The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
I hope this old train breaks down
Then I could take a walk around
See what there is to see
Time is just a melody
With all the people in the street
Walking as fast as their feet can take 'em
I just roll through town
And though my window's got a view
Well, the frame I'm looking through
Seems to have no concern for me now
So for now I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
Well, this engine screams out loud
Centipede gonna crawl westbound
So I don't even make a sound
'Cause it's gonna sting me when I leave this town
And all the people in the street
That I'll never get to meet
These tracks don't bend somehow
And I got no time that I got to get to
Where I don't need to be, so I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Let me break on down
But you can't stop nothing if you got no control
Of the thoughts in your mind that you kept and you know
You don't know nothing, but you don't need to know
The wisdom's in the trees, not the glass windows
You can't stop wishing if you don't let go
The things that you find and you lose and you know
You keep on rolling, put the moment on hold
The frame's too bright, so put the blinds down low and
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Then I could take a walk around
See what there is to see
Time is just a melody
With all the people in the street
Walking as fast as their feet can take 'em
I just roll through town
And though my window's got a view
Well, the frame I'm looking through
Seems to have no concern for me now
So for now I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
Well, this engine screams out loud
Centipede gonna crawl westbound
So I don't even make a sound
'Cause it's gonna sting me when I leave this town
And all the people in the street
That I'll never get to meet
These tracks don't bend somehow
And I got no time that I got to get to
Where I don't need to be, so I
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
Let me break on down
But you can't stop nothing if you got no control
Of the thoughts in your mind that you kept and you know
You don't know nothing, but you don't need to know
The wisdom's in the trees, not the glass windows
You can't stop wishing if you don't let go
The things that you find and you lose and you know
You keep on rolling, put the moment on hold
The frame's too bright, so put the blinds down low and
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I need this old train to break down
Oh, please just let me please breakdown
I wanna break on down
But I can't stop now
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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The way Jack Johnson sings it just makes me realize how quickly life spins out of control...and by the time you realize you're going too fast, all you can do is beg for something to go wrong and force it all to come to a halt, hence the chorus: "I need this old train to breakdown"...