I Want to Go to Morrow

DESCRIPTION: Singer sets out for the town of Morrow. He tries to buy a ticket to Morrow "and return tomorrow night." The agent says he should have gone to Morrow yesterday and back today, for "the train that goes to Morrow is a mile upon its way."
AUTHOR: Lew Sully
EARLIEST DATE: 1898 (sheet music published)
KEYWORDS: questions train travel railroading humorous nonsense paradox
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Dean-FlyingCloud, pp. 32-33, "To Morrow' (1 text)
DT, MORROW1
Roud #9554
RECORDINGS:
Dan W. Quinn, "I Want to Go to Morrow" (Improved Berliner 438, c. 1900; Victor [Monarch] 12, 1900)
Bert Shepard, "I Want to Go to Morrow" (Victor 899, 1901)
Harry Spencer, "How I Got to Morrow" (Columbia 855, 1902)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Yuba Dam" (subject, such as it is, and general atmosphere)
NOTES [132 words]: Morrow, Ohio, said to be the subject of this song, is a small town just northeast of Cincinnati. - RBW
That may be, but according to the WPA guide for Kansas, the town of Morrowville "was named for its founder, Cal Morrow, State Senator (...). Until 1896 the town was called Morrow, but its name was changed to Morrowville after the railroad company had complained that its ticket agents were confused when travelers asked for 'a ticket to Morrow (tomorrow).'" Perfect timing for Lew Sully's song, published two years later. - PJS
You have me there. The only counterargument is, Why would enough people want to go to Morrow, Kansas for it to be a problem? - RBW
And, to be fair, the song does say, "There is a town called Morrow in the state of O-hi-o". Did the same thing happen twice? - PJS
File: DTmorrow

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