schlange - Posted - 09/26/2014:  13:39:26

Ervin T. Rouse

This week's tune is probably the most rousing, energetic fiddle tune around, and it's a classic train song as well! "Orange Blossom Special" (sometimes just called "The Special") was written by Ervin T. Rouse in 1938, and first recorded by Ervin and Gordon Rouse in 1939. By the 50's it had become a favorite at bluegrass festivals, so in demand that a fiddle player wouldn't get hired unless he could play it. The tune was inspired by Ervin Rouse's tour of a deluxe passenger train called "The Orange Blossom Special" which ran between New York City and Miami.

And make no mistake about it--this tune is played fast. Most recordings I've found have it between 175-185BPM. I even found one around 190 (see the Donna Stoneman and the Stonemans in the Grooveshark playlist to the right). 

The tune has lyrics, but it's often just played as an instrumental. It's odd compared to many bluegrass tunes in that the A part is freeform, letting the fiddle player just play whatever they want over the 5 chord (E, since it's traditionally played in the key of A). Then the fiddle player drops down to the 1 and you're off to the races placing the BB part twice, the C part once, then back to the A part for the fiddle player to fiddle around more.

For many years, Orange Blossom Special has been not only a train imitation piece, but also a vehicle to exhibit the fiddler's pyrotechnic virtuosity. Performed at breakneck tempos and with imitative embellishments that evoke train wheels and whistles, OBS is guaranteed to bring the blood of all but the most jaded listeners to a quick, rolling boil. ~ Norm Cohen, author, Long Steel Rail: The Railroad in American Folksong

Lyrics

Look a-yonder comin'

Comin' down that railroad track

Hey, look a-yonder comin'

Comin' down that railroad track

It's the Orange Blossom Special

Bringin' my baby back

Well, I'm going down to Florida

And get some sand in my shoes

Or maybe Californy

And get some sand in my shoes

I'll ride that Orange Blossom Special

And lose these New York blues

"Say man, when you going back to Florida?"

"When am I goin' back to Florida? I don't know, don't reckon I ever will."

"Ain't you worried about getting your nourishment in New York?"

"Well, I don't care if I do-die-do-die-do-die-do-die."

Hey talk about a-ramblin'

She's the fastest train on the line

Talk about a-travellin'

She's the fastest train on the line

It's that Orange Blossom Special

Rollin' down the seaboard line

Learn the Tune:

• Hear It using the GrooveShark playlist to the right.


• We have a video lesson from Casey Henry where she teaches you her own arrangement of a break for this tune. Casey teaches it in a step-by-step, no tab needed fashion. Only $6 thru the end of the week.​ Get it here >


• Backing Tracks: Band in a Box tracks are included below at various speeds for your practicing pleasure. 


• Tabs: several in the BHO archives.

Share!

I (and others) would love to hear (and see!) you play your version of this tune--post it in a reply below!

VIDEO: Johnny Cash & Roy Clark - Orange Blossom Special. (click to view)	VIDEO: Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers - Orange Blossom Special (click to view)	VIDEO: Flatt & Scruggs - Orange Blossom Special (click to view)	VIDEO: Rhonda Vincent & the Rage - Orange Blossom Special (click to view)
VIDEO: The Charlie Daniels Band - Orange Blossom Special (click to view)	VIDEO: Orange Blossom Special - Excerpt from the Custom Banjo Lesson from The Murphy Method (click to view)	Orange Blossom Special Backing Track (A) 70BPM	Orange Blossom Special Backing Track (A) 90BPM
Orange Blossom Special Backing Track (A) 110BPM	Orange Blossom Special Backing Track (A) 130BPM	Orange Blossom Special Backing Track (A) 150BPM	Orange Blossom Special chords

MrManners - Posted - 09/26/2014:  15:24:31

the 2 ultimate banjo versions imo is the Carl Jackson on bill monroe's Bean Blossom album,and Raymond Fairchild's version

MrManners - Posted - 09/26/2014:  15:31:16

my own wimpy attempt 

youtu.be/5i-12geiQ-k?list=UUcD...1oYFAtncg

RioStat - Posted - 09/26/2014:  19:10:54

Who's the smokin' hot babe, er...I mean...who's the young lady playing the left-handed fiddle in the Rhonda Vincent video?

