All Aboard

John Denver | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 26, 1997)
• Original Release Date: August 26, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony Wonder (Audio)
• ASIN: B0000029ZZ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #140,139 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Jenny Dreamed of Trains

2. Freight Train Boogie/Choo Choo Ch'boogie [Medley]

3. Steel Rails

4. Waiting for a Train

5. I've Been Working on the Railroad

6. On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe

7. Old Train

8. Daddy, What's a Train?

9. The Little Engine That Could

10. Last Train Done Gone Down

11. Last Hobo

12. People Get Ready

13. Lining Track

14. City of New Orleans

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Surprising Hit!, March 5, 2001

By 

W. Foley (Canandaigua NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All Aboard (Audio CD)

I must confess I purchased this CD only because it was a new John Denver CD. And I am a big fan of his work. I was not enthusiastic about an album full of trains songs. Now a CD full of songs about the sea...that would have gotten my interest! Oh well, saddly that will never be...I guess I'll have to record that myself! :)

Back to the task at hand. When I got home and played it, boy was I impressed! This is a great CD. Forget that it's a Childrens CD. If you like John's style of music, and even if you don't have children, or if they're all grown up and moved away, buy this CD!

During the 1980's and early 90's John was trying to recapture his early success by putting out material that had songs reflecting diverse musical genres. One of his last studio albums, "Different Directions," is a prime example of that effort. But this is the CD where he was successful in achieving that aim.

There are old fashioned swing, big band, folk, gospel, styles of music flawlessly woven into a theme of train songs. The medly "Freight Train Boogie/Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" will have your toes tapping. Most artists, when they try and step out of their musical style and try to broaden their perspective, often come off as cheesy and artificial. John Doesn't on this CD. One of the best tracks is the acapella "Linging Track" an old spiritual that was more than likely sung by slaves as they laid down the rails. Curtis Mayfield's song "People Get Ready" has never sounded better. "Steel Rails" is my personal favorite on this CD, and it is also great to have a decent version by John of "City of New Orleans" (unlike the version that appears on Aerie).

John won a Grammy posthumously for this in the category best Childrens Album. That is bitter sweet. Yes, John deserved it for this work. But it was sad to know he was not here to enjoy it, and it was also sad because John was so often discounted and maligned. Not only is that unfair, it is also undeserved. Maybe its vindication of sorts because he truly was a talented soulful, artist. Buy this CD you will not be disapointed.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collection of train songs, March 26, 2003

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: All Aboard (Audio CD)

Although recorded with children in mind, this album may well have more appeal to older people. In today's world, children's experience of trains is limited, especially in America. This is acknowledged in one of the songs on this album, Daddy what's a train, a song written by Utah Philips in 1973.

The album opens with Jenny dreamed of trains, a cover of a song written by Vince Gill and Guy Clark in the nineties. Most of the songs are of a much older vintage, including covers of Waiting for a train (Jimmie Rodgers), On the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe (originally a hit for Judy Garland), People get ready (Curtis Mayfield) and the often-recorded City of New Orleans, a song that John first recorded for his Aerie album in the early seventies. The version here is a new recording. Steel rails is a song that I first came across on an Alison Krauss album, but it dates from 1973.

The only song that is strictly for the children is The little engine that could - a song which subtly tries to teach them something about helping others and doing your best.

There are a few lesser known gems here, too, like Last train done gone down (a cover of a Peter Rowan song) and Lining track (one of Leadbelly's more obscure songs). If you like train songs will enjoy this collection, whatever age you are.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece of Bluegrass and Train History, December 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: All Aboard (Audio CD)

When I initially selected this CD, I was attracted to the subject matter of trains -- something I thought my daughter might enjoy. I was totally unprepared for beautiful bluegrass arrangements, the vivid imagery of the lyrics, and the historical significance of many of the songs. My daughter dearly loves this CD and so do I. Bring this along on your next car ride and you'll be transported away to the wide open spaces of America.