After a solo tour in the fall of 2003, Alexakis decided to continue with Everclear, organizing a new band that made its debut in March of 2004. The new lineup consisted of bass player Sam Hudson, guitarist Dave French, and drummer Eric Bretl. In the summer of 2004, the band added keyboard player Josh Crawley, and swapped Bretl for former Everclear drum tech Brett Snyder. The new lineup released its first recording, a cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land, that summer. A self-released EP of performances recorded for XM Satellite Radio called Closure was given out at shows in the fall of 2004.
Free of a major label, Alexakis spent the ensuing year and half slowly recording material for a new Everclear release. He admitted that the time after the breakup of the original lineup served as a "wake up call", during which he suffered his third divorce and a filing for bankruptcy. Alexakis announced the completion of the album in early 2006,titled Welcome To The Drama Club. The new band is now on Eleven Seven Music.
In August of 2008, drummer Brett Snyder left the band after four years. He was then replaced by Tommy Stewart, who previously played in bands Fuel and Godsmack.
Night Train To Memphis
Everclear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when you arrive at the station
Ill be right there to greet you
Ill be there to meet you
Wont you take my invitation
Hallelujah, oh hallelujah
We'll have a jubilee down in Memphis Tennessee
You'll be singin' hallelujah all the way
Oh hallelujah hallelujah
Ill be singin' hallelujah all the way
We'll have a jubilee down in Memphis Tennessee
You'll be singin' hallelujah all the way
Oh hallelujah, yeah hallelujah
Ill be singin' hallelujah all the way
We'll have a jubilee down in Memphis Tennessee
You'll be singin' hallelujah all the way [Repeat x3]
The song Night Train To Memphis by Everclear is a catchy tune that involves the singer urging the listener to travel to Memphis on a night train. The first stanza immediately sets the tone, with the repeated line "Take that night train to Memphis" expressing the urgency of the singer's invitation. The second stanza reveals the motivation behind the invitation as the singer promises to meet the listener upon their arrival. The chorus consists of the repetitive "Hallelujah, oh hallelujah / I'll be singin' hallelujah all the way / We'll have a jubilee down in Memphis Tennessee / You'll be singin' hallelujah all the way," with the word "hallelujah" serving as a euphoric exclamation to express the joy of being in Memphis. The chorus also implies that the listener will be just as ecstatic about the experience as the singer.
The repeated use of the word "hallelujah" is also significant as it reflects the religious roots of Memphis music. The city is steeped in gospel and blues history, and it was common for musicians to draw inspiration from the church. The reference to jubilee is also significant as it reflects the jubilee singing style popular in African American churches.
Overall, Night Train To Memphis is a song that captures the excitement and joy of traveling to Memphis and experiencing its vibrant music scene.
Line by Line Meaning
Take that night train to Memphis
Encouraging the listener to take the night train to Memphis
And when you arrive at the station
Referring to the train station in Memphis
Ill be right there to greet you
The singer promises to be there to welcome the listener
Ill be there to meet you
Reaffirming their earlier promise of a warm welcome
Wont you take my invitation
Urging the listener to accept the invitation to join them in Memphis
Hallelujah, oh hallelujah
Expressing joy and exultation
Ill be singin' hallelujah all the way
The singer will be overjoyed during the journey to Memphis
We'll have a jubilee down in Memphis Tennessee
Anticipating a celebration in Memphis
You'll be singin' hallelujah all the way
Promising that the listener will also be overjoyed during the journey to Memphis
Oh hallelujah hallelujah
Reiterating the expression of joy and exultation
Oh hallelujah, yeah hallelujah
Continuing to express joy and exultation
You'll be singin' hallelujah all the way
Once again affirming that the listener will be happy during the journey to Memphis
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Peermusic Publishing, Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Owen Bradley, Marvin Hughes, Beasley Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind