Come Along and Ride this Train
Johnny Cash · 1991
290 min · 105 tracks · blues
A rich tapestry of storytelling woven through traditional American folk and country sounds, evoking the spirit of the open road.
Top tracks — play these first
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Come Along and Ride This Train Start here — The opening track sets the tone for the entire album, inviting listeners on a journey through America's cultural landscape while showcasing Cash's signature narrative style.
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The Legend of John Henry's Hammer — This track revives the classic American folk tale, illustrating Cash's ability to breathe new life into traditional stories while emphasizing themes of labor and heroism.
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Going to Memphis — With its evocative imagery and lyrical depth, this song reflects on travel and longing, encapsulating the album's overarching themes of exploration and connection.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- sprawling auditory journey experience
- narrative storytelling interspersed throughout
- reflective moments for contemplation
- dynamic pacing with engaging interludes
- heartfelt tales of american folklore
Maybe skip if you
- prefer concise standalone tracks
- seek immediate high-energy gratification
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Critical Peak — Represents a return to thematic storytelling, showcasing Cash's artistic ambition.
- Themes
- American folklore· laboring class heroes· family legacy· journeys to Memphis
- Moods
- Introspective· Nostalgic
- Career context
- Released in 1991, Come Along and Ride This Train marked Johnny Cash's return to thematic storytelling after a period of fluctuating commercial success. This album followed his acclaimed collaboration with Rick Rubin, which revitalized his career, allowing Cash to delve into narratives reflecting Americana and history with renewed vigor.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Willie Nelson· Merle Haggard· Waylon Jennings
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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The Legend of John Henry's Hammer
The narrative shifts from describing John Henry’s legendary strength to detailing his tragic fate in a matter-of-fact tone.
By juxtaposing heroism with inevitability, this moment underscores the fragility of human endeavor against larger forces.
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 Come Along and Ride This Train Start here 2:32
- 2 Loading Coal 5:01
- 3 Slow Rider 4:14
- 4 The Shifting Whispering Sands 2:32
- 5 Lumberjack 3:02
- 6 Dorraine of Ponchartrain 4:47
- 7 Going to Memphis 4:19
- 8 When Papa Played the Dobro 2:55
- 9 Boss Jack 3:56
- 10 Old Doc Brown 4:15
- 11 The Legend of John Henry's Hammer 8:27
- 12 Tell Him I'm Gone 3:04
- 13 Another Man Done Gone 2:37
- 14 Casey Jones 3:03
- 15 Nine Pound Hammer 3:18
- 16 Chain Gang 2:41
- 17 Busted 2:18
- 18 Waiting for a Train 2:08
- 19 Roughneck 2:13
- 20 Pick a Bale of Cotton 1:59
- 21 Cotton Pickin' Hands 2:20
Disc 2
- 1 Hiawatha's Vision 2:25
- 2 The Road To Kaintuck 2:43
- 3 Hammer and Nails 2:40
- 4 The Shifting Whispering Sands, Part 1 2:55
- 5 The Ballad of Boot Hill 3:49
- 6 I Ride an Old Paint 2:58
- 7 Hardin Wouldn't Run 4:19
- 8 Mr. Garfield 4:36
- 9 The Streets of Laredo 3:39
- 10 Johnny Reb 2:51
- 11 A Letter From Home 2:36
- 12 Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie 2:26
- 13 Mean as Hell 3:08
- 14 Sam Hall 3:15
- 15 25 Minutes to Go 3:13
- 16 The Blizzard 3:54
- 17 Sweet Betsy From Pike 3:58
- 18 Green Grow the Lilacs 2:46
- 19 Rodeo Hand 2:26
- 20 Stampede 4:00
- 21 The Shifting Whispering Sands, Part 2 2:29
- 22 Remember the Alamo 2:48
- 23 Reflections 2:44
Disc 3
- 1 Intro - Big Foot 2:49
- 2 As Long as the Grass Shall Grow 6:10
- 3 Apache Tears 2:37
- 4 Custer 2:22
- 5 The Talking Leaves 3:57
- 6 The Ballad of Ira Hayes 4:10
- 7 Drums 5:05
- 8 White Girl 3:03
- 9 Old Apache Squaw 1:42
- 10 The Vanishing Race 4:06
- 11 Open Dialogue 0:23
- 12 Paul Revere 2:17
- 13 Begin West Movement 0:26
- 14 The Road to Kaintuck 1:21
- 15 To the Shining Mountains 0:48
- 16 The Battle of New Orleans 2:21
- 17 Southwestward 0:37
- 18 Remember the Alamo 2:26
- 19 Opening the West 0:54
- 20 Lorena 1:52
- 21 The Gettysburg Address 2:38
- 22 The West 0:57
- 23 Big Foot 3:02
- 24 Like a Young Colt 0:38
- 25 Mr. Garfield 3:53
- 26 A Proud Land 0:24
- 27 The Big Battle 3:05
- 28 On Wheels and Wings 0:30
- 29 Come Take a Trip on My Airship 1:05
- 30 Reaching for the Stars 0:41
- 31 These Are My People 2:36
Disc 4
- 1 From Sea to Shining Sea 1:38
- 2 The Whirl and the Suck 3:07
- 3 Call Daddy From the Mines 3:03
- 4 Frozen Four Hundred Pound Fair to Middlin' Cotton Picker 2:32
- 5 The Walls of a Prison 4:01
- 6 The Masterpiece 2:47
- 7 You and Tennessee 3:08
- 8 She Came From the Mountains 4:59
- 9 Another Song to Sing 2:00
- 10 The Flint Arrowhead 2:56
- 11 Cisco Clifton's Fillin' Station 2:42
- 12 Shrimpin' Sailin' 3:06
- 13 From Sea to Shining Sea 0:57
- 14 Hit the Road and Go 2:35
- 15 Dialogue #1 2:33
- 16 If It Wasn't for the Wabash River 2:09
- 17 Dialogue #2 2:22
- 18 Lady 2:48
- 19 Dialogue #3 2:27
- 20 After the Ball 2:48
- 21 Dialogue #4 2:02
- 22 No Earthly Good 2:46
- 23 Dialogue #5 1:51
- 24 A Wednesday Car 2:12
- 25 Dialogue #6 0:55
- 26 My Cowboys Last Ride 2:29
- 27 Dialogue #7 2:48
- 28 Calilou 3:20
- 29 Dialogue #8 1:24
- 30 Come Along and Ride This Train Start here 2:27
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
The Basement Tapes
Bob Dylan
Explores American storytelling with a loose, rootsy vibe and shared themes of folklore and personal journeys.
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
Delivers narrative-driven songs steeped in Americana, reflecting on love and legacy in a sparse, heartfelt style.
High, Low and in Between
Townes Van Zandt
Combines deep storytelling and emotional depth, echoing the struggles and journeys found in Cash's work.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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