Come Ride, Ride on the Orphan Train

The first thing I love about this song is the percussiveness of its instrumentation. It almost feels like an acapella song; it has that feeling of space in it. The instruments feel like a counterpoint to the vocal. There is also the poignancy of those vocals and of the history the song is rooted in.

In September 1854, the first "orphan train" carried 46 homeless children from New York City to far off homes to become laborers in the pioneer West. It was the first step in what was to become the emigration of as many as 250,000 orphan children to new homes throughout the entire United States. Some children found kind homes and families, others were overworked and abused. You can listen to a wonderful documentary on the orphan train experience, featuring interviews with surviving orphan train riders, as well as readings from historical newspapers, letters and journalshere.

Come all you broken hearted, come and lay your burden downCome kings and queens, come royalty surrender up your crownCome empty-handed come with nothing of your own to claimCome naked, poor, come like a child to ride the orphan train

[Chorus:]Come ride, ride on the orphan trainPut your ear to the track, you can hear your nameCome ride, ride on the orphan train, it'll take you all the way homeThe way is narrow, it is steep that brings you to the doorBut love awaits there to embrace your heart forevermore [Repeat Chorus]

Come you abandoned, you forsakenFriendless and alone, come refugees left homesick forSome place you've never knownHere princes, paupers, criminals and saints are all the sameNo more or less than God's beloved child aboard this train

[Repeat Chorus twice]

It'll take you all the way homeIt's gonna take you all the way home

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