Bluegrass, Trains, etc.

I like bluegrass music. I have for many years now, even before I moved from New England/York/Jersey down to Western North Carolina, and yes, even before “O Brother, Where Are Thou?” came out. Over the years, I have amassed a collection of compilation albums that have introduced to me to such bluegrass greats as Ralph Stanley, IIIrd Tyme Out, and Alison Krauss, among others.

One of my favorite songs in my library is a cutie called “Trainwreck Of Emotion”, a version performed by WNC-native Del McCoury. Here’s his version of this song. 

Before I get to reviewing this song - which I have been enjoying for years, BTW - a word about the songwriter… turns out, I know him (and I just discovered that fact)! It’s none other than Grammy-award winner Jon Vezner, who is a regular instructor at the Contemporary Folk Week of the Swannanoa Gathering (which I attend regularly). This song had been recorded by, and became a big hit for, country recording artist Lorrie Morgan, too. And it was co-written by Alan Rhody.

“Trainwreck Of Emotion” is adorable. Yup, an adorable song about a trainwreck… kinda. It’s actually about a whirlwind romance followed by a harsh break-up that has put the character (singer) through an emotional “trainwreck”. Clever!

In McCoury’s version, the song opens with the familiar “taters” on the fiddle (an effective bluegrass trope) that are made to sound a bit like a chugging locomotive (well done, fiddler!). Then the lyrics begin to lay out the narrative, using a stunning array of railroad references. And we’re then brought to this masterful chorus:

I’m lying in the rubble, cinder, smoke and ash

My heart still pounding from the impact of the crash

I can see tomorrow’s headlines, “Heart broke from blind devotion”

Just another victim of a trainwreck of emotion

WOW!! Talk about imagery and metaphor! Folks, it doesn’t get better than this. 

And the melody is great, slowly rising with the tension created by the narrative in the lyrics. The bluegrass arrangement of Del McCoury’s version is pretty standard with mandolin, banjo and fiddle each taking their solo breaks. The whole song has the energy and emotional power of a runaway train.

And it just goes to show you that a good song pays no heed to the “genre” it has been assigned. Covered by both a country (Lorrie Morgan) and a bluegrass artist, I think this song could also easily be rocked out or sung as a plaintive folk ballad.

So, yeah. I like bluegrass. And I LOVE this song!