You may know this song by a title that came in later decades when the song was revived: "The Lightning Express." A recording of this song with piano accompaniment was issued in 1899. That would be Byron G. Harlan's first (earliest) recording--the singer lived in Orange, New Jersey, and was on good social terms with Edison himself. He began making records in the autumn of 1899. Arthur Collins also started in the industry around that time (a year earlier), but the two were not teamed immediately.
Here is a remake with orchestra from around 1902. The original cylinder number was kept (as was the practice for Edison's company at this time).
A lightning express from a depot
so grand had just started on its
way. Most of the passengers who
were on board seemed to be
happy and gay. A little boy
sat in a seat by himself--was reading a
letter he had. 'Twas plain to be seen
from the tears in his eyes that the
contents of it made him sad.
A stern old conductor then started
to take the tickets from everyone
there. Till finally reaching the side
of the boy, he gruffly demanded his
fare. "I haven't a ticket," the boy
then replied. "But I'll pay you back
someday." "I must put you off at
the next station then." But stopped
when he heard the boy say:
"Please, mister conductor--oh,
don't put me off the train. The
best friend I have in the world, sir,
is waiting for me in pain. She's
expecting to die any moment and
may not live through the day, and
I want to bid mother goodbye, sir,
before God takes her away."
The Everly Brothers, learning the song from a Bradley Kincaid record, sang this but changed the title to "Lightning Express."
"Please, Mr. Conductor, Don't Put Me Off The Train" BYRON G. HARLAN 1ST RECORD 1899 Everly Brothers
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