Ride this Train - Johnny Cash -(Drake Well) Titusville, PA
Posted by: 
bpratt
N 41° 36.659 W 079° 39.472
17T E 611827 N 4607455
A song about the birth of the oil industry and the well that started it all.
Waymark Code: WMDEEQ
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/03/2012
Views: 10
"The man in black" Johnny Cash sings a song about the birth and growth of the modern oil industry and the men who drilled for the oil. The song starts out talking about Col. Edwin L. Drake and his famous "Drake's Well" and ends with a thank you to Drake for his part in starting the modern oil industry.
I am providing a link bellow to a YouTube video that is a clip from Mr. Cash's tv show from years gone by where you will see him singing this song. It is from this video that I am transcribing the words to the song.
Musician: Johnny Cash
Name of Song: Ride this Train
Relevant Verse:
(The beginning of the song)
The year 1859 the place is Titusville Pennsylvania. Yea see that make shift drilling rig over there. It's not drilling for water Mr. it's drilling for oil. It was put there by Col. Edwin L. Drake. He learned that oil could be refined into kerosene see he was going to give those whale oil fellers a run for their money. A year went by and they went down 69 feet and nothing but dust. Then one Sunday this old boy went to Drake he said hey me and the boys were on the way to church but I just thought I would tell you Colonel that hole we dug has seeped plum full of that old oil.
And the news was out Colonel Drakes well was producing 35 barrels of oil a day at $45 dollars a barrel. There was a stamped to northwest Pennsylvania to rival the California gold rush, oil was on it's way but everyone wasn't exactly sure what to do with this new product oil. One old Pennsylvania farmer said I think this is going to taste mighty good and he poured it over his hot-cakes.
(The end of the song)
and it all started with a man called Colonel Drake just 120 years ago so good night Colonel Drake and thanks for the oil. I was a quart low.
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