Last Train to Clarksville

The Monkees

Take the last train to Clarksville
And I'll meet you at the station
You can be here by four thirty
'Cause I've made your reservation, don't be slow
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

'Cause I'm leaving in the morning
And I must see you again
We'll have one more night together
'Til the morning brings my train and I must go
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home

Take the last train to Clarksville
I'll be waiting at the station
We'll have time for coffee-flavored kisses
And a bit of conversation
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

Take the last train to Clarksville
Now I must hang up the phone
I can't hear you in this noisy railroad station all alone
I'm feeling low
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home

Oh
(Ah)

Take the last train to Clarksville
And I'll meet you at the station
You can be here by four thirty
'Cause I've made your reservation, don't be slow
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home
Take the last train to Clarksville
Take the last train to Clarksville
Take the last train to Clarksville
Take the last train to Clarksville


Lyrics submitted by PnkRckPrncss, edited by megara21

Last Train to Clarksville Lyrics as written by Tommy Boyce Bobby Hart

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing

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Last Train to Clarksville song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • +3
    General CommentI was told that in an interview with one of the directors of the TV show, that this was an anti-war song. As the Monkees were mainly pop at the time, the song was written with that kind of vibe, and was subtle in its protest. There was a military mustering station located in Clarksville Tennessee, hence, "Take the last train to Clarkville...And I dont know if I'm ever coming home."
    Gratefulon December 16, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General CommentI like this song becuase it sounds just like the Beatles, and also because Mike Nesmith's mom invented white-out and The Monkees spent a weekend in her garage bottling the stuff. lol. It's really catchy too.
    smartykat37on October 11, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General CommentLast Train was written as a war protest song. Mike's dad wouldn't let the band do anything about the war and he never knew what the song was about until the late 80's! Clarksville Tenn was where the train went to the front gate of the army fort where everyone who was going to Vietnam's papers went for final process. So not everyone went there, but everyone's papers were stamped from there! (As a side note, their song "Pleasant Valley Sunday" was also about Vietnam! It was about a returned GI that had what we now call PTSD but back then was called Shell Shock.
    scottyboydon September 30, 2017   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYep, an anti-war song, catchy and subversive enough to make it past the establishment onto the airwaves. I've read that it was played at orientation for draftees, usually to break the ice :)

    Also, what an heinous girlfriend :[
    aventurineon April 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI learned that it is a soldier calling his girlfriend so he can see her one last time before he went to war. "and I don't know if I'm ever coming home"
    palladinnmon April 28, 2018   Link
  • -2
    General Commentsounds a bit like the folk song "Old joe Clark", atleast the music does, I cant imagine the Monkees singing about a murderer whos going to get hanged.
    FackingHellon October 31, 2006   Link

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