The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Sunshine feelin' static through your body you don't know what's going on
Then a creep crawl the mind bends bet it all then cash in and be gone
Cause it's side corners and street lights caught in this haze and I here them callin'
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I had a dream that everything wasn't the way it seemed
Martin was the President and Malcolm the VP
Bush wore a rubber and W was never born
We never bombed Nam and never went to Desert Storm
Little babies was birthed to ladies and grown men
Instead of gangsters and bitches not knowing were to begin
Because we born into this world to die trained to kill steal and lie
Raised to sin just to survive framed cause if we caught we fry
Somebody save us they said the saviors comin'
But if he ain't got nuclear weapons he should keep on runnin'
Cause they bombin' the palaces churches and temples and mosques
We got the freedom of speech until yo ass get shot
Where's the train
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
Sometimes the candlelight is brighter than the sunshine darkness is long gone
Diggin' my soul still not knowing what's going on
Four in the morning a thousand miles away from home
Glassy and tight eyes reddish and off white observing the ice
Swimming in my cup until it's right
Cause it's midnight I'm in the devils daughter and it's so tight
I'm doin' it till I'm gone midnight I'm in the devils daughter and it's so tight
I'm doin' it till I'm gone
I hear the train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear the train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
Then a creep crawl the mind bends bet it all then cash in and be gone
Cause it's side corners and street lights caught in this haze and I here them callin'
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I had a dream that everything wasn't the way it seemed
Martin was the President and Malcolm the VP
Bush wore a rubber and W was never born
We never bombed Nam and never went to Desert Storm
Little babies was birthed to ladies and grown men
Instead of gangsters and bitches not knowing were to begin
Because we born into this world to die trained to kill steal and lie
Raised to sin just to survive framed cause if we caught we fry
Somebody save us they said the saviors comin'
But if he ain't got nuclear weapons he should keep on runnin'
Cause they bombin' the palaces churches and temples and mosques
We got the freedom of speech until yo ass get shot
Where's the train
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
Sometimes the candlelight is brighter than the sunshine darkness is long gone
Diggin' my soul still not knowing what's going on
Four in the morning a thousand miles away from home
Glassy and tight eyes reddish and off white observing the ice
Swimming in my cup until it's right
Cause it's midnight I'm in the devils daughter and it's so tight
I'm doin' it till I'm gone midnight I'm in the devils daughter and it's so tight
I'm doin' it till I'm gone
I hear the train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear the train just callin'
Callin' me home
I hear that train just callin'
Callin' me home
Lyrics submitted by noliesjustloveXxX
Train Lyrics as written by Jinho Hakim Ferreira Dave Lopez
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
I see alot of war references in the last verse. In that first verse I don't get much out of it. The second/third verse seems like it's talking about what America would be like if their were some better choices, or just difference choices per say, because if Malcom X was the vice president, well god knows what would be happening right now. But I think it means, if Martin Luther and Malcom were President and VP then there'd be less racism or more equality in the country. And if Bush wore a rubber and W was never born, is saying, Bush was a good president, but W Bush, is a bad president. And if we hadn't gone to war. About making the better choices for America?
The sad truth that we are living :( nice song and meaning lyrics.