The Train Song
Bad Seeds; Nick Cave Lyrics

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Tell me how long's the train been gone?
Tell me how long's the train been gone?
And was she there?
And was she there?
Tell me how long's the train been gone?

Tell me how many coaches long?
Tell me how many coaches long?

What did she wear?
And what did she wear?
Tell me how many coaches long?

Tell me when did the whistle blow?
Tell me when did the whistle blow?
And did she tie her hair?

And did she tie her hair?
Tell me when did the whistle blow?

Overall Meaning

In The Train Song, Nick Cave creates a sense of longing and desperation as he repeatedly asks questions about the train that he believes his lover is on. The repetition of the questions highlights the anxiety and uncertainty he feels as he tries to piece together what has happened. He asks how long the train has been gone, how many coaches it has, and when the whistle blew, desperately searching for any clues about his lover's whereabouts. He also questions whether she was on the train and what she was wearing, emphasizing his deep longing to see her again.

The imagery in the song is evocative, with Cave painting a picture of a deserted train station and a solitary traveler waiting for a train that may never come. The constant questioning creates a sense of urgency and tension, suggesting that time is running out and the chance to reunite with his lover may be slipping away.

Overall, The Train Song is a powerful exploration of love, longing, and loss. Cave's poetic lyrics capture the complexity of these emotions and draw listeners into the emotional landscape of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me how long's the train been gone?
Enquire the duration of the train's absence

Tell me how long's the train been gone?
Ask again, how much time has elapsed since the train's departure

And was she there?
Was she present during the train's departure?

And was she there?
Enquire once more if she was present during the train's departure

Tell me how long's the train been gone?
Ask again for the duration of the train's absence

Tell me how many coaches long?
Inquire about the number of carriages on the train

Tell me how many coaches long?
Ask again about the number of carriages on the train

What did she wear?
Enquire about her clothing during the departure of the train

And what did she wear?
Ask once more, what clothing she had on during the train's departure

Tell me how many coaches long?
Ask again how many carriages were on the train

Tell me when did the whistle blow?
Ask when the whistle sounded during the train's departure

Tell me when did the whistle blow?
Enquire again about the timing of the whistle during the train's departure

And did she tie her hair?
Inquire if she tied her hair during the train's departure

And did she tie her hair?
Ask once more, did she tie her hair during the train's departure

Tell me when did the whistle blow?
Ask one more time, at what time did the whistle blow during the train's departure

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN SAMUEL CARTER, JAMES CLAY FULLER, RUSSELL BLACK III JONES, CHARLES CLARENCE PRUET, MICHAEL ASHOK SAIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@hdagelic

15y↑12

God, this is beautiful; I heard almost everything from Cave & Bad seeds and never heard this one... And now I can't stop listening I'm enchanted.

@georgemoschopoulos1191

7y↑20

I locked myself in a room in Clapham for a year and did nothing,” states Cave, who claims he sat and watched five videos a day and ate Indian takeaway every night for a year. “I couldn’t get out of the house. I was a basket case.”
But not a complete basket case: for during that time, Nick had access to a piano upstairs from his flat at which he would occasionally sit and write. Two numbers Nick drew out of himself during his Clapham lacuna were “The Train Song” and “Sorrow’s Child”; and both tunes ended up being recorded in the course of sessions for what ultimately became Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds sixth album release, The Good Son.

@hdagelic

15y↑6

If you try to imagine the scene... I mean... This is such a clear expression of love for someone, if she left You'll forever remember everything of that moment; what did she wear, how many coachers did the train have and when did she tie her hair. No, this is fantastic.