About the song
When it comes to grace, soul, and storytelling in American music, few voices echo more tenderly than that of Emmylou Harris. With her unmistakable blend of country, folk, and Americana, she has spent decades crafting songs that feel timeless and true. One of her most poignant recordings is “Tulsa Queen,” a track that rolls in slowly like a distant train whistle, filled with longing, memory, and quiet heartbreak.
Emmylou Harris – Tulsa Queen first appeared on her 1977 album Luxury Liner, a project that showcased her gift for interpreting both traditional and contemporary songs with fresh emotional depth. Co-written with Rodney Crowell, “Tulsa Queen” stands out as a deeply atmospheric piece — one that blends the sadness of separation with the rhythmic pulse of a train pulling away, both literally and symbolically.
The “Tulsa Queen” isn’t just a locomotive — it’s a metaphor for departure, for the things and people that move on while we’re left behind. Harris sings with haunting softness, letting the sadness settle in slowly, like dusk creeping over a quiet town. Her phrasing is delicate yet deliberate, capturing the weight of words left unsaid and goodbyes that came too soon.
Musically, the track is steeped in traditional country elements: steel guitar weaves gently around her vocals, the rhythm is steady but never forceful, and the melody unfolds like a memory you can’t quite let go of. There’s an ache in the air, but also a quiet strength — a resilience that comes from accepting what can’t be changed.
What makes “Tulsa Queen” so memorable is its ability to be both intimate and expansive. It’s a song about one woman, one train, one lost connection — and yet, it speaks to anyone who has ever watched someone leave and felt time slow down in their absence. In the hands of Emmylou Harris, the heartbreak is beautiful, the silence is eloquent, and the journey — even when it’s away from love — still feels human and real.
Emmylou Harris – Tulsa Queen is not just a song; it’s a quiet masterpiece, a ballad that lingers long after the final note fades, much like the sound of a train disappearing into the distance.
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Lyrics
I heard the train
In the Tulsa night
Calling out my name
Looking for a fight
She’s come a long, long way
Got a longer way to go
So tell me how a train from Tulsa
Has got a right to know
She sings a song
So sad and high
And the Tulsa queen
Don’t ever lie
And she don’t care where she goes
Don’t care where she’s been
And the Tulsa queen ain’t crying
‘Cause I won’t see you again
And I want to ride
Like a Tulsa queen
Calling out to you
As she calls to me
As far away from Tulsa
As these ten wheels can be
Lately I speak
Your name too loud
Each time it comes up
In a crowd
And I know it when I do
The Tulsa queen and you
Are gone…
