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Ghost Train Lyrics

I took the cannonball down to the ocean
Across the desert from sea to shining sea
I rode a ladder that climbs across the nation
Fifty million feet of earth between the buried and me

"How do you do?"
She said, "Hey, how do you do?"

She buys a ticket 'cause it's cold where she comes from
She climbs aboard because she's scared of getting older in the snow
Love is a ghost train rumbling through the darkness
Hold on to me darling I've got nowhere else to go

"How do you do?"
She said, "How do you do?"

I took the cannonball down to the ocean
Watched the diesel disappear beneath the tumbling waves
Love is a ghost train howling on the radio
"Remember everything." she said, "when only memory remains."

"How do you do?"
She said, "Hey, how do you do?"
Song Info
Submitted by
idan On Mar 28, 2001
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13 Meanings

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Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

this is where the band between the buried and me got their name from. if youre a counting crows fan and you havent heard between the buried and me, its fair to say there music is a bit different to counting crows

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

See round here, though i like the way he allows us to see the reason as to why he thought he'd like to let her on, but y'know its adam, he probably wipes his nose with great lyrics that he knocked up the night before and tosses them away!

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

I think this song is about loving someone after death. His lover grew very old and has taken the ghost train to heaven. The line "fifty million feet of earth between the buried and me" represents how distant this person feels from his lover. And "remember everything when only one memory remains" means she told him to enjoy his own life instead of only mourning for her.

I am a mild Counting crows fan, and a huge fan of the band Between The Buried and Me. So I was really wowed when I discovered Counting Crows was one of BTBAM's major influences and they named the band after the lyric in this song.

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

This song is a great song. I like the very beginning where it sounds kind of like a train. The song is kind of scary though in the statement it makes about relationships. Both her reason for getting on the train and his reason (or lack of) for getting off is the scary part.

@divican @divican interesting interpretation. It's strange how this song gives a creepy feeling, and I think you have to be in that certain mood to understand it. meb.

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

Adam says: this song is about how memories of past relationships haunt everyone in each relationship. Ghosts, if you will. "Love is a ghost train".

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

Very underrated song.

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

I see where Adam's coming from with the the guy leaving the train but it can also be interpreted as the guy in the song was going to be with her (on the train) and she made him leave and now he missees her and only remmbers how they frist met and how he wanted to be with her. It could also mean he saw this girl and wanted to pursue her and ride 'the train' with her of love and a relationship but he saw it leave and her leve and she never took him in or let him on and not he just rembers first seeing her and how he wanted to be a part of her life even a little bit but he could never even do that. I just think it can have alot of different meanings but overall great song. Beautiful, haunting, sad.

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

This song is great.

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

The live versions are the best of this song. Very powerful

Cover art for Ghost Train lyrics by Counting Crows

I think the person in this has been far and wide looking for a suitable match in a women (I rode a ladder that climbs across the nation), Ladder meaning track. He's finally found a women who he believes is right for him however he realises she only is with him because its cold where she comes from. Therefore only with him because she's got no one else. He's only someone to conquer her boredom and lonelyness, He believes its like a ghost train because the relationship is so up and down where he doesnt know weather she is staying or going.He never knows what shes thinking and it hurts him inside. However he wants to hold onto her and see what happens. (hold onto me darling, i've got nowwhere else to go) and he keeps on trying to hold onto this one special girl. However the relationship turns bitter and she fades into the distance (Watched the diesel disappear beneath the tumbling waves) e.g. watched the relationship crash and burn. But at the end he knows he was right all a long. She didnt truly love him the way he loved her. He was only a stepping stone to the rest of her life. "Remember everything." she said, "when only memory remains."