Origin of Jenkins Stage Name--------- Jenkins felt that his real name wasn't marketable, and he changed his show business name in 1957. (Harold Lloyd Jenkins would always remain his legal name, however). Looking at a road map, he spotted Conway, Arkansas and Twitty, Texas. Thus, he went with the professional name of "Conway Twitty".[citation needed]
Alternatively, Jenkins met a Richmond, VA, man named W. Conway Twitty Jr. through Jenkins' manager in a New York City restaurant. The manager served in the army with the real Conway Twitty. Later, the manager suggested to Jenkins that he take the name as his stage name because it had a ring to it. The Richmond Conway Twitty subsequently recorded the song, "What's in a Name But Trouble," in the mid-1960s, lamenting the loss of his name to Jenkins. The flip side of the 45 RPM record was "The Purple, Purple People Eater, Eater." (The more well known version of Purple People Eater, however, now having sold over 100,000,000 copies, was recorded by Sheb Wooley.)
Long Black Train
Conway Twitty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coming down that railroad track
I said, "Look a yonder coming
Coming down that long railroad track"
Well, it's that long black train
Gonna bring my baby back
Well, she loved me in the winter
She didn't even warm me
She's a fact of frozen lips
My baby hit the road a running
Looking for that long black train
(That long black train)
Lord, and I began to wonder
Will I see that girl again?
(If I see my girl again)
Well, I don't know why she left me
But I do know that she's gone
But look a yonder coming, Lord
My baby's coming home
I said, "Now look a yonder coming
Coming down that long railroad track"
(That long railroad track)
Well, it's that long black train
Gonna bring my baby back
(Gonna bring my baby back)
Well, ain't asking her no questions
'Cause I don't care where she's been
And when I get that woman back
She'll never leave again
I said, "Now look a yonder coming
Coming down that long railroad track"
(That long railroad track)
Well, it's that long black train
Gonna bring my baby back
(Gonna bring my baby back)
Well, I can see her black smoke rolling
I can hear her whistle whine
She's just around the curve
She's moving fast that line on down
I said, "Now look a yonder coming
Coming down that long railroad track"
(That long railroad track)
Yes, it's that long black train
Gonna bring my baby back
(Gonna bring my baby back)
Gonna bring my baby back
That long black train, Lord
That long black train, Lord
That long black train, Lord
That long black train, Lord [unverified]
The lyrics of Conway Twitty's "Long Black Train" follow the singer as he watches a train approaching, hoping that it will bring his lost love back to him. The opening lines describe the train as it first comes into view, framed by the "long railroad track" stretching into the distance. Throughout the song, the train is depicted as a symbol of hope, promising the return of the singer's lover. He confesses that he does not know why she left, but he knows that she is gone. As the train grows closer, he can see the black smoke and hear the whistle, knowing that she is on board. Finally, the train arrives, and he expresses confidence that she will never leave him again.
The lyrics of "Long Black Train" use the metaphor of a train to explore themes of loss, longing, and hope. The train is both a physical object and a symbol of the passage of time, suggesting that the singer has been waiting for his lover to return for a long time. The imagery of the train moving down the track, with the smoke and whistle, creates a sense of momentum and urgency that reflects the singer's desire for his lover's return. The song's hopeful ending suggests that the train has indeed brought his lover back, and that they will be reunited.
Line by Line Meaning
Look a yonder coming
I see something coming in the distance
Coming down that railroad track
It's moving on the tracks towards me
I said, "Look a yonder coming
I'm pointing out what I see to someone else
Coming down that long railroad track"
It's a long train that I can see coming from far away
Well, it's that long black train
It's specifically a long black coloured train that I see
Gonna bring my baby back
I know that train will bring my partner back to me
Well, she loved me in the winter
In the winter, my partner showed me love
Lord, I almost froze to death
But it was so cold that I almost died
She didn't even warm me
And my partner didn't even try to make me feel better
She's a fact of frozen lips
Her lips were also cold, which shows how little she cared for me
My baby hit the road a running
My partner left me in a hurry
Looking for that long black train
She was specifically looking for this train to leave me
(That long black train)
Lord, and I began to wonder
I started to have doubts whether she would ever come back to me
Will I see that girl again?
I was questioning if I'll ever see my partner again
(If I see my girl again)
Well, I don't know why she left me
I don't understand the reason why she left me
But I do know that she's gone
But I'm aware that she's not here anymore
But look a yonder coming, Lord
But I see something in the distance
My baby's coming home
It's my partner, coming back to me
I said, "Now look a yonder coming
I'm pointing it out again to someone else
(That long railroad track)
Well, it's that long black train
It's the same train I saw earlier
Gonna bring my baby back
But this time, with my partner on board
(Gonna bring my baby back)
Well, ain't asking her no questions
I won't ask her any questions
'Cause I don't care where she's been
Because I don't care about where she's been
And when I get that woman back
But when my partner gets here
She'll never leave again
She'll never leave me again, or else
I said, "Now look a yonder coming
I'm pointing out the train again
(That long railroad track)
Yes, it's that long black train
It's still the same black train as before
Gonna bring my baby back
And it's bringing my partner back to me
(Gonna bring my baby back)
Well, I can see her black smoke rolling
I see the black smoke from the train's engine
I can hear her whistle whine
I can hear the train's whistle blowing
She's just around the curve
The train is just about to turn around the bend
She's moving fast that line on down
It's going pretty fast down the track
Gonna bring my baby back
And I feel confident that it'll bring my partner back to me
That long black train, Lord
That long black train, Lord
That long black train, Lord
That long black train, Lord [unverified]
The song ends by repeating the same line about the black train again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TWITTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mesolithic Man
Unmistakably Elvis derived but still an absolute rockabilly killa.
stephen stone
When I first heard this track I was totally blown away, I always liked Conway
Twitty 's music but this song is special. Wish I'd lived during the 50's it must have been something.
Danny Boy
I'm so glad that Conway switched to country. One of the all time greats as it turned out 👍 No one sings a country song like the great Conway Twitty ❤
James Alley
You got that right non better
Gary Morell
Although derivative of Elvis's Mystery Train, Conway proves his feel for Rockabilly on this track and many others. He later switched to Country later in his career. Brilliant guitar work on this !
Ronnie Murray
He never received the entertainer of the year because of the type of songs he recorded , but the public was crazy about him . One of his older rock songs , Is The Blue Bird Blue .
Dalston Lo’Knight
Mystery train by Elvis combined with orange blossom special by Johnny very similar lyric and tone, the sound and rhythm in this is killer.
Bill Iee
50s flash , used to play this record down the Bobby Sox ,1979, used to always bop to it, shepherd's Bush Rebel's all ways turn up 👍
VilquinProductions
Trains and rockabilly are a natural combination! Nice beat! Even though the guitar riffs are being ripped from Elvis's "Mystery Train". Thsnx fur sharin'! 5 thumbs up!
Dion St. Michael
And Elvis ripped EVERYBODY off! Lol