Dr. John began making his own idiosyncratic music in the 1960s. Along with Professor Longhair, Dr. John is heir to the rich New Orleans tradition. He is perhaps best known for "Right Place, Wrong Time", an international hit in 1973, reissued and used on soundtracks many times since.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, his professional musical career began as a session musician in New Orleans in the 1950s. Early on he also played guitar and was often known as Mac Rebennack. He switched to the bass ("the lowest time of my life"), and then the piano after his index finger was nearly shot off protecting his bandmate and longtime friend Ronnie Barron. He gained fame beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with music that combined New Orleans-style rhythm and blues with psychedelic rock and stage shows that bordered on voodoo religious ceremonies, including elaborate costumes and headdress. For a time he was billed as Dr. John, The Night Tripper. The name "Dr. John" came from a legendary Louisiana voodoo practitioner from the start of the 19th century.
Dr. John has also done vocals for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' "Luv dat chicken..." jingle, as well as the theme song ("My Opinionation") for the early-1990s television sitcom Blossom. His movie credits include Martin Scorsese's documentary The Last Waltz (in which he joins The Band for a performance of his song "Such a Night") and Blues Brothers 2000 (in which he joins the fictional band The Louisiana Gator Boys to perform the song "New Orleans"). In the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, Dr. John sings the opening tune, "Down in New Orleans".
In January 2008 Mac Rebennack, Dr. John, was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.
Waiting for a Train
Dr. John Lyrics
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Waiting for a train
A thousand miles away from home
Sleeping in the rain I walked up to a brakeman
Just to give him a line of talk
He said if you've got money
I'll see that you don't walk
Well I haven't got a nickel
Get off, get off you railroad bum
And he slammed that boxcar door
Well, he put me off in Texas
A state I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me
The moon and stars up above
Nobody seems to want me
Nor to lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco
Going back to Dixieland
My pocketbook is empty
My heart is full of pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home
Just waiting for a train
In Dr. John's classic song "Waiting for a Train," the artist paints a vivid picture of a homeless and penniless wanderer stranded in a strange and far-off land, waiting for a train to take him back home. The lyrics hint at a sense of displacement, loneliness, and longing for familiarity, which are all pervasive themes in blues music. The opening lines paint an image of desolation and isolation, with the singer standing "all around the water tower" in a dreary and rainy landscape, miles away from his home, waiting for a train to arrive.
As the lyrics unfold, we see the singer interacting with a "brakeman," a worker employed on a railroad train who helps load and unload cargo. The singer attempts to engage the brakeman in conversation, hoping to secure a free ride on the train, but the brakeman is unsympathetic and demands money. The singer explains that he has no money, and the brakeman harshly rejects him, telling him to "get off, get off you railroad bum" before slamming the boxcar door on him.
The singer reflects on his situation in the lines that follow, describing the loneliness and pain he feels being stranded so far from home without any financial resources. The song culminates in the singer's statement that he is heading back to "Dixieland," a term referring to the southern United States, a place that feels like home to the singer. Overall, the song is an evocative and moving portrayal of the struggles of itinerant people during the Great Depression and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
All around the water tower
Dr. John finds himself waiting for a train at a water tower.
Waiting for a train
Dr. John is waiting patiently for a train to arrive.
A thousand miles away from home
Dr. John is far from home, feeling isolated.
Sleeping in the rain
Despite the rain, Dr. John is sleeping as he waits for the train.
I walked up to a brakeman
Dr. John approaches a brakeman who is working on the train.
Just to give him a line of talk
Dr. John simply wants to strike up a conversation with the brakeman.
He said if you’ve got money
The brakeman implies that Dr. John can buy his way onto the train.
I’ll see that you don’t walk
The brakeman will help Dr. John avoid walking by letting him onto the train for a fee.
Well I haven’t got a nickel
Dr. John admits that he doesn't have any money to pay the brakeman.
Not a penny can I show
Dr. John has no money to offer the brakeman.
Get off, get off you railroad bum
Without cash to spare, the brakeman orders Dr. John off the train.
And he slammed that boxcar door
The brakeman closes the door on Dr. John and the train departs without him.
Well, he put me off in Texas
Dr. John is dropped off in Texas, a state he loves.
A state I dearly love
Despite his situation, Dr. John still loves Texas.
The wide open spaces all around me
Dr. John is surrounded by wide-open spaces in Texas.
The moon and stars up above
Dr. John finds comfort in the moon and stars above him.
Nobody seems to want me
Dr. John feels unwanted and alone in Texas.
Nor to lend me a helping hand
No one is willing to offer Dr. John a helping hand in Texas.
I’m on my way from Frisco
Dr. John is traveling from Frisco, a city in California.
Going back to Dixieland
Dr. John is returning to Dixieland, meaning the southern United States.
My pocketbook is empty
Dr. John is broke and has no money to his name.
My heart is full of pain
Dr. John's heart is heavy with sadness and pain.
I’m a thousand miles away from home
Dr. John is far away from his home.
Just waiting for a train
Dr. John is simply waiting for a train to take him back home.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JIMMIE RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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