Working on the railroad

[Terry Toenges]

I have always wondered about "Dinah". When I was a kid and we learned that song in school, the only Dinah I knew about was Dinah Shore. I didn't think she played a horn but I knew she sang about Chevy's and seeing the USA. I never gave it that much thought back then. Now I wonder about Dinah. Someone was in the kitchen with her playing the banjo. Was that while she was playing some type of horn? I assume the whistle is the train whistle. Was the singer already wealthy and didn't have anything to do all day so he thought he'd work for the railroad just to pass the time? When the singer says "blow" and "blowing" is he using the term for both the whistle and the horn? Why not "blow the whistle" and "toot the horn"? Another one of life's mysteries for me.

[Trainman203]

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/55/18/62/551862b1071919d6b8b5508ea535f80a.jpg

[Terry Toenges]

 

[James in FL]

Posted by: Terry Toenges   Posted on: July 07, 2020, 06:43:41 PM
Insert Quote
I have always wondered about "Dinah". When I was a kid and we learned that song in school, the only Dinah I knew about was Dinah Shore. I didn't think she played a horn but I knew she sang about Chevy's and seeing the USA. I never gave it that much thought back then. Now I wonder about Dinah

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ve_Been_Working_on_the_Railroad

If you read the lyrics all your questions will be answered.
You may not have been taught all the verses. 

[Trainman203]

I think I remember as a child Working on the Railroad and Dinah being two different songs.  No kids sing those old-favorite type songs today. They will be forgotten.   

[Terry Toenges]

So "Dinah" is generic term for a slave women and she's in the kitchen. The "Dinah won't you blow your horn" contributed by college students does say much.

[jward]

I always pictures the song as being about a travelling track gang that lived out of camp cars. The horn signalled the end of the work day and the kitchen was on the train itself. After dinner, the crew would gather round and sing songs accompanied by the banjo. Perhaps they were the tracklaying crew on a newly built railroad?

[Terry Toenges]

It got me to wondering if "Dinah blow your horn" was meant to mean they blew a horn when it was dinner time.