A smoke, a long black Cadillac
The engine's winding down
He'd park it up on the sidewalk
Like he owned the whole damn town
I'd hear him talkin' to some chick
Through a thick ghost of smoke
Through a thicker haze of Southern Comfort and Coke

Say, Girl you're hotter than a hinge
Hangin' off the gates of Hell
Don't be afraid to turn to me
Babe, if he don't treat you well
And by he, he meant me
So I laughed and I shook his hand
He'd laugh a little bit louder
As he'd yell up at the band

Play a train song
Pour me one more round
Make 'em leave my boots on
When they lay me into the ground
I am a runaway locomotive
Outta my one-track mind
And I'm lookin' for any kinda trouble that I can find

I got this old black leather jacket
Got this pack of Marlboro Reds
I got this stash here in my pocket
I got these thoughts in my own head
The right to run until I gotta walk
Or until I've got to crawl
This moment that I'm in right now
And nothing else at all

Play a train song
Pour me one more round
Make 'em leave my boots on
When they lay me into the ground
I am a runaway locomotive
Outta my one-track mind

In the television blizzard lights
I looked around this place
I found a cold beer on the sofa
A little smile across his face
And though I tried with all of my sadness
Somehow I just could not weep
For a man who looked to me
Like he died laughin' in his sleep

Singin' a train song
Drinkin' one last round
We made 'em leave his boots on
On the day they laid him down
He was a runaway locomotive
Out of his one-track mind
Play a train song
Play a train song
Play a train song


Lyrics submitted by Statbucksbabe28, edited by inourdr

Play a Train Song Lyrics as written by Todd Snider

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing

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Play A Train Song song meanings
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    General Comment

    I love this song because Todd's love for one of his best friends was poured out into this song and you can feel it. Just listening to the song makes you think you know Skip and you almost cry by the end of it. When I saw him play this song live, I could almost hear him start to cry a little near the end of the song but it wasn't a sad cry, it was a happy cry.

    sce1301on July 11, 2010   Link

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