My Gramps was born into a rust belt clay mining family in the foothills of the Appalachians mountains in southeastern Ohio. He spent some time working on the B&O Railroad. He loved trains, train culture, and train songs, a love I've come to inherit having lived in close proximity to "the tracks" most of my life. I wrote this in memory of him.
lyrics
Grew up by the tracks
those old steel rails sing out to me
I hear her callin’, long before I can see
On the /horizon, I see her comin’ into /view
And I wonder where she’s been and I wonder /where she’s headed to
Chorus:
Train Train Train! I’ve been ridin’ these trains for all my life
And the sound of the whistle it cuts into my heart just like a knife
Train Train Train! She wakes my soul before the dawn
Some/day when the dust cloud settles, I’ll be gone
At the station, I hear ‘em cry, “All Aboard!” I grab a cheap seat. As the engine starts to roar. I watch the world pass, as we go from town to town, And I don’t know where I’m goin’ but I know I’m homeward bound
Chorus:
Train, train, train! I’ve been ridin’ them trains throughout the years
These cars’ll take me home, they’ve seen my laughter and my tears
Train, train, train! These tracks are etched across my heart
As long as we’ve got trains, we’re never far apart
Bridge:
Little whistle stops and the border towns worn down by time
Old Man stands by the tracks thinks of when his world was in its prime
Still his withered hand waves a greeting as we speed away
He smiles and laughs and says no sense to dwell on yesterday
“Where ya headed?” the conductor says to me.
“Well, where ya goin’?”
Our eyes meet and we agree:
From the great Atlantic Ocean to the wide Pacific shore
I’ll be ridin’ them trains forever more
Chorus 3:
Train Train Train! Been ridin’ them trains for all my life
And the sound of the whistle it cuts into my heart just like a knife
Train Train Train! She wakes my soul before the dawn
Someday when the dust cloud settles, I’ll be gone
I’ll be gone, oohhhh, I’ll be gone
I’ll be ridin’ them trains
credits
from She's Folks!,
released November 14, 2017
Elizabeth Morgan: Songwriter, Lead Vocals
Alex Newkirk: Vocals, Piano
Tyler Thompson: Vocals
Ted Kitterman: Fiddle, Trumpet
Tyler Core: Percussion
Elizabeth Morgan was born and raised in rural Ohio. After college, she hightailed it to Chicago where she performs her show She's Folks alongside her band as a love letter to the country from a kid who couldn't wait to leave.
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