Recording and Mixing Dates: Recorded March 31-April 4, 2015. Mixed February 23, 2016.
Genesis: I came up with the tune and title refrain on October 12, 2012. Some of the verses came to me later that month while walking. There are times when the rhythm of a song matches my stride and words come more easily. The first verse is based on the oil trains that ship North Dakota and Canadian crude oil to refineries in the east. Concerns had been raised about derailments of these trains and the carnage that would result. These concerns were confirmed on July 6, 2013 in the Canadian town of Lac Megantic. A 74-car oil train rolled down a hill and exploded, decimating the town and killing 47 people.
The other verses are more open-ended.
Production: Bass guitar, drums, Dobro, acoustic guitars, banjo guitar. Thanks to Don Arney for suggesting the Dobro.
Lyrics
NOT GOING DOWN THERE NO MORE
Oil train tore through this town
Blew it up burned it down
We’re all back to common ground
Not going down there no more
Not going down there no more
I’ve persevered in all I tried
Fought my way to the sunny side
Got sent back when the engine died
Not going down there no more
Not going down there no more
Some grab their blues off the rack
Got mine custom all in black
Turned some heads at the sugar shack
Not going down there no more
Not going down there no more
The dice went cold
The deal went down
Fingers pointed all around
Pony up
Clean the slate
When knives are drawn
Time won’t wait.
Rough justice in the park
Bad assassins missed their mark
It’s all over when the screen goes dark
Not going down there no more
Not going down there no more
Whiskey-soaked, stale cigars
Star and stripes, stars and bars
Watching wounds turn into scars
Not going down there no more
Not going down there no more
Not going down there no more
Copyright 2016 Fred Grittner All Rights Reserved
52 tracks blog 
Good song. I do like the lyrics. Good groove. If there is anything that´s worth suggesting – I am not convinced the banjo fits perfectly.
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Thanks, Jan. I was going for a “dark” tenor banjo sound on my banjo-guitar. It fits with the chord progression, which to my ears would have worked in the 1920s.
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