This song won the Oscar for Best Original Song and is sung by Garland and the other cast members of the 1946 film The Harvey Girls. Lyricist Johnny Mercer came up with the title after seeing a train labeled as part of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe line and was struck by the rhythm of the cities...
What a lovely trip
I'm feeling so fresh an alive
And I'm so glad to arrive
It's all so grand
It's easy to see
You don't need a palace
To feel like Alice
In wonderland
Back in Ohio
Where I come from
I've done a lot of dreamin an I've traveled some
But I never thought I'd see the day
When I ever took a ride on The Santa Fe
(Wanna take a ride on The Santa Fe)
I would lean across my window sill
And hear the whistle echoin across the hill
Then I'd watch the lights, till they fade away
On the Atchison, Topeka, and The Santa Fe
What a thrill
(What a great big wonderful thrill)
With the wheels a singin westward ho
Right from the day I heard them start
Cross the Kansas plains from New Mexico
I guess I've got a little gypsy in my heart
When I'm old and gray and settled down
If I ever get a chance to sneak away from town
Then I'll spend my busmen's holiday
On The Atchison, Topeka, and The Santa Fe
(All aboard)!
All aboard!
(We came across the country, lickedy spilt)
Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo
I can't believe I'm here at last
Ooooooooooooooo, ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo
I can't believe that anything could go so fast
Then you pull that throttle whistle blows
A huffin and a puffin and a way she goes
All aboard for Calaforn-i-a
On The Atchison
On The Atchison, Topeka
On The Atchison, Topeka, and
On The Atchison, Topeka, and The Santa Fe
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe was written by Johnny Mercer & Harry Warren.