Take The "A" Train
Betty Roché; Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Lyrics
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I hate to see that evening sun go down,
'Cause my lovin' baby done left this town.
If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today,
If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today,
I'm gonna pack my trunk and make my getaway.
She pulls my man around by her apron strings.
And if it wasn't for powder and her store-bought hair,
Oh, that man of mine wouldn't go nowhere.
I got those St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be,
Oh, my man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
I love my man like a schoolboy loves his pie,
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his rocker and rye
I'll love my man until the day I die, Lord, Lord.
I got the St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be, Lord, Lord!
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
I got those St. Louis blues, I got the blues, I got the blues, I got the blues,
My man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, Lord, Lord!
Firstly, it is important to note that these lyrics are not from Duke Ellington's Take the "A" Train, but rather from the blues song St. Louis Blues. However, let's take a closer look at these lyrics.
The song is about a woman who is heartbroken because her lover has left her for a woman in St. Louis who has material possessions like diamond rings and store-bought hair. She is singing about her pain and how blue she feels as a result of his departure. She hates to see the evening sun go down because she knows that the darkness will only make her feel more alone without her lover.
She sings about her man's heart being like a rock cast in the sea, implying that he is not easily swayed or influenced by her feelings. Despite this, she loves him deeply and compares her love to that of a schoolboy for his pie or a Kentucky colonel for his rye. She vows to love him until the day she dies, even though he has gone so far away from her.
Line by Line Meaning
I hate to see that evening sun go down,
I feel sad when the sun sets in the evening,
'Cause my lovin' baby done left this town.
Because my beloved partner has left this place.
If I feel tomorrow, like I feel today,
If I have the same feelings tomorrow as I do today,
I'm gonna pack my trunk and make my getaway.
I'll prepare my luggage and leave this place.
Oh, that St. Louis woman, with her diamond rings,
That woman from St. Louis who wears expensive jewelry,
She pulls my man around by her apron strings.
She manipulates my partner and has control over him.
And if it wasn't for powder and her store-bought hair,
If she didn't use makeup and wear fake hair,
Oh, that man of mine wouldn't go nowhere.
My partner wouldn't leave me for her.
I got those St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be,
I feel incredibly sad and downhearted because of my situation.
Oh, my man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
My partner is very hard-hearted and unfeeling.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have left me and gone to a distant place.
I love my man like a schoolboy loves his pie,
I love my partner very much, just like a schoolboy enjoys his favorite food.
Like a Kentucky colonel loves his rocker and rye
Similar to the way a Kentucky colonel loves his whiskey and rocking chair.
I'll love my man until the day I die, Lord, Lord.
I will love my partner until I die.
I got the St. Louis blues, just as blue as I can be, Lord, Lord!
I still feel very sad and downhearted about my situation.
That man's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea,
My partner is very unfeeling and hard-hearted.
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me, Lord, Lord!
Otherwise, he wouldn't have left me and gone to a distant place.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir One Music
Written by: BILLY STRAYHORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Blauqkween
My favorite version of this is the one in black and white, where they are on the train and the woman sings
Hurry hurry hurry take the A train
To get to Sugarhill way up in Harlem
If you should take the A-a-a train
You'll get to where you're going in a hurry.
Hurry hurry hurry now it's coming
Can't you hear the bells-a humming
dubably obbb bob
If you should miss the A-a-a train
You'll miss the quickest way to get to Harlem.
@demetriosthompson6898
I went to Duke Ellington School of the Arts. I am a DC, Native ( in Washington, D.C.)! We were Blessed to walk the Halls of that school. You had to audition to get into it. There was Music Playing between our Class changes! No joke..'91-95 Know. Give me đŻ, on this .
@ShawnC.T.
It doesn't get any better than this swingin' 60's Jazz gem, from a Jazz music legend, Duke Ellington, a.k.a. "Sir Duke", may he R.I.P. always...
@rqdq8576
When I was in high school - the school band played this song one night - t'was in 1960!
@alexhjc8
woah
@enrisasso372
TechLili l
@muymalo7651
de la nuca diriamos por acĂĄ
@kennethezzell9487
Duke is smooth
@googleassistant2117
@@muymalo7651 si no te importa, que significa eso en ingles?
@sew1835
Mr Ellington looked like was having a great time!!
Just great! What a genius he was.
@wannawatchu66
In fact, the Duke and Billy Strayhorn got the art of collaboration down to such an art, you couldn't tell which one wrote what.