Patti Smith Reims France

September 2023

Patti Smith Maison de la Poésie Sunday October 1st, 2023 I’m sitting with Laure, waiting for Patti Smith in the Maison de la Poésie in Paris (The House of Poetry), this intimate venue. Images of dancers are being projected onto the ceiling. I’m tired, somewhat confused, but happy to Be Here Now. Smith is a poet, a singer and a musician. Over the years she has become a cathedral of poetry and song, a living, breathing monument to an age gone by that will never be forgotten. There’s a grand piano stage left and two guitars stage right, an acoustic and a Telecaster and Patti’s mic in the middle of the stage. This should be good…

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The RAIL CAR Back Story

by JB Meldrum

There was quite a buzz in the Dylan community last spring about Bob’s foray into the unknown: a sculpture called RAIL CAR on the property of a château in southern France. As my son lives in Marseille and I go there often, I asked him to accompany me along with my girlfriend to Château La Coste on a beautiful hot day last July. What I saw and felt there absolutely floored me.

Walking around the vineyard for the better part of a day discovering the different sculptures and galleries while listening to the crickets and feeling a soft breeze from time to time, one slowly gets into a trance-like state. When we got to RAIL CAR I was astonished, exhilarated and inspired. While my companion took some pictures, I drew and wrote into my artist’s sketchbook everything I saw, heard and felt.

Time stood still.

That evening in our Air BnB at l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue having dinner with a bottle of Château La Coste rosé, I decided to give myself the challenge of writing a song called RAIL CAR. It took me seven weeks and fifteen strophes to finally choose the best five and also juggle the harmonic rhythm along with the words. While we were visiting La Coste a helicopter flew in and later took off. Alexandra reminded me of this, and that’s when I wrote that  RAIL CAR was a train that could fly! I love this song, and I’d like to thank Château La Coste and of course Bob Dylan for sparking my creativity.

RAIL CAR SONG / words and music by jb meldrum

rail car stands in a hazy blaze 

shadows of the leaves from the sunlight rays

southern winds blow the summertime blues 

a kaleidoscope of colors in rhythm and hues

when you don’t know where you are, 

find the secrets of the dead end trail down by the rail car

 

 

rail car built on old wood beams

nothin’ here is what it seems

miracles suddenly appear 

saints and angels ever so near

from the coat of joseph’s dream

to the sound of a harp in the rail car

rail car sails in the pale moonlight

crickets sing into the night

this ghost of america glides with ease

in southern france, ’ on a lavender breeze

you can strum a soft guitar

sing the blues beneath the stars under the rail car

 

rail car is the mystery train

elvis and bob and johnny fontane

they’re all inside a shotgun shack

barrelin’ down a railroad track

their beauty bears a scar

of a dream from afar in the rail car

RAIL CAR travellin’ through my mind didn’t know that i would find a red hot iron that’s got me stoked i feel the rumble, smell the smoke of my pencil’s blazing trail writin’ down line by line i’m fellin’ trees and tellin’ tales ‘bout the RAIL CAR

RAIL CAR travellin’ through my mind didn’t know that i would find a red hot iron that’s got me stoked i feel the rumble, smell the smoke of my pencil’s blazing trail writin’ down line by line i’m fellin’ trees and tellin’ tales ‘bout the RAIL CAR copyright JB Meldrum 2023