May 2010 saw the release of her new album, Lifted of the Ground.
That Train
Chely Wright Lyrics
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Cradle tons of gravel and the timbers all piled up
Be that as it may I still do wish that I could be-
Made of rivets made of steel,
And built for speed
Hey-hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey
I wanna be that free
Hang onto that track is all they'll ever ask of me
Smooth heavy wheels to roll me away
I wanna be that train
I'd get to see the mountains and the planes from coast to coast
Many might adore me but they wouldn't get too close
I'd never be that lonely 'cause my engine and caboose,
Wouldn't leave me, we'd be bound
Yeah, we'd be breakin' loose
Hey-hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey
I wanna be that train
I wanna be that free
Hang onto that track is all they'll ever ask of me
Smooth heavy wheels to roll me away
I wanna be that train
Hey-hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey
Hey-hey, hey
I wanna be that train
I wanna be that free
Hang onto that track is all they'll ever ask of me
Smooth heavy wheels to roll me away
I wanna be that train
I wanna be that train
I wanna be that...
Train
Chely Wright's song "That Train" is an ode to freedom, a desire to be as unencumbered as a train, moving on strong rails from place to place. The singer of the song marvels at the train's ability to carry tons of gravel and timber, and wishes she could be made of rivets and steel and built for speed. She dreams of seeing the mountains and the plains from coast to coast, feeling the rails rumble beneath her wheels. She longs for the independence that comes with being a train, without the ties of human relationships that can at times be cumbersome.
In the chorus, she repeats her desire to be that train, to be free and held only to the track. She imagines herself breaking loose with her engine and caboose in tow, rolling away to new adventures. The song paints a picture of the allure of the open road, of being free to explore the world and leave one's cares behind.
Overall, the song beautifully captures the essence of the American obsession with trains and the nostalgia that comes with imagining oneself as a train, rolling forward into new territory.
Line by Line Meaning
There's no way that I could ever do the things it does
I couldn't even begin to match the strength and power of a train
Cradle tons of gravel and the timbers all piled up
Move massive amounts of materials with ease
Be that as it may I still do wish that I could be-
Despite knowing I can't, I still dream of being like a train
Made of rivets made of steel, And built for speed
Strong, fast, and durable
I wanna be that train, I wanna be that free, Hang onto that track is all they'll ever ask of me
Desire to live a simple, carefree life with a clear path to follow
Smooth heavy wheels to roll me away
Ability to move forward effortlessly and steadily
I'd get to see the mountains and the planes from coast to coast
The freedom to travel across the country and see all its beauty
Many might adore me but they wouldn't get too close
Appreciation from afar, but an understanding that a train is not something to be messed with
I'd never be that lonely 'cause my engine and caboose, Wouldn't leave me, we'd be bound Yeah, we'd be breakin' loose
A sense of companionship and loyalty among the parts of the train
I wanna be that train, I wanna be that...
Reiteration of the desire to be like a train
Contributed by Alaina G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.