{"id":533,"date":"2018-02-16T07:37:05","date_gmt":"2018-02-16T12:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/?p=533"},"modified":"2018-02-16T07:37:05","modified_gmt":"2018-02-16T12:37:05","slug":"the-swiftest-on-the-line-by-celeste-joyce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/2018\/02\/16\/the-swiftest-on-the-line-by-celeste-joyce\/","title":{"rendered":"“The Swiftest on the Line” by Celeste Joyce"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

I had never heard of John Henry before this class. As I read the articles about his legend, much of the mythology and language surrounding him was completely new to me. I did find a simple sentiment which resonated with me, and seemed familiar. The longer I read and listened and watched, the more John Henry\u2019s story and song reminded me of a song I have known for a long time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When I was younger, I got myself a record player. The first record I bought for myself was a Joan Baez album. It featured old folk songs, rendered beautifully in her soprano voice. One song on the album that always stood out to me was \u201cEngine 143.\u201d The song is about a train wreck tragedy, and based upon a real event. After doing the readings for the week I revisited it and researched it. Much to my surprise, one of the first lyrics references the C & O Railroad, the very same company John Henry worked for.<\/p>\n

Here are the lyrics in full:<\/p>\n

Along came the FFV the swiftest on the line<\/p>\n

Running o’er the C and O road just twenty minutes behind
\nRunning into Sou\u2019ville headquarters on the line
\nReceiving their strict orders from a station just behind
\nGeorgie’s mother came to him with a bucket on her arm
\nSaying my darling son be careful how you run<\/p>\n

For many a man has lost his life in trying to make lost time
\nAnd if you run your engine right you’ll get there just on time
\nUp the road he darted against the rocks he crushed<\/p>\n

Upside down the engine turned and Georgie’s breast did smash
\nHis head lay against the firebox door the flames are rolling high
\nI’m proud to be born for an engineer to die on the C&O road<\/p>\n

The doctor said to Georgie my darling boy be still<\/p>\n

Your life may yet be saved if it is God’s blessed will
\nOh no said George that will not do I want to die so free
\nI want to die for the engine I love one hundred and forty three<\/p>\n

The doctor said to Georgie your life cannot be saved
\nMurdered upon a railroad and laid in a lonesome grave
\nHis face was covered up with blood his eyes they could not see
\nAnd the very last words poor Georgie cried was nearer my God to thee[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=8CHSv4-wpxM<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>What always surprised me was the tone of the song. I found it to be rather cheery, despite the horrific event it was based upon. The parallels between this song and the story of John Henry are manifold. It addresses the breakneck pace of innovation, and the consequences of trying to keep up with it. Both myths feature a cautioning woman, Georgie\u2019s mother and Henry\u2019s wife[2]<\/a>, whose warnings are not heeded. Like John Henry, Georgie faces a tragic yet virtuous death.[3]<\/a> And like in John Henry\u2019s story, the railroad company (the very same C & O) is not cast as a villain, although they directly cause the hero\u2019s death by pushing him too far. Perhaps more so in \u201cEngine 143,\u201d C & O- and by extension progress itself- is declared to be a cause worth dying for.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Further research revealed that the \u201ctrain wreck\u201d song is something of an American icon in itself.[4]<\/a> One article listed the ways in which the train itself has deeply affected many of our American idioms. Phrases such as sidetracked, derailed, train of thought, hell on wheels, blowing their stack, right\/wrong side of the tracks, are all direct references to trains.[5]<\/a> The article went on to list a multitude of folk songs influenced by trains, including a list of train disasters. Such songs as \u201cCasey\u2019s Song\u201d and \u201cThe Wreck of Old \u201897\u201d both deal with train-related tragedies. \u201cCasey\u2019s Song\u201d lyrics in particular sound so similar to \u201cEngine 143\u201d that I thought it was about the same disaster.[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

These songs reveal American virtues. As we discussed in class, the obsession with progress, hard work, and innovation are especially prevalent. These songs could serve as a warning about progress, greedy corporations, overexertion, etc., but instead they have become a way to enforce these virtues. John Henry is directly compared to a biblical hero,[7]<\/a> and Georgie meets God at the end of \u201cEngine 143.\u201d These virtues most certainly have a darker side. Perhaps these songs and myths could be used to expose them, and not simply as a motivational story as in Disney\u2019s John Henry.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> https:\/\/www.azlyrics.com\/lyrics\/joanbaez\/engine143.html<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Disney, \u201cJohn Henry,\u201d (Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2000).<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Scott Nelson, \u201cWho Was John Henry?\u201d (Oxford University Press, 2006).<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Engine_One-Forty-Three<\/a><\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Stephanie Hall, \u201cThe Folklore and Folksong of Trains in America, Part Two\u201d (Library of Congress, 2015). https:\/\/blogs.loc.gov\/folklife\/2015\/08\/folklore-of-trains-in-usa-part-two\/.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Scott Nelson, \u201cWho Was John Henry?\u201d (Oxford University Press, 2006).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had never heard of John Henry before this class. As I read the articles about his legend, much of the mythology and language surrounding him was completely new to me. I did find a simple sentiment which resonated with me, and seemed familiar. The longer I read and listened and watched, the more John …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1329,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[282,281,3,283],"class_list":["post-533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-engine-143","tag-joan-baez","tag-john-henry","tag-train-wreck"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1329"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=533"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/americanicons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}