ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
Written by Ervin T. Rouse (1917-1981)
(and maybe?)
Robert Russell "Chubby" Wise (1916-1996)
The Orange Blossom Special was
a famous deluxe passenger, all electric sleeping car train, operated primarily by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad from 1925 to 1953 between New
York City and Miami with a section going to Tampa and St. Petersburg as a winter season only service. This train was renowned for its
speed and luxury and catered to the wealthy passenger featuring amenities like an Observation LIbrary Car, valet/maid services, and even carried its own barber and manicurist. It also was the first Florida train to be air conditioned.
The song's authors, Rouse and Wise, wrote their bluegrass style fiddle tune about this train after seeing a streamlined train which they thought was the Orange Blossom Special in 1938. According to Wise, the composers, who were blue grass fiddlers, impressed with what they saw, wrote the tune, which mimics the rumble of train wheels and the wail of the horn, in 20 minutes. Later Rouse and his brother Jack added the lyrics:
The song's authors, Rouse and Wise, wrote their bluegrass style fiddle tune about this train after seeing a streamlined train which they thought was the Orange Blossom Special in 1938. According to Wise, the composers, who were blue grass fiddlers, impressed with what they saw, wrote the tune, which mimics the rumble of train wheels and the wail of the horn, in 20 minutes. Later Rouse and his brother Jack added the lyrics:
1.
Well look a-yonder comin'
Comin' on down the track
Well look a-yonder comin'
Comin' on down the track
It's the Orange Blossom Special
Bringin' my baby back
2.
Well talk about her ramblin'
She's the fastest train on the line
Well talk about her travellin'
She's the fastest train on the line
She's the Orange Blossom Special
Rollin' down the seaboard line
3.
Well, I'm going down to Florida
Get some sand in my shoes
Or maybe California
Get some sand in my shoes
I'll ride the Orange Blossom Special
And lose those New York blues
Actually there is a little controversy as to whether Wise was actually one of the song's writers as he said that he was too busy to bother copyrighting the song and told Rouse that he could take all the credit for it. Some claim that Rouse had originally written the tune and called it "South Florida Blues" before copyrighting it as the"Orange Blossom Special" a few months before Wise said it was written.
ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
THE STORY OF A BLUEGRASS ANTHEM
This blue grass standard song is considered to be the most popular song ever written about a train on the Florida run (in fact by many it is considered the "unofficial" anthem of bluegrass) and over the years has been recorded by many famous musical artists including Bill Monroe and Johnny Cash.
ROUSE BROTHERS PERFORMING THE ORIGINAL
"ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL"
LINKS
Here is another version:
Barcel Brioso benefit concert for Portland Suzuki Project
PLAYED BY: FIDDLIN' ARTHUR SMITH
MY FAVORITE RENDITION OF THE ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL BY
FLATT and SCRUGGS
FLATT and SCRUGGS
