Train Song

I recently picked up “Dark Was The Night”, a 2009 compilation CD/vinyl benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. The album title is derived from the Blind Willie Johnson song "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," which is covered on this collection by the Kronos Quartet. Album sales have generated a little under a million dollars and John Carlin, the foundations lead and album producer was quoted in saying, “"Dark Was The Night encapsulated the spirit and creativity of a new generation of musicians whose work struck a chord and got people to actually purchase the album and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight AIDS." The album featured exclusive recordings by a number of independent artists and production by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National.

“Train Song” features Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Feist. Gibbard is one of my favorite songwriters and is a great collaborator most recently working with Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo). This song has a really cool retro-road trip vibe. Picturesque to the dude sitting on the back of an open freight train with a beat up acoustic and piece of straw in his mouth. The chord progression is perfect beat for Feist. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.



Track Listing:

"Disc 1"

1."Knotty Pine" – Dirty Projectors and David Byrne – 2:23
2."'Cello Song" (Nick Drake) – The Books featuring José González – 3:54
3."Train Song" (Vashti Bunyan) – Feist and Ben Gibbard – 3:02
4."Brackett, WI" – Bon Iver – 4:03
5."Deep Blue Sea" – Grizzly Bear – 3:46
6."So Far Around the Bend" – The National – 3:43
7."Tightrope" – Yeasayer – 3:18
8."Feeling Good" (Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) – My Brightest Diamond – 3:54
9."Dark Was The Night" (Blind Willie Johnson) – Kronos Quartet – 3:51
10."I Was Young When I Left Home" (Bob Dylan) – Antony with Bryce Dessner – 4:55
11."Big Red Machine" – Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner – 4:39
12."Sleepless" – The Decemberists – 7:54
13."Stolen Houses (Die)" – Iron & Wine – 1:07
14."Service Bell" – Grizzly Bear and Feist – 2:23
15."You Are the Blood" (Castanets) – Sufjan Stevens – 10:14

"Disc 2"

1."Well-Alright" – Spoon – 2:46
2."Lenin" – Arcade Fire – 4:06
3."Mimizan" – Beirut – 2:43
4."El Caporal" – My Morning Jacket – 3:33
5."Inspiration Information" (Shuggie Otis) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – 4:06
6."With a Girl Like You" (Reg Presley) – Dave Sitek – 3:27
7."Blood Pt. 2" (Castanets) – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens & Serengeti) – 3:36
8."Hey, Snow White" (Destroyer) – The New Pornographers – 4:26
9."Gentle Hour" (Peter Gutteridge) – Yo La Tengo – 5:31
10."Another Saturday" – Stuart Murdoch – 2:56
11."Happiness" – Riceboy Sleeps (Jónsi & Alex) – 8:37
12."Amazing Grace" – Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues – 3:34
13."The Giant of Illinois" (The Handsome Family) – Andrew Bird – 4:45
14."Lua" (Bright Eyes) – Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch – 5:54
15."When the Road Runs Out" – Blonde Redhead & Devastations – 3:28
16."Love vs. Porn" – Kevin Drew – 3:57