Elton John – This Train Don't Stop There Anymore

You may not believe it
But I don't believe in miracles anymore
And when I think about it
I don't believe I ever did for sure
All the things I've said in songs
All the purple prose you bought from me
Reality's just black and white
The sentimental things I'd write
Never meant that much to me

I used to be the main express
All steam and whistles heading west
Picking up my pain from door to door
Riding on the storyline, furnace burning overtime
But this train don't stop
This train don't stop
This train don't stop there anymore

You don't need to hear it
But I'm dried-up and sick to death of love
If you need to know it
I never really understood that stuff
All the stars and bleeding hearts
All the tears that welled up in my eyes
Never meant a thing to me
Read 'em as they say and weep
I never felt enough to cry

I used to be the main express
All steam and whistles heading west
Picking up my pain from door to door
Riding on the storyline, furnace burning overtime
But this train don't stop
This train don't stop
This train don't stop there anymore

When I say that I don't care
It really means my engine's breaking down
The chisel chips my heart again
The granite cracks beneath my skin
I crumble into pieces on the ground

I used to be the main express
All steam and whistles heading west
Picking up my pain from door to door
Riding on the storyline, furnace burning overtime
But this train don't stop
This train don't stop
This train don't stop there anymore

But this train don't stop
This train don't stop
This train don't stop there anymore

Oh, yeah


Lyrics submitted by AgathaKavka

"This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" as written by Elton John Bernard J.p. Taupin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

This Train Don't Stop There Anymore song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentI've heard that this song is about Elton John not doing coke anymore. I can never hear this song without remembering an argument I got into with someone. We were in the car and an Elton John song came on, and I was trying to make conversation so I said, "oh I love Elton John, I went to see him and Billy Joel and it was a great show!" and she said "Oh, I like him too, and he's so admirable, he's never done drugs..." I sat there with my mouth open for a few seconds, unable to say anything, and then I'm like, "Elton John was a drug ADDICT. He's admitted. He even said that the song "this train don't stop there anymore" was about him not doing coke anymore! She got very quiet, but then she just said "He didn't do drugs." I gave up. And I didn't have the heart to tell her he was gay, too.
    Sofkurion December 15, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThis is my own interpretation, but what I think is that Taupin if this is fact written about him although it could be about John is about moving on with life. If this was written about John then it could be the transition of John's career. Elton was huge in the 70's and 80's and is now just a man that is considered one of the greatest singers of all time. He is no longer living the fast life that he once was. This could also be in reference to his cocaine addiction meaning he no longer does it. If it is in fact about Taupin himself it could be about the fact his career slowed down since him an John are not writing as much as they were. There might be deeper meaning to this but this is all I can come up with.
    BrycePaason April 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis is a terribly sad, frustrated, and melancholy song. The author has been hurt so badly that he is just numb. Bernie Taupin has written hundreds of amazing songs that we all adore, and he's saying that those songs are nothing, he never really knew love or what he was talking about. He has been burned so badly that he hurts so deeply that he's broken down. The train analogy is brilliantly creative
    MoonAngel481on June 08, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment"I used to be the main express..." that is a very depressing line.
    TAYsteTheRainMOon June 23, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIf the songwriting career of John/Taupin would have ended with this song, I'd been a happy man. It would have been the perfect way to retire for both of them.
    hairychesteron December 10, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Commentthats the funniest thing!!!(sofkuri story) i can imagine them getting really defensive that there inoccent image of elton john was broken :D
    Neway i really like this song and the fact he still keeps on making great songs. I saw eltonjohn on tv saying that this song meant ' its means basically i used to be the main express and were not anymore' i think thats kindof a given in the lyircs hee but i think it could be about anything really heartbreak, drugs, realising that you were something special and now your not. i personally think its someone reflecting on their life and how theyve grown up and the things in the past dont really mean anything coz he didnt know what he does now. I love the beginning verse, 'You may not believe it But I don't believe in miracles anymore
    And when I think about it I don't believe I ever did for sure
    zippygetshighon February 01, 2005   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment*Sniff*
    Reynard Muldrakeon December 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentHeading west. Is that a reference to Bernie spending a lot of his time as a "Westie", after all he is the lyricist? It's such a heartfelt and straight to the point song. There is no hesitation of Taupin expressing his personal views and i admire how he can look back at his career/life and sum it up like this!
    Arialon November 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIts like yeah i tried to make a big deal outa life, i was the main express, i tried to make everything amazing, now i just give up, i dont believe its going to work out, i dont believe in miracles, i just give up. really love this song.
    princess*delilahon January 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    Song MeaningAmazing song, I guess it comes from a disappointment view or an emotional exhaustion. He says he doesn't believes in miracles anymore, that means he did it in the past, so now when he sees the reality he begin to doubt about everything he did and believed.
    metjovion January 25, 2011   Link

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