" Freight Train " is an American folk song written by Elizabeth Cotten in the early 20th century, and popularized during the American folk revival and British skiffle [1] period of the 1950s and 1960s.

When Elizabeth Cotten and her brothers were playing music together each would have songs that they called their own, and Freight Train was one that she made up and sang as hers. It was one of...

Freight Train is her most well-known song and comes from her childhood memories, listening to trains from her house.

Watch this unique style in a performance of "Freight Train," her best-known song, edited from film taken by Pete and Toshi Seeger at the Seeger family home in 1957.

Music Video by Elizabeth Cotten performing her Freight Train classic in this historic footage from the University of Washington, courtesy of the Seattle Folk...

Lyrics and Tune: Elizabeth Cotten (1905) run so fast. Freight train, freight train run so fast. Please don't tell what rain I'm on. They won't know what ro ere I crave. Place the stones at my head and feet, And …

Here is one version of the lyrics, based on Mike Seeger's liner notes for the album Freight Train and Other North Carolina Folk Songs and Tunes. No more good times here I crave. Tell them all that I've …

"Freight Train" is an American folk song written by Elizabeth Cotten in the early 20th century, and popularized during the American folk revival and British skiffle period of the 1950s and 1960s.

0:00 / 2:46 Freight Train Elizabeth Cotten • Freight Train and Other North Carolina Folk Songs and Tunes • Start playback

“Freight Train” would go one to be recorded by the folk group Peter, Paul, and Mary, by country artist Chet Atkins, the British band Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group, and many others, helping to spread the …