RB-1 - Posted - 09/27/2014:  13:05:47

Don't play it regularly, but every once in a while, when getting a request.

Last time was at this Dutch Country Music gala.

The hard part was playing in an electric country band environment with disturbing noises all around you, but apart from a sleeping sound engineer it didn't end up all that bad, considering I made it up as I played it.

OK, the mike was something like a crappy SM 57 (oh, how I hate these things).

Banjo comes in (sound man wakes up ) at  ~3:15 

Video: youtube.com/watch?v=yfe29e_pxWc

Pickin-N-KC - Posted - 09/27/2014:  17:49:20

I like Annie...

youtube.com/watch?v=FPpZ3GqAUI4

RB-1 - Posted - 09/28/2014:  04:27:38

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pickin-N-KC

I like Annie...

---

So do I... 

Edited by - RB-1 on 09/28/2014 04:29:18

Jack Baker - Posted - 09/28/2014:  06:44:07

Here's Carl Jackson's OBS as edited by me...Jack

Orange Blossom Special Carl Jackson 

MrManners - Posted - 09/28/2014:  07:19:14

isn't that the pretty much actual tab from Carl's book Jack,not to take away from your efforts and edits,but i think folks should be sure to check this one out because of that.There are 2 versions of this recording floating around.one is watered down,The bean blossom album is the real deal.the one where i am sitting on the lemans on the back cover .Imagine that me playing on a monroe album.ha ha

Jack Baker - Posted - 09/28/2014:  09:11:38

No it is not from a tab booklet as I never steal tabs from books. Sometimes people send me tabs to edit and then post. Other than that I get almost all of my tabs from LPs, CDs and old Tapes. Often, people used to go to my old website and download my banjo tabs and re-post them on BHO so that could also factor in what you're asking....Jack  p.s. when did Carl ever put out a book of his tabs?

Edited by - Jack Baker on 09/28/2014 09:14:57

MrManners - Posted - 09/28/2014:  09:37:58

i did not say steal ,though it seems you took it that way, i asked if this was the version in his song book simple as that.no vague reference trussel.com/bti/for.htm,

Jackson did not write the book but i assume he proofread the tabs.

Don't know for sure  where i ran across the fact that the tab used to proof my slowdowner efforts  was out of Carl's book but i did run across it.When i just checked  the tabs it seems it was Eric's tab i was probably using,not yours as i assumed.Don't know how that factors in to your other tab statement

Edited by - MrManners on 09/28/2014 09:59:18

Jack Baker - Posted - 09/28/2014:  10:08:03

Tom,

My post was not accusing you of accusing me of that though I may have used the word incorrectly . So many tabs are grabbed from BHO that it really doesn't matter to me anymore hence my TOTW every week if possible. I do remember when Carl visited NYC years ago and was just a teenager then and I picked with him so who knows?...This is no big deal at all....Jack  p.s. is Carl's book even available for people to buy anymore?

Edited by - Jack Baker on 09/28/2014 10:10:44

MrManners - Posted - 09/28/2014:  11:00:03

good deal jack ,don't know if his book can be found, not something i want,just those magic fingers that he doesn't even use much nowdays

caseyhenry - Posted - 09/29/2014:  12:24:32

To be clear, my OBS lesson is not my own arrangement. It is JD Crowe's arrangement and has both lead and backup for the entire tune. It's a LONG lesson!! And it's a great break!

Casey

Pat Rhodes - Posted - 10/01/2014:  12:39:06

The book is "The Carl Jackson Banjo Book" by Bob Forest 1981 By Mel Bay there are some great Tabs in it.