Morningtown Ride

"Morningtown Ride" is a lullaby,[2] written and performed by Malvina Reynolds in 1957, and covered by a number of artists. It tells the comforting story of the journey through nighttime made by all the "little travellers" (children), on board a train, with the Sandman as guard.[3]

"Morningtown Ride"
Single by The Seekers
from the album Hide and Seekers
B-side	"When the Stars Begin to Fall"
Released	1966
Genre	Folk,[1] lullaby[2]
Length	2:36
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Malvina Reynolds
Producer(s)	Tom Springfield
Music video
"Morningtown Ride" - (Stereo, 1966) on YouTube

The Seekers version

The song was performed by The Seekers with Bobby Richards and his Orchestra on the 1964 album Hide & Seekers (W&G Records WG-B-2362).[4] It was subsequently re-recorded and released as a single in 1966 (Columbia DB 8060),[5] produced by Tom Springfield.[6]

The song spent 15 weeks on the UK's Record Retailer chart, reaching No. 2 on 28 December 1966.[5] In the United States, the song spent 7 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 44,[7] while reaching No. 13 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.[8][9] The song also reached No. 2 on the Irish Singles Chart,[10] No. 4 in Malaysia,[11] and No. 9 in South Africa.[12]

Other versions

• It was sung by The Limeliters, an American singing group led by Glenn Yarbrough, and appears on their 1962 album Through Children's Eyes.[13] RCA Victor LSP 2512 (stereo), RCA Victor LPM 2512 (mono)
• Reynolds herself recorded it on her 1970 album Artichokes, Griddle Cakes, and Other Good Things (Pacific Cascade Records LP-7018).[14]
• It was also recorded by The Flanagans in 1964.
• Country Four, a Swedish grop, made a Swedish version, Vägen till morgonstad (1967).
• The Irish Rovers recorded versions of the song, which were released on the 1972 album The Irish Rovers Live and the 1976 album Children of the Unicorn. In 1973, The Irish Rovers' version reached No. 83 on Canada's RPM 100[15] and No. 39 on RPM's Adult Contemporary Playlist.[16]
• Bob McGrath sang this song on the Sesame Street album, Bert & Ernie Sing-Along in 1975.
• Raffi sang this song on his 1980 album Baby Beluga (Rounder).[17]
• Brendan Grace recorded a version of the song, which reached No. 25 on the Irish Singles Chart on 6 January 1985.[10]
• The Wiggles and Jimmy Little sang this song on their 2000 album It's a Wiggly Wiggly World (Lyons Group).[18]
• Genevieve Jereb sang this song on her 2004 album, Cool Bananas (Gellybean Records).
• Erkki Liikanen recorded a Finnish language version, "Matka Aamun Kaupunkiin", in 1967.[19]
• Annette Hodgson performed this as the character Noelene in The Sapphires.[20]
• A largely instrumental version, recorded by Stan Butcher, from his 1966 album His Birds and Brass, was used as theme tune to the weekly Saturday morning BBC Radio 1 programme Junior Choice presented by Ed Stewart.[21]
• Mirusia recorded this song on her 2019 album "A Salute to The Seekers" which charted at #1 on the Aria Jazz and Blues chart.[22]

References

1. "Spotlight Singles" Billboard, February 4, 1967. p. 16. Accessed December 23, 2017.
2. Ley, Alison (2003). Sounds of Singing: Reception-Y2/P1-P3, p. 49. Nelson Thornes. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
3. "Lullabies for Sleepy Eyes", Susie Tallman & Rock Me Baby Records. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
4. The Seekers - Hide and Seekers at Discogs
5. "SEEKERS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
6. "Billboard Hot 100", Billboard, March 25, 1967. Accessed September 29, 2016.
7. "The Seekers - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
8. "The Seekers - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
9. "Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening", Billboard, April 15, 1967. p. 20. Accessed September 29, 2016.
10. Song Title Search Results for "Morningtown Ride", The Irish Charts. Accessed September 29, 2016.
11. "Hits of the World", Billboard, February 18, 1967. p. 60. Accessed September 29, 2016.
12. "Hits of the World", Billboard, January 28, 1967. p. 70. Accessed September 29, 2016.
13. "Through Children's Eyes - The Limeliters". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
14. "Malvina Reynolds: Discography / Recordings". People.wku.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
15. "RPM 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 20, No. 1, August 18, 1973. Accessed October 8, 2016.
16. "Adult Contemporary Playlist", RPM Weekly, Volume 19, No. 11, April 28, 1973. Accessed October 8, 2016.
17. AllMusic Baby Beluga Overview
18. AllMusic Wiggly Wiggly World Overview
19. "Erkki Liikanen - Laula Vain / Matka Aamun Kaupunkiin (Vinyl)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
20. "The Sapphires (2012)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
21. Stan Butcher - Morningtown Ride on YouTube
22. cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3Wrvd8pmSE