Baggage Coach Ahead, Lyric Variant 02
 


Citation

Davis, Gussie L., 1863-1899, “Baggage Coach Ahead, Lyric Variant 02,” Appalachian State University Libraries Digital Collections, accessed December 21, 2024, https://omeka.library.appstate.edu/items/show/31369.


Comments

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Title

Baggage Coach Ahead, Lyric Variant 02

Description

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Subject

Popular music--United States
Death--Songs and music
Mothers--Songs and music
Railroads--Songs and music

Alternative Title

Baggage Coach

Creator

Davis, Gussie L., 1863-1899

Publisher

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Contributor

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

Format

PDF

Language

English

Type

Text

Spatial Coverage

Transcription

In the Baggage Coach Ahead.

On a dark and stormy night,
As the train rattled on,
All the passengers had gone to bed
Except one young man with a babe in his arms
Who sat with a bowed down head.
The innocent one began crying just then
As if it’s poor heart would break.
Make that child stop its noise,an angry man said,
For it’s keeping us all awake.
Put it out,said another,don’t keep it in here.
We have paid for our berths and want rest.
But never a word,said the man with the child,
As he fondled it close to his breast.
Where is its Mother? Go take it to her,
A lady then softly said.
I wish that I could,was the young man’s reply,
But she’s dead in the coach ahead.

Chorus:

As the train rolled onward,
A husband sat in tears,
Thinking of the happiness of just a few short years.
While baby’s face brings pictures
Of a cherished hope that’s dead,
But baby’s cries can’t waken her
In the baggage coach ahead.

Every eye filled with tears
As the story he told
Of a wife who was faithful and true,
And how he had saved up their earnings for years
Just to build them a home for two.
Then Heaven had sent them a sweet little babe
Their young happy lives to bless.
In tears he broke down when he mentioned her name
And in sorrow he told them the rest.
Every woman arose to assist with the child, -
There were Mothers and wives on the train.
And soon was the little one sleeping in peace
With no thou ht of sorrow or pain.
Next morning at the station he told all goodbye.
Bod bless you,he softly said.
And each had a story to tell in their homes
Of the baggage coach ahead.

Associated Date

1896

Scholarly Classification

Randolph, 704

File name

113_BaggageCoachAhead_Lyric_02_ocr