Lightnin'
Woah, Smokestack Lightning
Shinin', just like gold
Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'?
A-whoo-hooo, oooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, tell me, baby,
What's the, matter here?
Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'?
Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo

Whooo
Whoa-oh, tell me, baby,
Where did ya, stay last night?
Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'?
Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, stop your train,
Let a, poor boy ride
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, fare ya well
Never see, a you no more
Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'?
Oooo, whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo
Whoa-oh, who been here baby since,
I-I been gone, a little, bitty boy?
Girl, be on
A-whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo
Whooo

Overall Meaning

In Smokestack Lightning, Chester Burnett sings about a woman who he loves and longs for. The song opens with "Whoha, Smokestack Lightning, shinny just like gold," which is a metaphor for the woman he loves. He asks her, "don't ya hear me cryin'?" indicating that he is pining for her and wants her to hear his pleas. He then implores her to tell him what's the matter and where she stayed last night. He wants to know everything about her, including who's been with her since he's been gone.

The song's theme is love and loss, while the lyrics are highly poetic, with blues being the driving force of the melody. It's a song about unrequited love, and the mournful cries of the singer can be heard throughout the song. The line "Stop your train, let a poor boy ride" is an allegory for his plea for a chance with the woman he longs for. He then tells her farewell, indicating that he may never see her again.

Line by Line Meaning

Lightnin'
The song is starting off with the name of its creator.

Woah, Smokestack Lightning
The author calls for attention in his audience and begins to describe something resembling a smokestack lightning.

Shinin', just like gold
The smokestack lightning is shining just like gold.

Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'?
The author asks the question of whether or not his audience can hear him crying.

A-whoo-hooo, oooo
The author lets out a cry.

Whooo
The author lets out another cry.

Whoa-oh, tell me, baby, What's the, matter here?
The author asks someone he calls 'baby' what's wrong or troubling her.

Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo Whooo
He cries again.

Whoa-oh, tell me, baby, Where did ya, stay last night?
The author asks 'baby' where she stayed the previous night.

Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'? Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo Whooo
He cries again, wondering if 'baby' even hears him.

Whoa-oh, stop your train, Let a, poor boy ride Why don't ya hear me cryin'? Whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo Whooo
The author then pleads with someone to stop their train and let him, a poor boy, ride while he's crying out for help.

Whoa-oh, fare ya well Never see, a you no more Ah, don't ya hear me cryin'? Oooo, whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo Whooo
The author says goodbye to someone he believes he'll never see again as he cries out.

Whoa-oh, who been here baby since, I-I been gone, a little, bitty boy? Girl, be on A-whoo-hooo, whoo-hooo Whooo
Finally, the author asks who has been there since he was just a little boy and tells someone called 'girl' to go on while he cries.

Contributed by Lincoln S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.