In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
She used to be an ironhorse
Twenty years ago
Used to bring the mail to me
Through the ice and snow
I've sat alone and watched her
Steaming through the night
Ninety tons of thunder
Lighting up the sky
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
Speeding, sparks like lightning
Engine working hard
Furnace on the foot plate
Shining in the night
Iron striking metal
The sound of racing steel
It's all I ever want to hear
It's music to my ears
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
Ninety tons of thunder
Lighting up the sky
Steaming red hot pistons
See the wheels flash by
Hear the whistle blowing
Streaking down the track
If I ever had my way
I'd bring the princess back one day
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
(sky, sky, sky)
Twenty years ago
Used to bring the mail to me
Through the ice and snow
I've sat alone and watched her
Steaming through the night
Ninety tons of thunder
Lighting up the sky
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
Speeding, sparks like lightning
Engine working hard
Furnace on the foot plate
Shining in the night
Iron striking metal
The sound of racing steel
It's all I ever want to hear
It's music to my ears
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
Ninety tons of thunder
Lighting up the sky
Steaming red hot pistons
See the wheels flash by
Hear the whistle blowing
Streaking down the track
If I ever had my way
I'd bring the princess back one day
She was a princess of the night
I saw the writing on the wall
She was a princess of the night
I take a ride across the sky
(sky, sky, sky)
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20 years ago when this song was recorded was 1961; It's nostalgia for steam trains.
Nowadays Biff sometimes sing "30 years ago".
One of the quintessential rock songs. Anyone who has ever seen a live steam locomotive knows why they wrote it.
Its basically about a steam train.
Its basically about a steam train.
Wicked Riff - did anyone else ever think it should have way cooler lyrics?!
Princess of the night.. it could potentially be a really sexy song i recon :D
How could this song have any better lyrics? The world is over flooded with sexy songs, but as far as I know, there's only one tribute to a steam train.
Sorry, I meant that he sings "50 years ago" these days.
In an interview with vocalist Biff Byford and guitarist Paul Quinn, Byford explained the song is "about a steam train that ends up in the scrap yard." Later, he went into more detail: "Some time ago we used to park our van at Barry Island in Glamorgan... There's a huge compound there where they keep all the old steam trains that they don't use anymore. They're just left to rot and I suppose that upset us because they really were magnificent machines. Well you can't beat the days of steam can you?" He continued saying "Anyway, late at night if I couldn't sleep I would look at those ghostly engines and imagine them painted up and back in their glory. It's my romantic side coming out again."