The song "mystery train" was recorded by Little Robert Johnson and covered … Read Full Bio ↴The song "mystery train" was recorded by Little Robert Johnson and covered by E. Pressley. It was Sam Phillips' favorite record of both artists. Johnson may have written the song also Cotten. It is beautifully melodic with blues origins. I am suprised I don't see it on El's recordings. I am an high school contemporary of Pressley although we went to different schools he to Humes and I to Central. - John Knox

Mystery Train
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Well, that long black train got my baby and gone

Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
Train, train, comin' 'round the bend
Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
No, not again

Train, train, comin' down, down the line
Train, train, comin' down, down the line
Well, it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine all, all mine
She's mine, all, all mine

Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
'Round, 'round the bend
Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
Well, it took my baby, but it never will again

Never will again
(Ooh, whoa)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elvis Presley's "Mystery Train" are a story of heartbreak and loss told through the metaphor of a train ride. The train the singer is on is described as being sixteen coaches long, a physical representation of the emotional weight he feels at having his lover taken away on a "long black train." The repetition of the line "train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend" creates a sense of inevitability and anticipation, as the singer awaits the return of his lover on the same train that took her away.

The second verse is marked by a shift in tone, as the train that once took his lover away is now "bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine all, all mine." The singer's hope is restored as he imagines the train bringing his lover back to him, but at the same time, the repetition of the line "she's mine, all, all mine" suggests a possessiveness and desperation on the part of the singer.

The final verse brings the song full circle, with the train once again taking the singer's lover away. However, the repetition of the line "it took my baby, but it never will again, no not again" suggests that the experience has left him wiser and resigned to the inevitability of loss.

Overall, "Mystery Train" is a haunting and evocative ode to the power of love and loss, using the image of a train as a powerful symbol of the unstoppable forces of fate and time.

Line by Line Meaning

Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
I am on a train that is made up of sixteen carriages.

Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
As I travel on this long train journey, I am accompanied by sixteen coaches.

Well, that long black train got my baby and gone
A black train came and took my loved one away, and now they are gone forever.

Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
Here comes another train, which is going to come round a bend in the track shortly.

Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
This train took away my loved one once, but it will never be able to do so again.

Train, train, comin' down, down the line
Another train is fast approaching and it is heading directly towards me.

Well, it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine all, all mine
This train is bringing my loved one back to me, and now they are mine, all mine.

Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
Another train is getting close, which is going to curve around a bend in the track.

Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
This train cannot take away my loved one again.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Herman Parker Jr., Sam Phillips

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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