When the Golden Train Comes Down
Bob Nolan
Original copyright: March 16, 1936
There’s a Jubilee up in the sky,
When the Golden Train comes down.
With an invitation for you and I,
When the Golden Train comes down.
I’m gonna take tickets at the Golden Gate,
Gonna dance with Peter, make the angels wait,
And just to be mean, I'm gonna be late
When the Golden Train comes down.
(Chorus)
“All aboard! All aboard!
“All aboard! All aboard!
Gonna ring the bell,
Gonna bid farewell
When the Golden Train comes down.”
She’ll be here soon and she’ll be on time,
When the Golden Train comes down.
With the Heav’nly crew all looking fine,
When the Golden Train comes down.
So, turn on the steam and let ‘er ride and ride,
Make the Devil throw coal on the old coal slide
If he don’t work hard, I'm gonna tan his hide
When the Golden Train comes down.
(Repeat chorus)
What a Heav’nly trip that’s gonna be,
When the Golden Train comes down.
With the angels serving pie and tea
When the Golden Train comes down.
You’re gonna see Gabriel, as sure as you’re born,
A-sittin’ on the smokestack, blowin’ his horn.
He can stand up if it gets too warm
When the Golden Train comes down.
(Repeat chorus)
ABOUT THIS SONG
The comical pseudo-spiritual was popular in the early part of the 20th century and Bob Nolan wrote at least four of this type of song, “When the Golden Train Comes Down”, “Heavenly Aeroplane”, “What You Gonna Say to Peter” and “When I Leave this World Behind”.
The song was registered for copyright on March 16, 1936.
SHEET MUSIC
The sheet music was published in The Sons of the Pioneers Song Folio No. 1, © 1936, American Music, Inc.
RECORDINGS
The Sons of the Pioneers recorded it first as a Standard Radio transcription in 1934 and then for Columbia (ARC) at the end of 1937.
SONS OF THE PIONEERS TRANSCRIPTION RECORDINGS
Lucky U Ranch radio shows (courtesy of Larry Hopper)
- Transcriptions disc TR-154/155 (December 20, 1951)
- Transcriptions disc TR-389/390 (May 29, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-652/653 (January 16, 1953)