Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994. Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002.
Dog Train
Blues Traveler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a long, low whistle and a faraway bark
And then a high, high whistle only hounds can hear
To let them know the train, the dog train is near
Dog train riding all night long
On the dog train they'll be riding 'till dawn
You'll never ever see it as it rockets past
Dog train
Now the dogs never know if they'll be going at all
They get to lie around home and wait for the call
But it has to be warm so the doggies can ride
With their ears in the breeze and their noses outside
Their cold, wet, happy, quivering noses outside
They run away and they get aboard the
Dog train riding all night long
On the dog train they'll be riding 'till dawn
You'll never ever see it as it rockets past
The train goes nowhere, but it goes there fast
Dog train
There's seven thousand dogs in eighty-eight cars
A sliver of moon and millions of stars
And every single dog has only one need
To ride this train at a dazzling speed
Dog train, dog train, dog train
Kitty-cats are not allowed
No, kitty-cats are not allowed
No, kitty-cats don't wanna ride the dog train
Kitty-cats are not allowed
No, kitty-cats are not allowed
No, kitty-cats won't go 'cause it's a dog train
A cat would be a catastrophe
A cat would be a catastrophe
Now what do we got?
Now what do we got?
Now what do we got?
Well, we got big dogs, and little dogs
And right-smack-in-the-middle dogs
And fat dogs, and skinny dogs
And quite-absurdly-mini dogs
City dogs and pretty dogs from way out of town
Dogs in every shade of black, white and brown
Lumbering dogs and doggies that spring
And one small fluffy pink poodle thing
Old dogs, and new dogs, and fine dogs, and true dogs
And safe dogs, and chicken dogs, and dogs dogs dogs dogs
Dog train running all night long
On the dog train they'll be riding 'till dawn
You'll never ever see it as it rockets past
The train goes nowhere, but it goes there fast
So fast, dog train, dog train
What do you want to know about it?
What do you want to know about it?
What do you want to know about the dog train?
What do you want to know about it?
What do you want to know about it?
What do you want to know about the dog train?
It has to be warm so the doggies can ride
With their ears in the breeze and their noses outside
Now if you notice that your dog is just lazing around
With its head on its paws and its tail on the ground
Well by now you realize there's a simple explanation
Chances are your dog has been all over creation
On the
Dog train riding all night long
On the dog train they'll be riding 'till dawn
When the whistle blows they'll all howl along
It's their very own version of the dog train song
I wish I could travel with them on the
Dog train riding all night long
On the dog train they'll be riding 'till dawn
You'll never ever see it as it rockets past
The train goes nowhere, but it goes there fast
Dog train
The train goes nowhere, but it goes there fast
Dog train, dog train, dog train
Think about it, Rover
Choo-choo it over
Dog train
Wish I could travel with them on the dog train
(Dog train riding all night long)
We'd run away together on the dog train
Run away together on the dog train
(Dog train riding all night long)
Wish I could travel with them
Wish I could travel with them
Wish I could travel with them on the dog train
Dog train
Dog train
(Hot diggity dog, hot diggity dog, hot diggity dog, hot diggity dog)
(The train goes nowhere but it goes there fast)
(Dog train)
(Dog train)
Blues Traveler's song "Dog Train" describes an imaginary train that is unique in that it is exclusively for dogs. The train is described leaving its station around midnight, with a long whistle and a distant bark, followed by a high, high whistle that only dogs can hear. The train is described as having seventy thousand dogs in eighty-eight cars. The train goes nowhere, but it goes there fast, or so the lyrics say. The song describes the dogs, taking turns to ride on the train, with warm weather being a necessary condition. The dogs are depicted as having a fantastic time on the train, with their noses out of the car windows and their ears flapping in the breeze.
The song is an imaginative and quirky depiction of the bond between humans and dogs, and the lengths to which we may go to ensure their happiness. The lyrics emphasize the importance of canine companionship and highlight the incredible joy that dogs can bring into our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Along about midnight when it's dark, dark, dark
At approximately midnight, when it is completely dark
There's a long, low whistle and a faraway bark
A distant train whistle followed by a far away dog's bark can be heard
And then a high, high whistle only hounds can hear
A whistle high pitched enough to only be audible to dogs can be heard
To let them know the train, the dog train is near
The whistles signal to the dogs that the dog train is approaching
Dog train riding all night long
The dog train runs all night
On the dog train they'll be riding 'till dawn
Dogs ride on the train until sunrise
You'll never ever see it as it rockets past
The train moves so fast, it cannot be seen
The train goes nowhere, but it goes there fast
The train does not have a specific destination, but it moves very quickly
Now the dogs never know if they'll be going at all
Dogs do not know if they will get to ride on the dog train
They get to lie around home and wait for the call
Dogs wait at home for the chance to ride on the dog train
But it has to be warm so the doggies can ride
The weather must be warm so the dogs can ride safely and comfortably
With their ears in the breeze and their noses outside
Dogs enjoy sticking their heads out of the train cars to feel the wind and smell the air
Their cold, wet, happy, quivering noses outside
Dogs are happy with their cold, wet noses sticking out of the train cars
There's seven thousand dogs in eighty-eight cars
There are a lot of dogs riding on the dog train
A sliver of moon and millions of stars
The night sky is visible, with a small crescent moon and countless stars
And every single dog has only one need
All the dogs on the train have only one desire
To ride this train at a dazzling speed
Dogs want to ride the train very fast
Kitty-cats are not allowed
Cats are not allowed on the dog train
No, kitty-cats are not allowed
Cats are absolutely forbidden from the dog train
No, kitty-cats don't wanna ride the dog train
Cats have no desire to ride the dog train
A cat would be a catastrophe
A cat on the dog train would be a disaster
Well, we got big dogs, and little dogs
There are dogs of all sizes on the train
And right-smack-in-the-middle dogs
There are dogs of medium size on the train
And fat dogs, and skinny dogs
There are dogs of varying body types on the train
And quite-absurdly-mini dogs
There are some exceptionally small dogs on the train
City dogs and pretty dogs from way out of town
Some dogs are from urban areas and some are from more rural areas
Dogs in every shade of black, white and brown
Dogs of many different colors ride the train
Lumbering dogs and doggies that spring
Dogs with different energy levels ride the train
And one small fluffy pink poodle thing
There is a tiny, pink poodle on the train
Old dogs, and new dogs, and fine dogs, and true dogs
Dogs of all ages and types are on the train
And safe dogs, and chicken dogs, and dogs dogs dogs dogs
There are some cautious and fearful dogs on the train, as well as many other types of dogs
When the whistle blows they'll all howl along
The dogs will howl in response to the train whistle
It's their very own version of the dog train song
The barking and howling of the dogs creates a song unique to the dog train
Think about it, Rover
Consider it, dog
Choo-choo it over
Come aboard the dog train
Wish I could travel with them on the dog train
The artist would like to ride with the dogs on the train
Writer(s): Sandra Boynton
Contributed by Camilla K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.