrote quite a lot of songs about railroads. Perhaps it is because in his time the railroad still had a different status than today. I can well understand that you have a special connection to this song. Your family history seems to be closely connected to Titusville. It is touching and something very special.
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Hi David,
thanks for sending music from The Seekers and The Andrew Sisters.
There were some good Australian pop or beat bands in the 60s, but somehow they never really got noticed in the international music scene. The Seekers are a great exception to this. Judith Durham has a wonderful voice. She left the band at the end of 1968 (I did some research ???? ) and started a solo career afterwards. Too bad. I think if they had continued seeking together, many more beautiful songs would have been created.
Oh yes and The Andrew Sisters: “Bei mir bistu shein”.
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I’ve read extensively about the Seekers, Juergen. What gave them a leg up on the other Aussie groups is that they were based in London. They got a sweet gig as the entertainment on a cruise ship from Melbourne to London, and when they got there they were immediately hired as the house band on a TV show, thanks to their agent having sent copies of their first album to various British music promoters. This gave them the exposure they needed to become a well-known commodity.
Judith had been trained as a jazz singer, and her professional goal had always been merely to be the featured singer at a Melbourne jazz club. She strongly resisted joining the group in the first place, travelling to London, staying in London beyond the originally intended two months, etc., but ultimately always yielded to what the guys wanted.
Finally in 1968 she gave the group six months’ notice that she was going to return to Melbourne to resume her jazz career, and she followed through on it. Unfortunately it didn’t work out: either jazz clubs would refuse to hire her because they only knew her as a pop singer, or patrons would be disappointed that she wasn’t singing Seekers songs.
In 1992 she patched things up with the other Seekers, and they held a wildly successful reunion tour, which led to numerous other stage and TV performances, along with a new album, over the following years until 2014. Here is what I think was their final performance of an old hit which has long served as the “goodbye” song of their concerts:
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Thanks for the detailed information on The Seekers David. It seems that they also liked to travel by train.
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Ah, that’s a really obvious one, and I didn’t even think of it! Thanks, Juergen. They also filmed a version where they’re riding in an actual open train with a large group of children.
It hadn’t ever occurred to me how well “trained” the Seekers were:
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And now comes the very sad news that Judith Durham passed away yesterday.
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Oh yes, very sad news David. A wonderful voice silenced forever. Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, not much was reported in our news about Judith’s death. The Seekers weren’t that well known to us.
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People are always warned not to touch lone suitcases at train stations or airports and better to avoid them. The following video shows why: (Parle à ta tête – Speak to your mind)
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