Trains in Song Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Monkees

This song was The Monkees' debut single and was included on their self-titled album released in October of the same year. This song has an interesting meaning: a young man was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and wants his female significant other to take the last train to Clarksville so they can spend their last night together before he ships out to Vietnam the next day.

The Army's 101th Airborne Division is home-based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which is near Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division took horrific casualties during the Vietnam war.

Answer: Josh Turner

Josh Turner wrote and recorded this song based on a vision he had of the devil and temptation. "Long Black Train" was the second of three singles off his debut album of the same name. This single peaked at number 13 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album peaked on the U.S. Billboards 200 chart at number 29 and number four on the Top Country Albums chart.

Answer: Bill Monroe

Of the choices, Monroe is the only bluegrass legend. "Orange Blossom Special", sometimes known as the fiddle players' national anthem, has been recorded by many artists and groups over the years but Bill Monroe and his band the Blue Grass Boys scored big with it in 1941. Ervin and Gordon Rouse recorded the song in 1939. Johnny Cash in 1965, Doug Kershaw in 1970 and Charlie Daniels in 1974. Cash's version was the first track on his 21st album which he titled "Orange Blossom Special"!

Answer: Gladys Knight & the Pips

This song was the first track of Gladys Knight & the Pips' 11th album, "Imagination", and won the group a Grammy Award in 1974. The song was
written and originally recorded by Jim Weatherly, then recorded by Cissy Houston before the Pips had their smash hit with it in 1973. "Midnight Train to Georgia" became THE signature song for Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Answer: Roy Acuff

Although many artists have recorded and performed this song, Acuff's 1936 version has sold over ten million copies worldwide and became his signature song. According to hobo legend, when a hobo dies a death coach attached to the mythical Wabash Cannonball appears to carry the hobo's soul to its reward. Of special note, "The Wabash Cannonball" is the oldest song on the list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll!

Answer: Bruce Springsteen

"Downtown Train" was never a hit song but was played regularly on radio and was usually played in Springsteen's concerts. Bruce Frederick Springsteen was born September 23, 1949 in New Jersey and works with the E Street Band. Springsteen, nicknamed "The Boss", has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He has sold over 120 million records worldwide!

Answer: Nowhere

Yoakam wrote and recorded "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere". It was released as a single in June 1993 off his "This Time" album. You may have heard this song in the movies "Red Rock West" (1993) and "Chasers" (1994). Dwight Yoakam is one of my favorite artists and this is a really good music video, especially if you're a big train fan!

Answer: City of New Orleans

The lyrics start with "Ridin' on the City of New Orleans, Illinois Central, Monday morning rail. Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders, three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail." "City of New Orleans" was Nelson's title song off his album of the same name which he recorded in 1984.

This single reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and number one on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. Steve Goodman wrote this song and won a posthumous Grammy Award for it in 1985.

Answer: Folsom Prison Blues

The lyrics continue: "I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin' on
But that train keeps a rollin' on down to San-An-Tone."

Cash recorded "Folsom Prison Blues" on his debut album "With His Hot and Blue Guitar" (1957) and later on his album "All Aboard the Blue Train" (1962). He performed the song live at Folsom Prison in January of 1968 then released his live album "At Folsom Prison" (1968). "Folsom Prison Blues" is one of Cash's signature songs which he played regularly and OFTEN.

Answer: R.E.M.

"Around the Sun" was R.E.M.'s 13th studio album. R.E.M. formed in 1980 with Michael Stipe (singer), Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass), and Bill Berry (drums). Their first single "Radio Free Europe" was released in 1981. The band has sold over 85 million records worldwide and R.E.M. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007!