Dixie Flyer by Randy Newman

Album: Land Of Dreams (1988)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

This is a biographical song about the Newman family. Newman was born in Los Angeles on November 28, 1943. It is evident from the lyrics that his grandparents were Orthodox Jews who were trying to throw off their Jewishness and live the American Dream. In the song, his mother leaves Los Angeles bound for New Orleans where her family lived, on the Dixie Flyer, which was a train that traveled from the midwest to Florida. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments: 4

Fong Tong from Atlanta GaIn reality, the "Dixie Flyer" train went from Chicago to Florida via Nashville and Atlanta - it went nowhere near Los Angeles. The train from Los Angeles to New Orleans was (and still is) called the "Sunset Limited."
The Land Of Green Ginger from Essex, UkNew Orleans is known as The Land of Dreams long before Randy Newman, from a Louis Armstrong lyric, no irony, even if he wasn't a jazz fan he'd have heard it called that, as well as The Crescent City, The Big Easy etc
Dave from New England, UsThough Newman's parents were Jewish, they were nonobservant--definitely not orthodox. He has said that he grew up with no religious identity. Regardless, it would have been easier at the time to live in the American South--"down there" as he refers to it in the song--being Christian.
Rene from New Orleans, Larandy, as normal being tongue-in-cheek calling new orleans the land of dreams; but i like it...

see more comments

More Songfacts:

FireJimi Hendrix

Thirty years after Jimi Hendrix played "Fire" at Woodstock, Red Hot Chili Peppers played it at Woodstock '99, but this time the unruly crowd actually set fires and looted.

Whip ItDevo

"Whip It" by Devo is about the rah-rah affirmations delivered by politicians and motivational speakers who often have ulterior motives.

Puff Daddy didn't get permission to sample the Police song "Every Breath You Take" on his Notorious B.I.G. tribute "I'll Be Missing You," but he later reached an agreement and even performed the song with Sting.

JumpVan Halen

Van Halen's first #1 hit was "Jump," an unusual song for the band because the lead instrument was synthesizer, not guitar.

Pink HousesJohn Mellencamp

John Mellencamp considers "Pink Houses" an "anti-American song," laying bare the struggles of the poor and working class.

It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)R.E.M.

"It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" was inspired by a dream where Michael Stipe conjured up images of people with the initials L.B.: Lester Bangs, Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Leonard Bernstein.