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Long Desert Train Lyrics
You used to love a lot of things
You used to love talking
This you never told me about
If it's what your eyes were saying
I already figured it out
I could just tell it was bad
I couldn't tell how bad
You never took off your shades
And you stayed like that for days
I guess your pain never weakened
Your cool blood started burning
Scorching most of us in the flames
But there are things you can't change
There are things you can't change
You called that the curse of a human's life
That you couldn't change
Said you'd never be old enough
Or young enough
Tall enough
Or thin enough
Or smart enough
Or brave enough
Rich enough
Pretty enough
Strong enough
Good enough
Well you were to us
You wanted silence by itself
Just the word
You wanted peace by itself
Just to learn
There were things you couldn't change
You got the dull pounding rain
You got the last car in the long desert train
You almost made it
You almost made it again
You used to love talking
This you never told me about
If it's what your eyes were saying
I already figured it out
I could just tell it was bad
I couldn't tell how bad
You never took off your shades
And you stayed like that for days
I guess your pain never weakened
Your cool blood started burning
Scorching most of us in the flames
But there are things you can't change
There are things you can't change
You called that the curse of a human's life
That you couldn't change
Said you'd never be old enough
Or young enough
Tall enough
Or thin enough
Or smart enough
Or brave enough
Rich enough
Pretty enough
Strong enough
Good enough
Well you were to us
You wanted silence by itself
Just the word
You wanted peace by itself
Just to learn
There were things you couldn't change
You got the dull pounding rain
You got the last car in the long desert train
You almost made it
You almost made it again
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This is one of Molina's best songs ever! It' made me cry many, many times... it's simple beauty!!! Molina is one of the greatest poets of our time... I really have no words to explain all the emotions this whole album( Pyramid Electric Co.) gives me. Listen to it! Over and over again. It's absolutely brilliant!!!
It's about never being good enough for some people. I know it well. As for the singer, isn't he the lead in some bad with a flower for its name...Magnolia, or something. I LOVED listening to that band years ago. Thanks for reminding me I need to listen again...
Magnolia Electric Company, I believe :) WoW. I believe I actually recall its name! Woot!
Magnolia Electric Company, I believe :) WoW. I believe I actually recall its name! Woot!
I believe this song is addressed to a friend, family member, or a former lover. This person was once cheerful, easy-going, and loving but then they slowly started to succumb to something like depression, addiction, or maybe a disease. They never really mentioned their worsening problems but it started to become apparent to the writer that something was wrong. The writer tried to comfort this person by telling them there "things you can't change" but their loved one only saw that as the "curse of a human's life." That person felt as if they would never be enough for what or who they wanted in life (or old/young/tall/thin/smart/brave/rich/pretty/strong/ or good enough) but the writer assured that they are more than enough. Refusing to believe this, they started to consider giving up ("you wanted silence/peace by itself") and ultimately the depression and emptiness drove that person to abandon everything they knew either mentally or physically ("you caught the last car in the long desert train") and ultimately this person disappeared and maybe even took their own life. They almost made it.
That's my interpretation of the song. The music is so simple yet the lyrics are very emotional and personal. I feel as if I'm going through this now with a lover I'm afraid to lose to the same circumstances. Jason Molina was one hell of a song writer. RIP.