Downbound Train
Chuck Berry Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

A stranger lying on a bar room floor
Had drank so much he could drink no more
And so he fell asleep with a troubled brain
To dream that he rode on that down bound train

The engine with blood was sweaty and damp
And brilliantly lit with a brimstone lamp
And imps for fuel was shovelling bones
While the furnace rang with a thousand groans

The boiler was filled with lots of beer
The devil himself was the engineer
The passengers were most a motley crew
Some were foreigners and others he knew

Rich men and lost beggars in rags
Handsome young ladies and wicked old hags

As the train rushed on at a terrible pace
Sulfuric fumes scorched their hands and face

Wider and wider the country grew
Faster and faster the engine flew
Louder and louder the thunder crashed
Brighter and brighter the lighting flashed

Hotter and hotter the air became
Til' their clothes were burned with each quivering refrain
Then out of the din there came a yell
Ha ha, said the devil we're nearing home

Oh, how the passengers shrieked with pain
They go to Satan with this down bound train

The stranger awoke with an anguished cry
His clothes wet with sweat and his hair standing high

He fell on his knees on the bar room floor
And prayed a prayer like never before




And the prayers and vows were not in vain
For he never rode that down bound train

Overall Meaning

In Chuck Berry's song Downbound Train, the lyrics tell a haunting tale of a man who drinks himself into a stupor and falls asleep, only to dream that he is a passenger on a train headed straight to hell. The vivid imagery in the song creates an eerie atmosphere that adds to the chilling effect of the lyrics. The stranger in the song dreams of a train that is powered by imps shovelling bones into a furnace while the devil himself serves as the engineer. The passengers on the train are from all walks of life, from the rich to the beggars in rags, as well as handsome young ladies and wicked old hags.


As the train rushes on at a breakneck speed, the passengers suffer as they are forced to breathe in sulfuric fumes which scorched their hands and faces. The descriptions of the journey become more and more vivid as the train travels through a landscape that becomes hotter, brighter, and louder, with the thunder crashing and lightning flashing all around them. Finally, the train arrives at its destination, and the devil exclaims that they have reached their new home in hell. The passengers shriek with pain, as they realize that they are now in the hands of Satan himself.


The song Downbound Train reflects a common theme in blues music of the time, which was that of warning people about the dangers of leading a life of sin and debauchery. The lyrics to this song are a cautionary tale about the consequences of one's actions, and emphasizes the importance of leading an upright life. Chuck Berry's use of vivid imagery and poetic language in the song create a haunting and chilling atmosphere, which adds to the impact of the message being conveyed.


Line by Line Meaning

A stranger lying on a bar room floor
An intoxicated unknown person laid on the floor in that bar


Had drank so much he could drink no more
Got drunk to the point that they could not consume more drinks


And so he fell asleep with a troubled brain
Sleeping with a distressed mind


To dream that he rode on that down bound train
Dreamed of being on a train headed somewhere dangerous


The engine with blood was sweaty and damp
Train engine was sweaty and damp, as if it was alive


And brilliantly lit with a brimstone lamp
Train engine was lit with a lamp made with sulfur


And imps for fuel was shoveling bones
Unnatural beings used bones as fuel for the train


While the furnace rang with a thousand groans
The train furnace sounded like it was crying out loudly in pain and anguish


The boiler was filled with lots of beer
Boiler had beer in it instead of water


The devil himself was the engineer
Satan was driving the train


The passengers were most a motley crew
The passengers were a strange and diverse group


Some were foreigners and others he knew
Some passengers were strangers to the artist, others he recognized


Rich men and lost beggars in rags
The passengers were a mix of wealthy people and poor, ragged individuals


Handsome young ladies and wicked old hags
Among the passengers were beautiful young women and wicked old ladies


As the train rushed on at a terrible pace
The train was speeding along at a frightening speed


Sulfuric fumes scorched their hands and face
The passengers were burned by the sulfuric fumes


