A Baby Got Born on the W Train This Morning
Liner Notes
When I told my son about the story I'd read about a baby being born on the W train, he immediately asked which train line I thought would be the best to be born on. We've had a lot of subway adventures over the 21 years since he was born at a hospital above an express stop on the 2 and 3 trains. He brought his newborn sister a subway map so she could find her way home from the same hospital. And he and his sister both have names you can spell with Subway line letters. Anyway I've been singing this one all day, and it was fun to see how the verses unfolded.
Today's also my mother's 82nd #birthday, she was born at another New York Hospital near the A and C I think. #guitar #americana
3/13/2024 - I made a few small lyrical changes after playing this for a couple of groups. The biggest one was to start general and move specific - so the listener has a better chance of getting the story right away, then a few small changes about the child in the second verse. I did a few passes at recording - and separated recording the guitar from recording the vocal to make it easier for me to play the pattern I hear.
Lyrics
Updated Lyrics 3/13 Somebody's baby got born on a subway train this morning I saw it in the paper, so maybe it happened last night The baby got herself born in the first car on a W train She found a stranger to help her out Made me smile, I bet she's gonna be alright
You used to be a baby on a subway train most mornings You used to mostly like it, unless we’d had a rough night Then you’d cry like the baby in the first car on the W train , Til a stranger would help you out He would smile like it's all gonna be alright Til you'd Smile, like we're all gonna gonna be alright
So if you see a baby on a subway train this morning
If you see a mother who needs a little help some night
If you see somebody who used to be a baby in the first car on the W train, be a stranger, help ‘em out
Go on Smile like you're all gonna be alright
Until they smile, like you're all gonna be alright
Tell 'em a baby got born on a subway train one morning. Go on smile, make 'em smile, it's alright
Original Lyrics: A baby got born on the W train this morning I saw it in the paper, so I guess it may ‘a happened last night This baby got herself born in the first car on the W train, she had a car full of strangers help her out It made me smile like it's all gonna be alright
You know we used to ride the W train some mornings You always liked it, unless we’d had a rough night When you’d cry in the front pack in the first car on the W train , some stranger would always help us out He would smile like it's all gonna be alright
If you see a baby on the W train this morning If you see a mother who needs a little help some night If you see somebody who used to be a baby in the first car on the W train, be a stranger, help ‘em out Smile like it's all gonna be alright
Cause a baby got born on the W train this morning. Smile, it's alright
Comments
Nancy, this is beautiful!! I just love the soft guitar and your sweet vocals! You are really reminding me of some of my favorites like Mary Gauthier! And the story you tell is so cool and interesting! And it has such an awesome message, "be a stranger, help ‘em out, Smile like it's all gonna be alright". That right there is some brilliant songwriting!!! You made me smile real big!
Wow, I just love this one. Nice Nancy. So unique and that refrain is so lovely and classic.
I really love the story telling and the anologies and insights you bring to it. This song conveys such a lovely sense of community and warmth. Love the sentiment. Gorgeous flow and delivery. Beautiful vocals.
This thing chugs along like the world's quietest train song. Very sweet and catchy. I am smiling now
Another hopeful tune here, I like the light touch on the "it's all gonna be alright". I like the idea of there being some train out there where all the people help each other out.
This song struck me as like so many parenting moments with my grade school aged kids do - we talk about something stunning in the news, it morphs into some touch point memory of them when they were tiny, and then some higher truth is revealed along with a life lesson. I had to listen to this twice, because I just loved the build to “if you see somebody who used to be a baby”… yes, let’s all help all our fellow humans! Sweet sweet music to go with a sweet sweet message 💚
What a sweet soothing song, almost a lullaby. Brilliantly written and performed in one take! Happy birthday to your Mom.
Lovely, lovely song. Love your vocal on this! ❤️
Delightful and uplifting. Beautifully structured and performed
I like the way you use the news to spark this plea to help everyone and everything will be alright. The refrain is very memorable and nice to hear!
What a brilliant write and performance...life affirming and such a pleasure to listen to...love it!
Excellent and uplifting story, told well. Love the "all gonna be alright" -- both melodically and in terms of sentiment.
This is exquisitely beautiful, and just the kind of hopeful and encouraging story I needed to hear before going to bed tonight. Thank you!
You have such a lovely way of telling a story. I like the way your lyrics and the music always fit together so well. There is a real kindness in your voice that is very appealing.
Ditto @johnnywallflower on the Prine vibe. I wouldn't have blinked twice if you told me it was his song. Brilliantly simple and so loaded with truth, both lyrics and melody. And your performance was wonderful, Nancy. Thank you for a smile this morning.
Holey Moley. Easily my favorite. The hook "smile like it's all gonna be alright" is just the best thing ever, the long delivery is just perfectly timed. The repeated usage of "stranger" works really well. Easily intrigued about crying in the front pack. The treatment of night on each verse is great as well. Great job on this one.
What a sweet song. Real Prine vibes.
I saw that story as well-- wild! so glad you wrote that song- its sweet and just about perfect, like that W baby! :)
OMG Nancy I was just talking to my own son about this unbelievable story as we rode on the A train this morning! Just wild and miraculous. That is such a sweet story about your son and the subway map. It can still throw me off of my game, haha. Now, just listening to your song, and wondering how you would smoothly fit in the letter, "W," haha, Great job. I like how this song just rolls along, as if you were also singing it on the W train. It's got an Edie Brickell vibe (insert heart emoji). So glad you documented this NYC moment and found a positive angle to share.
Oh boy I LOvE this song.
What a tender, loving song. A simple guitar strum that carries the tune through its different chapters.
Ya Haram I hope that baby is alright and got where they needed to be. Great song. Excellent storytelling
I love this ode to faith in humanity. At least that's what I get from it. Wonderful
Love the simplicity and genuine delivery - Sweet vox Nance!! Great performance and capture! Love it! Write On!!
Love this story. Both the descriptive elements but also the kind message. Excellent total package, vocals and guitar...Great stuff!
Great song @nancycunning Super great imagery! Lovely melody too! Simple and beautiful. Can picture the video. Well done! Happy Birthday to your mom :)
this is such a fun, breezy song. you tell the story so well and your singing is perfection. I love your phrasing, especially when you break the final line of the verses down into notes of varying length. in fact, your phrasing is wonderful throughout the song. You have me hanging on every syllable.
I love this one! The melody, the message, the great phrases like "if you see somebody who used to be a baby." Your song really does make me feel like things are going to be all right, and that's not easy to do in my current doomscroll mode. Thank you! I needed this.
Very catchy and love the inspiration on this. The phrasing is great, love your voice on this....Wonderful song, glad I didn't miss it!