Down by the Station facts for kids

"Down by the Station" is a very popular children's song. It is also sometimes called "Down at the Station". Paul Mills and Slim Gaillard wrote this song. The Slim Gaillard Trio first recorded it in 1947. Later, in 1948, Tommy Dorsey made a very famous recording of it.

About "Down by the Station"

This song is still a favorite among kids today. It is a classic children's music tune. The song starts with these lines: Down by the station, early in the morning, see the little pufferbellies all in a row. It tells a simple story. A station master watches as steam locomotives get ready to leave. These old trains were sometimes called "pufferbellies" because of the smoke and steam they puffed out.

Where Did It Come From?

Even though it was recorded in 1947, the song "Down by the Station" is actually much older. People found it in a magazine called Recreation from 1931. This shows the song has been around for a long time!

How Does It Sound?

The tune of "Down by the Station" sounds a lot like other well-known songs. It is very similar to the chorus of a French-Canadian folk song called "Alouette". The first line of "Down by the Station" also sounds like "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider".

The way the song's tune moves is interesting. The third line of "Down by the Station" goes higher in pitch than the second line. Then, the fourth line goes back down to the same pitch as the first line. But, it often ends with a higher-pitched "Toot! Toot!" sound, like a train whistle.

Other Versions of the Song

Many artists have recorded "Down by the Station". In 1959, a group called The Four Preps made their own version. They used completely different words written by their group members, Bruce Belland and Glen Larson. This version became quite popular. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.