Trains
►Porcupine Tree Lyrics
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Shiny and contoured the railway winds
And I've heard the sound from my cousin's bed
The hiss of the train at the railway head
Always the summers are slipping away
A 60 ton angel falls to the earth
Scars in the country, the summer and her
Always the summers are slipping away
Find me a way for making it stay
When I hear the engine pass
I'm kissing you wide
The hissing subsides
I'm in luck
When the evening reaches here
You're tying me up
I'm dying of love
It's OK
Trains by Porcupine Tree is a melancholic song that reflects on the passage of time and the fleeting nature of life. The opening verse “Train set and match spied under the blind, Shiny and contoured the railway winds” describes the image of a model train set beneath the blinds. The “train” can be a metaphor for our lives, moving steadily and uncontrollably toward an unknown destination. The second verse “Always the summers are slipping away” reflects on how quickly time passes, and the fading memories of childhood summers.
The lyrics then shift to a more concrete image of a train wreck with the lines “A 60 ton angel falls to the earth, A pile of old metal, a radiant blur, Scars in the country, the summer and her”. The train wreck can be interpreted as a representation of the damage we leave behind as we move through life, both physically and emotionally. The third repetition of “Always the summers are slipping away” reinforces the idea of the transience of life and calls for a way to make it stay.
The last verse “When I hear the engine pass, I'm kissing you wide, The hissing subsides, I'm in luck, when the evening reaches here, You're tying me up, I'm dying of love, It's OK” is a stark contrast to the rest of the song. It describes a moment of happiness and love, perhaps a distraction from the harsh realities of life. The last line “It’s OK” can be interpreted as a way of coming to terms with the fact that life is fleeting and that we must cherish the moments we have.
Line by Line Meaning
Train set and match spied under the blind
Observing a train as it sets off on its journey
Shiny and contoured the railway winds
Train tracks appear polished as they curve along the countryside
And I've heard the sound from my cousin's bed
Spectating from inside, listening as the locomotive passes by
The hiss of the train at the railway head
The sound of the train’s spray as it departs from its starting point
Always the summers are slipping away
The passing of the days and the disappearance of summer
A 60 ton angel falls to the earth
The locomotive’s descent from the sky is equivalent to that of an angel's
A pile of old metal, a radiant blur
The train is a blurry, old mass of metallic material
Scars in the country, the summer and her
The train’s departure marks the end of summer, leaving behind marks or imperfections in the landscape
Find me a way of making it stay
Finding a way to make time stand still, to slow down the train’s arrival and the passing of summer
When I hear the engine pass, I’m kissing you wide
Being so enamored with the sound of the train that you want to share it with your loved one
The hissing subsides, I’m in luck
The train’s noise fades and the moment becomes all the more special
When the evening reaches here, you’re tying me up
The evening’s arrival signals the ending of the day, thus trying to savor the moment
I'm dying of love, it's OK
Feeling overwhelmed by emotions, but still willing to experience it all
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COLIN EDWIN BALCH, GAVIN RICHARD HARRISON, RICHARD BARBIERI, STEVEN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind