Betty Miranga - My Daddy Worked On The Rails

 

The railroad has been in Betty Miranga's for all her life, and the family association goes back generations back to her Great Grandfather, Grandfather, and Father. Evidently she has a predilection for getting romantically inclined with railroad men as well. That it hasn't turned out well for her is being made plain in her songs. She has 2 sons from a previous marriage to a railroad man, and when the boys got of age they both hired on the railroad as well. This song, My Daddy Worked On The Rails tells a little bit about her father, and the sorrow she still feels from his passing. 

We got a chance to talk to Betty as she came to our studios to sign a contract. We were somewhat surprised when we saw her. For some reason, we thought she was a small woman going by her high pitched voice, but it shows how getting a picture of someone just by their voice isn't always a good gauge of their physiognomy. Far from being a small woman, she's just a tad short of 6 foot tall! She shook hands and her grip is substantial. After we talked, we found out she was quite an athlete in her younger days (she's quite an attractive late 50's-early 60's lady). Played much basketball, softball, volleyball, and stays active and in shape by playing golf; she's 2 handicap,close to being scratch,but she said she's got some arthritis in her shoulders and doesn't play as often as she should anymore. Her voice is the same talking as when she sings; soft, high pitched, almost like a young girl. She told us her voice has not changed over the years, and she's careful not to strain or overwork her voice. Her talent and soul she puts into her songs is that of a mature woman that admits to using music to work through some of her life-long demons, as she calls them. 

My Daddy worked on the rails
'Til his dyin' day runnin' trains
Wouldn't quit when he had the chance
Life of a rail man in his veins

Daddy followed in the footsteps
Of his Daddy, Grampaw too
Worked his way up from laborer
All on the old SOU (Southern Railroad)

Ran the big diesel engines
Long trains of black coal would fly
'Member goin' to the crossin'
Wavin' to him as he rolled by

My Daddy worked on the rails
'Til his dyin' day runnin' trains
Wouldn't quit when he had the chance
Life of a rail man in his veins

Daddy got crippled up o'er time
With arthritis in his back
Ever time he had to move
His joints would creak and crack

Had a chance to hang up his hat
On account disability
But he couldn't stand not ridin'
And wounding his virility

My Daddy worked on the rails
'Til his dyin' day runnin' trains
It's had a strange effect on me
Life of a rail man in his veins

I ain't never worked the railroad
But it's part of me just like him
All my love's have been rail men
All have ended up really dim

'Member hearin' 'bout Daddy
Found dead in the engineer's seat
They was stopped for a crew change
Then his life was full complete

My Daddy worked on the rails
His heart give out that sad day
I'm all alone, without a man...
I might end up the same way