Written 1930 Language English | Writer(s) Uncle Dave Macon | |
Published 1952 in Anthology of American Folk Music | ||
The "Wreck of the Tennessee Gravy Train" is a folk song about politicians and bank failures. It is based on a true incident in Tennessee in 1930. After a scandal involving awarding contracts without bids, Henry Horton was re-elected governor of Tennessee. The Caldwell Company Bank collapsed soon afterward, leaving the state 6 million dollars in debt. An impeachment attempt against Horton was unsuccessful, but he did not run for an additional term. The affair also ruined the career of Senator Luke Lea.
References
Wreck of the Tennessee Gravy Train Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA