Train in Vain
Dwight Yoakam Lyrics


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You say you stand by your man
Tell me something I don't understand
You said you love me and that's a fact
And then you left me, said you felt trapped

Well some things you can explain away
But the heartache's in me 'til this day
You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

All the times
When we were close
I'll remember these things the most
I see all my dreams come tumbling down
I can't be happy without you around

So alone I keep the wolves at bay
And there's only one thing I can say

You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me?

Did you stand by me?
No, not at all

Now I got a job
But it don't pay
I need new clothes
I need somewhere to stay
But without all of these things I can do
But without your love I won't make it through

But you don't understand my point of view
I suppose there's nothing I can do

You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way

You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me?

Did you stand by me

Did you stand by me?
No, not at all
Did you stand by me?
No way
Did you stand by me?
No, not at all




Did you stand by me?
No way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Train In Vain" by Dwight Yoakam are a sad reflection of love lost and the feelings of betrayal and abandonment that come with it. The song starts with the singer questioning the loyalty of their partner, who they claim said they loved them but then left them feeling trapped. Although the partner claims to have stood by them, the singer insists that they didn't stand by them at all.


The remainder of the song paints a picture of a desperate situation of the singer, who is struggling to make ends meet and feeling the effects of the breakup. They miss their partner and can't be happy without them around. The lyrics are particularly emotive when the singer sings about seeing all their dreams come tumbling down and being unable to keep the wolves at bay without their partner's support. The singer is questioning why their partner would leave them, asking if they lied when they spoke to them, and wondering if they ever really stood by them.


Overall, the song reflects a feeling of being let down by someone who was supposed to be there through thick and thin. It's a heartfelt song that many people can relate to, and Dwight Yoakam's deep voice and emotive delivery add to the powerful emotions conveyed in the lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

You say you stand by your man
You claim to support your partner


Tell me something I don't understand
Please explain why you left me


You said you love me and that's a fact
You once professed your love for me


And then you left me, said you felt trapped
But then you ended the relationship because you felt stuck


Well some things you can explain away
Some things have explanations that can be understood


But the heartache's in me 'til this day
But my pain still lingers


You didn't stand by me
You did not support me


No, not at all
Not even a little bit


All the times
Every moment


When we were close
When we were in love


I'll remember these things the most
I'll cherish these memories the most


I see all my dreams come tumbling down
All my hopes and aspirations have been shattered


I can't be happy without you around
I cannot be content without your presence


So alone I keep the wolves at bay
I am struggling alone to keep negative influences away


And there's only one thing I can say
My conclusion is simple


You must explain why this must be
You need to clarify why it had to end like this


Did you lie when you spoke to me?
Were your words untrue?


Now I got a job
I have employment


But it don't pay
But it doesn't provide much income


I need new clothes
I require new attire


I need somewhere to stay
I need a place to call home


But without all of these things I can do
But even if I obtain all these possessions


But without your love I won't make it through
I will still struggle without your affection


But you don't understand my point of view
But you do not comprehend my perspective


I suppose there's nothing I can do
Perhaps there is no solution


Did you stand by me?
Did you support me?


No, not at all
Absolutely not


No way
Under no circumstances


Did you stand by me?
Did you support me?


No, not at all
Absolutely not


Did you stand by me?
Did you support me?


No way
Under no circumstances




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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