Wider and wider the country grew
The landscape grew more expansive as they traveled


Faster and faster the engine flew
The train accelerated quickly


Louder and louder the thunder crashed
The thunder grew louder and more intense


Brighter and brighter the lightning flashed
The lightning strikes became more prominent


Hotter and hotter the air became
The environment within the train was heating up


Til' their clothes were burned with each quivering refrain
The passengers' clothes were burned by the train's movement


Then out of the din there came a yell
Amidst the chaos, someone screamed


Ha ha, said the devil we're nearing home
Satan, the engineer, laughed at the fact they were getting closer to Hell


Oh, how the passengers shrieked with pain
The passengers screamed in agony


They go to Satan with this down bound train
They were headed to Hell on this train


The stranger awoke with an anguished cry
The unknown person suddenly woke up and screamed


His clothes wet with sweat and his hair standing high
They were soaked in sweat with their hair standing on end


He fell on his knees on the bar room floor
They knelt on the floor of the bar


And prayed a prayer like never before
They prayed with more intensity than ever before


And the prayers and vows were not in vain
Their prayers were answered


For he never rode that down bound train
They never went on a dangerous journey like that again




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: CHUCK BERRY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

bass reeves

A stranger lying on a bar room floor
Had drank so much he could drink no more
So he fell asleep with a troubled brain
To dream that he rode on that downbound train

[Verse 2]
The engine with blood was sweaty and damp
And brilliantly lit with a brimstone lamp
And imps for fuel was shoveling bones
While the furnace rang with a thousand groans

[Verse 3]
The boiler was filled with lots of beer
The devil himself was the engineer;
The passengers were most a motley crew
Some were foreigners and others he knew:

[Verse 4]
Rich men in broadcloth, beggars in rags
Handsome young ladies and wicked old hags
As the train rushed on at a terrible pace
Sulphuric fumes scorched their hands and face;

[Verse 5]
Wider and wider the country grew
Faster and faster the engine flew
Louder and louder the thunder crashed
Brighter and brighter the lightning flashed



[Verse 6]
Hotter and hotter the air became
Till their clothes were burned and they were screaming with pain;
Then out of the distance there came a yell
"Ha ha", said the devil, "We're nearing home"

[Verse 7]
Oh how the passengers shrieked with pain
And begged old Satan to stop that train
The stranger awoke with an anguished cry
His clothes wet with sweat and his hair standing high;

[Verse 8]
He fell on his knees on the bar room floor
And prayed a prayer like never before
And the prayers and vows were not in vain
For he never rode that downbound train

 
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All comments from YouTube:

MrJadedtom

Chuck has managed to turn 'rock lyrics' into a mini 'Twilight Zone' story. His command of the language reads like literature. Hail, hail Chuck Berry, the True King of Rock and Roll.

Erik Killmonger

He's such a brilliant, witty lyricist. That line "Then out of the distance there came a YELL, 'ha ha' said the devil we're nearing HOME." Now, "home" doesn't rhyme with "yell" and Chuck knows it. But he makes you think, "what does rhyme with "yell" and also starts with the letter H. He's clever, that Chuck Berry, very clever.

Papy Quarinius

That's mindblowing how did you got that idea ???

dan starr

could not say HELL on a record in those days...

Flyboy207

Fair enough... but why does he pronounce "Barstow" like it rhymes with "cow" in Route 66?

Thomas Crown

@John Rogers of course not. Chuck Berry was the first genius of Rock and Roll -- songwriter, guitarist, performer.

Stink Fistula

@John Rogers no . irony

1 More Replies...

Tyrone Smith

This song will stop you in your tracks so to speak. I think this is an amazing piece of music. it makes you think, it is haunting and it tells a story. Music and songwriting at its best which is why Chuck Berry was the best.

Vladimir Sánchez

One of my favorite musicians of all the time..

professorpsoop

Awesome song! He was the king and pioneer of lyrical storytellers.

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