Freight Train
Cotten Elizabeth Lyrics
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Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Please don't tell what train I'm on
They won't know what route I'm going
When I'm dead and in my grave
No more good times here I crave
Place the stones at my head and feet
When I die, oh bury me deep
Down at the end of old Chestnut Street
So I can hear old Number Nine
As she comes rolling by
When I die, oh bury me deep
Down at the end of old Chestnut Street
Place the stones at my head and feet
And tell them all I've gone to sleep
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Please don't tell what train I'm on
They won't know what route I'm going
Cotten Elizabeth's song "Freight Train" is a classic folk tune that speaks to the wanderlust of a person who wants to escape their present circumstances and start anew. The song starts with the repetition of "Freight train, freight train, run so fast," creating an image of a train moving quickly across the countryside. The singer desperately wants to leave their current location, but they don't want anyone to know where they're going. This adds to the mystery and romanticism of the story that the song is telling.
The verses of the song reveal that the singer is not satisfied with their present life and yearns for something more. They speak of wanting to leave their earthly existence behind and enter a kind of eternal rest. The lines "When I'm dead and in my grave, no more good times here I crave, place the stones at my head and feet, and tell them all I've gone to sleep" suggest that the singer is eager to be at peace in the afterlife, away from the troubles of this world.
The final verses of the song bring the story back to the here and now. The singer reaffirms their desire to leave and their hope for something better, singing "When I die, oh bury me deep, down at the end of old Chestnut Street, so I can hear old Number Nine as she comes rolling by." The repetition of the earlier verses reinforces the idea that the singer wants to escape their current circumstances, and that the train represents the possibility of a new life.
Line by Line Meaning
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
The singer is singing about a freight train that moves quickly.
Please don't tell what train I'm on
The singer requests that their whereabouts not be disclosed to others.
They won't know what route I'm going
The singer believes that by keeping their train secret, others will not be able to predict their destination.
When I'm dead and in my grave
The artist is now talking about their own death and explicitly saying that they will not be alive.
No more good times here I crave
The artist is emphasizing that death means they will no longer be able to enjoy life.
Place the stones at my head and feet
The singer specifies their funeral arrangements by asking to have stones placed at the top and bottom of their burial site.
And tell them all I've gone to sleep
The singer is using a euphemism for death and asking for it to be communicated to others.
When I die, oh bury me deep
The artist repeats their request to be buried securely.
Down at the end of old Chestnut Street
The artist specifies the location where they want to be buried.
So I can hear old Number Nine
The artist states that they want to be buried near railroad tracks so they can hear a particular train as it passes by.
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
The singer reprises the song's refrain, basically repeating that there is a fast-moving train.
Please don't tell what train I'm on
Again, the artist requests that others not reveal their location or travel plans.
They won't know what route I'm going
The singer reiterates the idea that they can stay mysterious by keeping their train to themselves.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Elizabeth Cotten
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Galib
Lyrics:
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Please don't tell
what train I'm on
They won't know
what route I'm going
When I'm dead and in my grave
No more good times here I crave
Place the stones at my head and feet
And tell them all I've gone to sleep
When I die, oh bury me deep
Down at the end of old Chestnut Street
So I can hear old Number Nine
As she comes rolling by
When I die, oh bury me deep
Down at the end of old Chestnut Street
Place the stones at my head and feet
And tell them all I've gone to sleep
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Freight train, freight train, run so fast
Please don't tell what train I'm on
They won't know what route I'm going
MeanDumpsterCat
This video is from 1985. She was born in 1893. Making her 92 years old at the time of recording. Absolutely incredible.
Dayman Powell
92 and she runs circles around me on guitar.
ZorroXXI
The GOAT. God Bless her no doubt.
zapa1pnt
@Dayman Powell Yeah. Now flip your, right handed, guitar over and play it left handed. 😁🤣🤣
familydinner1
Hope she’s doing well!
QUEEN of THE BEAN
Woahh thanks for the info
D B
She’s playing a right handed guitar upside down! Not strung for a lefty, playing chords in a totally original way. Amazing!
TheTwiceApostle
It might be that the video is flipped, but yes, I was wondering that too
Ivory Stuck In A Tube
@TheTwiceApostle nope! She learned to play upside down and backwards! Back in elementary we actually learned about her :)
William Howard
So did Hendrix