Down by the Station
Song
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Down by the Station", also known as "Down at the Station", is a popular song written by Paul Mills and Slim Gaillard and first recorded by The Slim Gaillard Trio in 1947.[1] The song was most famously recorded by Tommy Dorsey in 1948.
| "Down by the Station" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| Written | 1948 |
| Songwriters | Paul Mills, Slim Gaillard |
Background
The song remains popular today as a children's music standard, a simple song about a railroad station master seeing the steam locomotives off to work. The lyrics are:
Down by the station early in the morning,
See the little pufferbellies all in a row.
See the engine driver pull the little handle,
Puff, puff, Toot! Toot! Off we go.
The song itself predates 1948; it was reportedly seen in a 1931 issue of Recreation.[2]
Similarities to other tunes
Whether deliberately copied or not, the melody of "Down by the Station" is closely related to the chorus of the French-Canadian folk song "Alouette".[2][better source needed] Some have pointed out that though the first line is similar to "Alouette", it is closer to the tune of "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider," with the first two lines being similar.[original research?] The third line of "Down By the Station" is higher in pitch than the second, and the fourth line returns to the pitch of the first line (except for a higher pitched or onomatopoetic "Toot! Toot!").[original research?]
Other versions
- The Four Preps recorded a version of "Down By the Station" in 1959, featuring an entirely different set of lyrics by group members Bruce Belland and Glen Larson. It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100[3] and #10 in Canada.[4]
Popular culture
- The lyrics may have inspired Reverend Wilbert Awdry to write his first Railway Series story, Edward's Day Out.[5]
- Herman Munster sings along with Russian spies in Season 2, Episode 2 of The Munsters (Herman, the Master Spy) 1965
