Jim Blake

DESCRIPTION: "'Jim Blake, your wife is dying,' came over the wires tonight." Railroad engineer Blake wires back that he is coming. But his train is wrecked, "derailed by an open switch." Blake's last message to his wife says they'll meet in heaven
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1910 (_Railroad Man's Magazine_, according to Cohen)
KEYWORDS: train wreck disaster death husband wife
FOUND IN: US(MW) Canada(Newf)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Cohen-LongSteelRail, pp. 332-337, "Jim Blake's Message" (2 texts, 1 tune)
Peters-FolkSongsOutOfWisconsin, p. 209, "Jim Blake" (1 text, 1 tune)
Spaeth-WeepSomeMoreMyLady, pp. 139-140, "Jim Blake" (1 text)
Shay-BarroomBallads/PiousFriendsDrunkenCompanions, pp. 182-183, "The Midnight Express" (1 text)
cf. Gardner/Chickering-BalladsAndSongsOfSouthernMichigan, p. 479, "Jim Blake" (source notes only)
Roud #3531
RECORDINGS:
The Carter Family, "Jim Blake's Message" (Decca 5467, 1935)
Vernon Dalhart, "Jim Blake" (Brunswick 173, 1927); "Jim Blake the Engineer" (Columbia 15192-D [as Al Craver], 1927)
Leonard Molloy, "Jim Blake" (on MUNFLA/Leach)
File: GC479b

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