Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Well, I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand
Yeah, I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand
Whoa, it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell
When all your love's in vain
When the train, come in the station
I looked her in the eye
Well the train come in the station
And I looked her in the eye
Whoa, I felt so sad so lonesome
That I could not help but cry
When the train left the station
It had two lights on behind
Yeah, when the train left the station
It had two lights on behind
Whoa, the blue light was my baby
And the red light was my mind
All my love was in vain
All my love's in vain
With a suitcase in my hand
Yeah, I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand
Whoa, it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell
When all your love's in vain
When the train, come in the station
I looked her in the eye
Well the train come in the station
And I looked her in the eye
Whoa, I felt so sad so lonesome
That I could not help but cry
When the train left the station
It had two lights on behind
Yeah, when the train left the station
It had two lights on behind
Whoa, the blue light was my baby
And the red light was my mind
All my love was in vain
All my love's in vain
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
Love In Vain Lyrics as written by Robert Leroy Johnson
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He's disillusioned by love.
It's "hard to tell WHEN all YOUR love's in vain." Same in the Robert Johnson version.
Some interesting differences in the Robert Johnson version though: RJ sings "The blue light was my blues and the red light was my mind," which makes way more sense than "The blue light was my baby." But the stones do sing it the original way in some live recordings.
Also, RJ sings (at least in the recording I have) "Well I felt lonesome I was lonesome," not "well I felt so sad and lonesome" like the stones.
Either way it's great. As far as I can tell, most modern trains do not have blue and red lights on the back, though airplanes do.
Nobody posted???? The guitar at the start of this song and well pretty much throughout is so beautiful... It's a song about a guy who loves a girl and she leaves him on a train and he feels like all the love he put into her/used was in vain or that there was no point because it didn't make her stay with him..
Just a note- This song was originally done by Robert Johnson, king of the delta blues, around 1937.
@wetcoaster Yes it was and Stones always have credited everyone where applicable. I have an 86 Abkco CD and it"s not credited there but I have other recordings that do give that credit. Good remark for the great RJ unlike a lot of zep, etc....which I love
Very possibly the best song on Let It Bleed. I love it so.
It's not actually a lyric correction but I think the title should acknowledge that it's a Robert Johnson cover.
One of the greatest cover versions In The Rock n Roll era, up there with Hendrix’ Watchtower, The Byrds’ Mr Tambourine Man, Devo’s Satisfaction, and all the other greats!
Her is the spirit that takes you. And leaves from the station which is a place one reaches at the top of ones
mind at the edge of insanity where one make the choice to let go of control to be taken on the trip
Somewhere. The suitcase is the baggage that one carries that needs to be left behind.
He followed her, so he picked up on the signs and got the message which led to the station.
Since he has been trying so hard to find her, his love has been in vain.
The train that came to the station was in fact her and he looked her in the eye.
As a man with no love he felt so sad and lonesome.
So when the train left the station is when she turned on her creativity. The station is stop and she is go,
but he did not go because the blue light is that she was left blue because he was the red light who didn’t let
go and is still standing at the station with the suitcase in his hand, and that is why his love was still in vain. Arthurg8 on Youtube