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Long Train Runnin' Lyrics
Down around the corner
A half a mile from here
You see them old trains runnin'
And you watch them disappear
Without love
Where would you be now
Without love
You know I saw Miss Lucy
Down along the tracks
She lost her home and her family
And she won't be comin' back
Without love
Where would you be now
Without love
Well the Illinois Central
And the Southern Central Freight
Gotta keep on pushin' Mama
'Cause you know they're runnin' late
Without love
Where would you be now - now, now, now
Without love
Where pistons keep on churnin'
And the wheels go 'round and 'round
And the steel rails are cold and hard
For the miles that they go down
Without love
Where would you be right now
Without love
Where would you be now
A half a mile from here
You see them old trains runnin'
And you watch them disappear
Without love
Where would you be now
Without love
You know I saw Miss Lucy
Down along the tracks
She lost her home and her family
And she won't be comin' back
Without love
Where would you be now
Without love
And the Southern Central Freight
Gotta keep on pushin' Mama
'Cause you know they're runnin' late
Without love
Where would you be now - now, now, now
Without love
And the wheels go 'round and 'round
And the steel rails are cold and hard
For the miles that they go down
Without love
Where would you be right now
Without love
Where would you be now
Song Info
Submitted by
moonshadow90 On Mar 27, 2009
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I have always enjoyed this song for how the percussion (including the haunting bass groove) makes me think of rocking and clanking along while riding on a train, or watching and listening to a train roll by, either from near or far. When the end of the song nears, the percussion at "the pistons" once again transports the imagination to the noise of a giant machine, straining and pounding to haul massive loads at high speeds.
The harmonious, sliding vocalization at "lo-o-o-ve" seems obviously intended to mimic the train blowing its horns.
The guitar intro, repeated throughout the song as a theme, seems to express multiple possible things: the train's horns, again (in short bursts, at every crossing); the squeal of wheels on the tracks, and even perhaps the sobs and moans of grieving persons saying goodbyes to a beloved place (as passengers on the train) or to loved ones left behind at the station - or, the sobs and moans of those left behind.
This is a very expressive song, instrumentally speaking. A song about a train ride that is (in my opinion) more expressive in its lyrics is "City of New Orleans," which is also about the Illinois Central Railroad.
@Hipnoticed I love your observation of how the 'loooo-oooo-oooove' stanza mimics the blare of a train horn. Its a warning. Don't forget to love.
@Hipnoticed I love your observation of how the 'loooo-oooo-oooove' stanza mimics the blare of a train horn. Its a warning. Don't forget to love.
@Hipnoticed you miss the fact that train tracks are a common suicide method. This song touches on themes of mortality . 'Watch them disappear' is evocative of someone passing, as is 'she won't become back'. Miss Lucy was found 'down along the tracks'. why? Because she lost her home and her family. It is pronounced as 'Miss Loose'. Evocative of a woman who cheated on her husband and lost everything as a result.. Then ended it all. Because there was no forgiveness.
@Hipnoticed you miss the fact that train tracks are a common suicide method. This song touches on themes of mortality . 'Watch them disappear' is evocative of someone passing, as is 'she won't become back'. Miss Lucy was found 'down along the tracks'. why? Because she lost her home and her family. It is pronounced as 'Miss Loose'. Evocative of a woman who cheated on her husband and lost everything as a result.. Then ended it all. Because there was no forgiveness.
@Hipnoticed you miss the fact that train tracks are a common suicide method. This song touches on themes of mortality . 'Watch them disappear' is evocative of someone passing, as is 'she won't be coming back'. Miss Lucy was found 'down along the tracks'. why? Because she lost her home and her family. It is pronounced as 'Miss Loose'. Evocative of a woman who cheated on her husband and lost everything as a result.. Then ended it all. Because there was no forgiveness.
@Hipnoticed you miss the fact that train tracks are a common suicide method. This song touches on themes of mortality . 'Watch them disappear' is evocative of someone passing, as is 'she won't be coming back'. Miss Lucy was found 'down along the tracks'. why? Because she lost her home and her family. It is pronounced as 'Miss Loose'. Evocative of a woman who cheated on her husband and lost everything as a result.. Then ended it all. Because there was no forgiveness.
I love how the lyrics switch back and forth between trains and love. And I love to ponder why it is written this way.
To me, the train aspect of the song represents time ... time marches along steady and unstoppable. The love part of the song is simply discussing how love comes and goes for all of us. Some end up with heartbreak (Miss Lucy), others are more fortunate ... but for all of them, good or bad, happy or sad, ... they are all powerless against that all-powerful freight train known as "time"
[btw ... I alwas feared Miss Lucy won't be coming back because she jumped (on purpose) in front of a train. I am sure I am not alone in this]
a wonder doobies song probably my favorite of theirs
Isn't a "train" a euphemism for one's sex-drive?
why would you say that?
This is one of my favorite songs of all time! The meaning to me is that Love takes you in a lot of different places and a lot of situations, just like a train...whithout love where would you be now? I would not live in the city that I live in, I wouldn't have the job that I have now, and I was so depressed before I found love I probably wouldn't exist without love.
As a musician and guitar player myself, I've often wondered what Tom's intent was with these lyrics. In my humble opinion, I think that there was no underlying meaning to them. He just wrote them to satisfy the tempo of the melody line in the song. It's not the first time he did something like that. They make no sense: A train tied into love? Surely it isn't a reference to a indecent act! :^)
@docholiday767 this song is about Miss Lucy being found dead along the tracks. Suicide. Miss loose , as he says. Lost her family, won't be coming back . Permanently.
@docholiday767 this song is about Miss Lucy being found dead along the tracks. Suicide. Miss loose , as he says. Lost her family, won't be coming back . Permanently.
"Without love, where would you be now?" Love that.
most of the songs the doobie brothers wrote dont make sense. but since when do all songs have 2 make sense anyway?? this song is about the music & the words-not the meaning. if u really think about it & instead of finding the lyrics' meaning, & trying 2 make sense of it all, jus relax & let ur mind go blank & sing along if u can(: .alot of the doobie brothers write songs about love.many things can represent love.this song represent love thru trains (long trains in motion that is x] ). i ges what the message of this song-"without love where would we be now?" "we'd probly be stranded out on our own jus walking (like Miss Lucy) & not knowing where 2 go-since we don`t have love." ?. not shure. but what i do know is that this is 1 of my favorite songs & 1 of my favorite songs by them(:
I guess I could smoke a doobie to figure out the lyrics...