‘Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang – Ride The Rails’ is a cinematic, gut-wrenching folk-rock ballad that yanks you straight into the heart of one of America’s forgotten tragedies — the violent expulsion of the Chinese community in La Grande, Oregon, on September 24, 1893.
You’re transported into a fevered nightmare of history from the first whistle of a steam train. Woods doesn’t soften the story — instead, this leans into its chaos with galloping drums, dusty guitar riffs, and vocals that straddle storyteller and witness. The rhythm pounds like a relentless locomotive, mimicking the unstoppable force of a town’s fear turned violent mob justice.
Lyrically, the song is raw and vivid. Verses recount the terror with brutal clarity — “They rounded up the migrants / Drove them to the railroad tracks” — while the chorus is haunting in its irony: “Ride the rails you made / Travel the tracks you laid.” These lines speak volumes, transforming history into a warning shot for today.
What elevates Ride The Rails further is its epic guitar work. The dual guitars weave in and out of the narrative, culminating in a dramatic solo that feels straight out of a Western showdown. The track’s arc — opening and closing with the sound of a train — gives it a powerful symmetry, echoing how cycles of exclusion still persist.
Part of the upcoming concept album Silent Spike, this song doesn’t just retell history — it reclaims it, blending blues, rock, and folk into an anthem of remembrance. It’s a protest song disguised as a Western ballad, steeped in grit and truth.
Ride The Rails is more than music — it’s historical reckoning with six strings and a purpose.
Stream ‘Ken Woods And The Old Blue Gang – Ride The Rails’ on Spotify here:
