500 Miles – ein Song, der uns auf viele Züge aufspringen lässt

Abstract

The significance of railroad songs for the American culture is little known here. In Europe the fascination for the railroad may become apparent in Johann Strauss’ polka “pleasure train” op. 281 (1864) and – better known – in Arthur Honegger’s Pacific 231 from 1923. Yet in America a musical genre of its own was developed in reaction to the construction of the nationwide railway system: the railroad song. In this article a number of exercises and activities are presented around Hedy West’s railroad song “500 Miles” from 1961 that experienced a comeback thanks to the award-winning Coen Brothers’ film “Inside Llewyn Davis”.