500 Miles By Hedy West

Described by the great English folk musician AL Lloyd as "far and away the best of American girl singers in the [folk] revival", Hedy West, who has died at the age of 67, was the real deal. In the 1960s, the urban-based American folk revival had an idealised view of the singers and instrumentalists from poor, rural America, and sought to emulate them. This was West's background, but she was educated and intelligent and had little sympathy for the city copyists.

The foundation of her singing was the traditional ballads and songs of her childhood. These songs had their roots in the folk songs of Britain and Ireland - songs such as Little Matty Groves and The Wife of Usher's Well. In addition, she wrote her own songs, or adapted songs from her community, the best known of which are Cotton Mill Girls and 500 Miles, which was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, the Seekers, Bobby Bare and Sonny and Cher.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/sep/12/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1

If you miss the train I'm on, you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

Lord I'm one, Lord I'm two, Lord I'm three, Lord I'm four
Lord I'm 500 miles from my home
500 miles, 500 miles, 500 miles, 500 miles
Lord I'm five hundred miles from my home

Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
Lord I can't go a-home this a-way
This a-away, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way
Lord I can't go a-home this a-way

If you miss the train I'm on you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

Joan Baez 

The Journeymen - 500 miles 

[Original Version] (1961)

'The Journeymen are John Phillips, Scott McKenzie and Dick Weissman. Their version of "500 Miles" went nowhere. It was first popularized in France by Richard Anthony "J'entends siffler le train". It has been covered many times, Peter, Paul & Mary... 
The song has been composed by Hedy West.'

Bobby Bare - 500 miles (1964)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Bare

500 MILES

Written by Hedy West, and originally released by Peter, Paul And Mary on their 1962 debut album Peter, Paul And Mary

The Brothers Four - 500 Miles 

With Lyrics

Richard Anthony 

"J'entends siffler le train" 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J80X1niH38

"J'entends siffler le train"

musique Richard Anthony

J'ai pensé qu'il valait mieux
nous quitter sans un adieu
je n'aurais pas eu le coeur de te revoir
mais j'entends siffler le train
mais j'entends siffler le train
que c'est triste un train qui siffle dans le soir

je pouvais t'imaginer toute seule abandonée
sur le quai dans la cohue des aurevoirs
et j'entends siffler le train
et j'entends siffler le train
que c'est triste un train qui siffle dans le soir

j'ai failli courir vers toi
j'ai failli crier vers toi
c'est à peine si j'ai pu me retenir
que c'est loin où tu t'en vas
que c'est loin où tu t'en vas

auras tu jamais le temps de revenir
J'ai pensé qu'il valait mieux
nous quitter sans un adieu
mais je sent que maintenant tout est fini
j'entendrai siffler ce train toute ma vie.

Danny Boy et les pingouins (1962)

http://www.ina.fr/video/I05318505/danny-boy-et-les-pingouins-j-entends-siffler-le-train-video.html

Michèle Richard  

"J'entends siffler le train" (1963)

SALVATORE ADAMO (1965)

Franco Battiato - Giuni Russo

FRANCO BATTIATO 

Ho pensato che sarebbe stato meglio
lasciarci senza un addio
che non avrei avuto il cuore di rivederti
ma sento fischiare il treno
ed è triste un treno che fischia nella sera

Ero sul punto di correre verso te
Ero sul punto di urlare verso te
è una pena che ho potuto trattenere

Che è lontano dove te ne vai
Che è lontano dove te ne vai

Ma io sento fischiare il treno
ed è triste un treno che fischia nella sera

Ti posso immaginare tutta sola, abbandonata
Sul marciapiede nella folla degli arrivederci

E sento fischiare il treno
E sento fischiare il treno

Non avrai mai il tempo per ritornare
ho pensato che sarebbe stato meglio
lasciarci senza un addio
Ma io penso che ora che tutto è finito
Sentirò fischiare il treno per tutta la vita.