"Call Me Rusty" is a song in Act 1 in which Rusty responds to being mocked by Greaseball and his Gang. Its length, its lyrics and its position in the show have changed many times with difference productions.
Context
Rusty is sent by Control to fetch the coaches, while Greaseball and his Gang laugh at him. Rusty vents his anger at how the other engines disregard him, and sings about his determination to prove his ability by winning the race. However the coaches worry that he will overstretch his ability and damage himself.
Music
Rusty's introduction is heralded by his distinctive steam train "Woo-woo" whistle, which becomes a recurring theme through the show.
History
Original London production
In the original production, "Call Me Rusty" was the audience's introduction to Rusty. It followed "Taunting Rusty". At the end of the song, the Coaches addressed him directly in "Rusty Can't Be Serious".
Broadway
The Broadway Production replaced "Call Me Rusty" with "Engine of Love", a less angry, more fun pop song. A fragment of "Call Me Rusty"'s melody, however, was paired with different lyrics and titled "This is Gonna be the Day".
Later productions
In later productions, such as the 1992 London revamp, "Call Me Rusty" was shortened to a two-verse fragment between "Taunting Rusty" and "A Lotta Locomotion". In these productions, Rusty left the stage as he finished this song, leaving the coaches behind.
Bochum
At first, the Bochum production used a version, similar to the Broadway, as a coda to "Engine of Love", and used lyrics similar to the contemporary 1988 London version with Pearl having reservations about racing with Rusty.
Later, the production removed replaced "Engine of Love" with the later London fragment version of "Call Me Rusty", translated as "Nennt mich Rostig".
Tours
The 2003 US tour used the same music as the later London version with slightly-altered lyrics by David Yazbek. For the later UK tours, however, these were reverted to the later London version.
Lyrics
Original London
Full length song.
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty if you like |
| Rusty's how I look | |
| And Rusty's my name | |
| Slow corrosion is eroding my frame | |
| Call me Rusty if you like | |
| Call me Rusty if you must | |
| It isn't nice but I admit that it fits | |
| For a dead-end engine falling to bits | |
| Call me Rusty if you like | |
| Coaches: | Come on Rusty, |
| Come on Rusty, | |
| Come on Rusty | |
| Rusty: | This is not the dream I dreamed when they first lit my fire |
| Mainline coaches streamed behind as my steam rose higher | |
| Switching and hitching at everyone's call | |
| Never occurred in my vision at all | |
| But when they start the racing and you notice the steam | |
| You know it's me that's moving on | |
| And proving you should listen to your dream | |
| Call me Rusty if you dare | |
| 'Cause when you see me on the finishing line | |
| And when I take the place that's rightfully mine | |
| Call me Rusty if you dare | |
| Coaches: | Listen to this big shot talking he seems to imply |
| All the trains will just move over and let him by | |
| Pearl: | Rusty you can not believe all that stuff |
| Coaches: | You mustn't go racing you're not tough enough |
| You'll either be a hundred miles away at the back | |
| Or worse they'll find you scattered | |
| In a million rusty pieces 'round the track | |
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty if you dare |
| 'Cause when you see me on the finishing line | |
| And when I take the place that's rightfully mine | |
| Call me Rusty | |
| Coaches: | Hello Rusty, good boy Rusty, hello Rusty, good boy Rusty |
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty I don't care |
London Revamp
Fragment Version
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty if you like. |
| Dinah: | Cool off! |
| Rusty: | Soon I'll know just how a champion feels |
| Buffy: | Don't Push |
| Rusty: | When I show the rest a clean pair of wheels |
| Ashley: | Who d'ya think you're shoving? |
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty if you like. |
| Pearl: | Rusty, turn your fire down! |
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty if you dare |
| Ashley: | He'll blow his top |
| Rusty: | Cos when you see me on the finishing line |
| Buffy: | He's off the rails |
| Rusty: | And when I take the place that's rightfully mine |
| Dinah: | He always fails! |
| Rusty: | Call me Rusty if you Dare! |
Rustys Demütigung
German version of the London revamp fragment.
| Rusty: | Nennt mich rostig, wenn ihr wollt! |
| Dinah: | Ganz ruhig! |
| Rusty: | Ihr sollt seh'n, wie stark und schnell ich noch bin! |
| Buffy: | Dück' nicht so! |
| Rusty: | Wenn ich gegen euch das Rennen gewinn'! |
| Ashley: | Hey, nicht schubsen! |
| Rusty: | Nennt mich rostig, wenn ihr wollt! |
| Pearl: | Rusty, nicht so feurig. |
| Rusty: | Nennt mich rostig, wenn ihr meint! |
| Ashley: | Gleich geht er hoch! |
| Rusty: | Aber bald wird euch das Lachen vergeh'n. |
| Buffy: | Ich frag' mich wie? |
| Rusty: | Denn dann werde ich als Sieger da steh'n. |
| Dinah: | Das schafft er nie! |
| Rusty: | Nennt mich rostig, wenn ihr meint! |
Video
AUDIO - London 1984. Taunting Rusty - Greaseball, Gang and Rusty, and Call Me Rusty - Rusty, Coaches
