Down by the Station

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed. (June 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. You can help. The talk page may contain suggestions. (June 2025)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

Song

"Down by the Station"

Song
Written| 1948
Songwriter(s)| Paul Mills, Slim Gaillard

"Down by the Station", also known as "Down at the Station", is a popular song written by Paul Mills and Slim Gaillard and first recorded by The Slim Gaillard Trio in 1947.[1] The song was most famously recorded by Tommy Dorsey in 1948.

## Background

[edit]

The song remains popular today as a children's music standard, a simple song about a railroad station master seeing the steam locomotives off to work. The lyrics are:

> Down by the station early in the morning,
>  See the little pufferbellies all in a row.
>  See the engine driver pull the little handle,
>  Puff, puff, Toot! Toot! Off we go.

The song itself predates 1948; it was reportedly seen in a 1931 issue of Recreation.[2]

## Similarities to other tunes

[edit]

Whether deliberately copied or not, the melody of "Down by the Station" is closely related to the chorus of the French-Canadian folk song "Alouette".[2][better source needed] Some have pointed out that though the first line is similar to "Alouette", it is closer to the tune of "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider," with the first two lines being similar.[original research?] The third line of "Down By the Station" is higher in pitch than the second, and the fourth line returns to the pitch of the first line (except for a higher pitched or onomatopoetic "Toot! Toot!").[original research?]

## Other versions

[edit]

* The Four Preps recorded a version of "Down By the Station" in 1959, featuring an entirely different set of lyrics by group members Bruce Belland and Glen Larson. It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100[3] and #10 in Canada.[4]

## Popular culture

[edit]

* The lyrics may have inspired Reverend Wilbert Awdry to write his first Railway Series story, Edward's Day Out.[5]

## See also

[edit]

* Children's literature portal

* List of train songs

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Original versions of Down by the Station". SecondHandSongs.com. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
2. ^ a b "Lyr Req: Down by the station, early in the morning". Mudcat.org. Archived from the original on 2016-08-03. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 314.
4. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - February 8, 1960". chumtribute.com. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
5. ^ Thomas & Friends | Interview - Rev. Wilbert Awdry - TVam (1984) (Television production). Retrieved 2025-06-04 – via YouTube.

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|