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It should be a while before I see doctor Death
So, it would sure would be nice if I could get my breath
Well, I'm not the cryin', nor the whinin' kind
'til I hear the whistle of the 309, of the 309, of the 309
Put me in my box on the 309
Take me to the depot, put me to bed
Blow an electric fan on my gnarly ol' head
Everybody take a look, see, I'm doin' fine
Then load my box on the 309
On the 309, on the 309
Put me in my box on the 309
Hey, sweet baby, kiss me hard
Draw my bath water, sweep my yard
Give a drink of my wine to my jersey cow
I wouldn't give a hoot-and-nail for my journey now
On the 309, on the 309
I hear the sound of a railroad train
The whistle blows and I'm gone again
Hitman, take me higher than a Georgia pine
Stand back children, it's the 309
It's the 309, it's the 309
Put me in my box on the 309
A chicken in the pot and turkey in the corn
Ain't felt this good since Jubilee morn'
Talk about luck, well, I got mine
Asthma comin' down like the 309
*haaaaaaaa.....*
Write me a letter, sing me a song
Tell me all about it, what I did wrong
Meanwhile, I will be doin' fine
Then load my box on the 309
On the 309, on the 309
Gonna get outta here on the 309
So, it would sure would be nice if I could get my breath
Well, I'm not the cryin', nor the whinin' kind
'til I hear the whistle of the 309, of the 309, of the 309
Put me in my box on the 309
Blow an electric fan on my gnarly ol' head
Everybody take a look, see, I'm doin' fine
Then load my box on the 309
On the 309, on the 309
Put me in my box on the 309
Draw my bath water, sweep my yard
Give a drink of my wine to my jersey cow
I wouldn't give a hoot-and-nail for my journey now
On the 309, on the 309
The whistle blows and I'm gone again
Hitman, take me higher than a Georgia pine
Stand back children, it's the 309
It's the 309, it's the 309
Put me in my box on the 309
Ain't felt this good since Jubilee morn'
Talk about luck, well, I got mine
Asthma comin' down like the 309
*haaaaaaaa.....*
Tell me all about it, what I did wrong
Meanwhile, I will be doin' fine
Then load my box on the 309
On the 309, on the 309
Gonna get outta here on the 309
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This song was a tribute to the song "Phantom 309", by Red Sovine. The song was inspired by an accident in Saugus, Mass, when a truck driver, transporting fuel, swerved to avoid a school bus and was killed in the subsequent explosion. The school children all survived. The truck driver, and another unlucky driver, in the wrong place at the wrong time, were killed.
The truck driver was my grandfather, John William "Pete" Trudelle. My father is his oldest son. There were four other siblings, all left to struggle with poverty in Troy, NH.
51 Years later, a memorial in his honor was etched into a large stone tablet and placed in Troy, NH's town square. This was last weekend, September 13th, 2014.
Here's a newspaper article that tells the story well:
http://www.sentinelsource.com/opinion/columnists/staff/gilbert/monument-on-common-to-honor-troy-man-by-steve-gilbert/article_71abe626-f66c-5716-8444-a22d30891ee6.html
incredible. i can't wait to meet johnny in heaven
this was apparantly the last song JC wrote. its beautiful. i wrote a poem similar to these lyrics about how i want me and "my box" to fall into the ocean.
only two comments? insane... this song deserves so many more; it's amazing.
I'm just wondering. Is the "309" just any random number for any random train or is it a reference to something I am not aware of?
309 comes from "Phantom 309" by Red Sovine. Cash's song is in a way a tribute to Sovine's song. Read my recent post, if you'd like. I added a link to a newspaper article.
309 comes from "Phantom 309" by Red Sovine. Cash's song is in a way a tribute to Sovine's song. Read my recent post, if you'd like. I added a link to a newspaper article.
the 309 is in this case a number of a train Johnny was fascinated by trains and made a lot of songs about trains. He usably used the number of the lines that where his favorites. but the most [popular] inmy opinion the best is the orange blossom county line
Bullshit, but... Angel number 309 is a sign of peace. If you have been in torment for a while now, be it at work, your country or a relationship, your guardian birth angels want to assure you that peace is coming to you and your loved ones very soon. Continue to trust in the angels to protect and guide you through these trying times. The angels have heard and seen your prayers and want to assure you that peace is just but a few moments away. Hold on.
This is a simple song with a simple meaning. My suggestion is to take it for what it is. He's not writing a song about his death. Just the opposite. He starts the song with stating that he doesn't plan on dying any time soon, so it would be nice to "catch his breath". He means this figuratively and literally. Figuratively: he sings about taking a break by leaving his life n chores behind hence catching his breath. Literally: he sings about how he feels sooo good riding the train that even his asthma is clearing up, hence literally able to "catch his breath". This song isn't about his death, it's about a dude enjoying a getaway train. I think you shouldn't read too much into the fact that he says "load my box". I don't believe he's referring to a coffin. Even though it's a passenger car, he's just using "box" as slang for "boxcar". Put him in his box(car) with an electric fan, and all-aboard, he's good to go! Maybe "309" is a nod to another song or instance, which is cool, but trains were also called by the departure/arrival times. It could possibly just be "the 3:09 out of Chattanooga" for example. "Look out kids, it's the 309".. again, maybe it's a nod to something else, but "look out kids" isn't so far fetched of a thing to say during a train ride. Kids LOVE standing close to the tracks and waving at passing trains. Again, it's a simple song with simple meaning. The dude loves trains and is taking a nice relaxing train ride while he catches his breath in life. Sometimes the best songs have the simplest messages because we can all relate to it. :)
I think the line is:
"It'll take me higher than a Georgia pine"
In this day and age, it seems ridiculous to imagine a train hauling off a casket. First of all, trains don't usually carry personal cargo anymore. Also, wouldn't the family want the body buried close to home? But in this song as well as "Evening Train", Johnny Cash writes about a train car carrying a dead person to their final destination. I think it may be allegorical as we are just passin' through this life.
The way I see it, he's afraid of death at the beginning of the song (Well, I'm not the cryin', nor the whinin' kind, till I hear that whistle of the 309) and wants to make the most of his life while he has some left (Hey sweet baby, kiss me hard...) He doesn't really know where this "journey" he's taking will end up, but we know that he wouldn't give a "hoot in Hell" for it. When he finally meets the train (The whistle blows and I'm gone again) it takes him to Heaven (...higher than a Georgia pine...) where he enjoys his final destination (ain't felt this way since Jubilee morn).
This is something he did not expect (Talk about luck, well I got mine!), but all his past wrongs have been forgiven and no longer have any bearing on his well being (Tell me all about it, what I did wrong - meanwhile I will be doing fine).
Very few artists address the spiritual concerns of the everday person in such a raw, personal way. This song is as honest as the day is long, and still hopeful. Makes me think this is the workin' man's answer to the old hymn "Blessed Assurance".