Tigers on Trains
Carter Vail Lyrics

If you're heading for the coast
If you're leaving to escape your problems.

Hearing voices up ahead you
Feeling unsure and hearing warnings of what's to come.

Who am I to let you go?
The singer doesn't want the listener to leave, but knows they can't stop them.

You're a wrecking ball
The listener is destructive and causing chaos in their own life and for others.

Can you kiss me slowly?
The artist is asking for a tender moment before the listener leaves.

We can turn the headlights off
The singer wants to make a memory with the listener in the darkness.

All our friends and all their voices
The distraction of others is gone, leaving the two alone.

Falling silent in the car
The silence is almost deafening after being surrounded by noise and chaos.

And do you remember?
The artist is asking the listener to recall a shared memory.

The fog was lifting
The weather was starting to clear up and become less gloomy.

Tigers on trains watching you go
The singer is using imagery to convey the listener's sense of unease or danger about leaving.

Head in the glass fogging up the windows
The listener is feeling overwhelmed and their breath is fogging up the window due to their emotional state.

And you're never gonna come back
The singer has resigned themselves to the fact that the listener won't return, despite their own desire for them to.

Not much for you here
The singer acknowledges that there's not much left in this place for the listener.

It's alright, it's alright, it's alright
The singer is trying to comfort the listener, saying that everything will be okay.

Now you're heading for the show
The listener is moving on to something new and exciting, but the artist wishes they were coming with them.

All your memories through a broken telecaster
The listener's memories and experiences are distorted, like looking through a broken screen.

Would you be here in the fall?
The singer is asking the listener if they'll ever come back, particularly when things aren't going well.

And a long December, pull me closer
The singer is referencing a difficult time and asking the listener to comfort them.

Say this town is for the ghosts
The artist has given up on this place and believes it's only for people who are stuck in the past.

And I'm buried in the rocks, dear
The artist feels trapped and weighed down in their current situation.

If you're leaving let me know
The artist wants the listener to be honest about their intentions.

Is it in the paper? Is it in your bloodstream?
The singer is wondering if there are signs that the listener has already made up their mind to leave.

You don't really care
The artist is hurt that the listener doesn't seem to care about what they're leaving behind.

Oh oh oh it's alright
The singer is repeating their comfort mantra, trying to convince themselves as much as the listener.