The Train Song
Feist and Ben Gibbard Lyrics


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Travelling north, travelling north to find you
Train wheels beating, the wind in my eyes
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
Call out your name love, don't be surprised

It's so many miles and so long since I've left you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long

Nothing at all, in my head, to say to you
Only the beat of the train I'm on
Nothing I've learned all my life on the way to you
One day our love was over and gone

It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll say when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long

What will I do if there's someone there with you?
Maybe someone you've always known
How do I know I can come and give to you?
Love with no warning and find you alone

It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long

It won't be long




It won't be long
It won't be long

Overall Meaning

The song "Train Song" by Feist and Bon Iver tells the story of a person who is travelling north to find their love. They don't know what they'll find when they get there, but they call out their lover's name and hope they won't be surprised. The lyrics reflect the uncertainty and longing that the traveller feels as they make the long journey by train.


The opening lines express the physical sensations of the journey – the beating of the train wheels and the wind in their eyes. As the song progresses, the traveller reflects on what they will say to their lover when they arrive, and what will happen if there is someone else there with them. They acknowledge that their love was once over and gone, but suddenly they feel that they know where they belong.


The repeating lines of "It won't be long" convey the sense of urgency and anticipation that the traveller feels. They are driven to find their love, no matter what they may encounter along the way. The song is a powerful expression of the human need for connection and how we are willing to go to great lengths to find it.


Line by Line Meaning

Travelling north, travelling north to find you
I am journeying north in search of you


Train wheels beating, the wind in my eyes
The sound of the train’s wheels is in my ears and the wind is blowing in my face


Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
I have no idea what awaits me when I reach you


Call out your name love, don't be surprised
I will call your name when I arrive, please do not react in shock


It's so many miles and so long since I've left you
I have traveled a great distance since our last meeting


Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
I am uncertain of what I might find when I reach you


But suddenly now, I know where I belong
However, I’ve come to realize where I belong


It's many hundred miles and it won't be long
Although I still have many miles to go, I will reach you soon enough


Nothing at all, in my head, to say to you
I have nothing to say to you, as my mind is empty


Only the beat of the train I'm on
All I hear is the rhythmic beat of the train that I am on


Nothing I've learned all my life on the way to you
Despite everything I’ve learned throughout my life, I have nothing to offer on my way to you


One day our love was over and gone
At some point, our love came to an end


What will I do if there's someone there with you?
What will I do if I find that there is already someone with you?


Maybe someone you've always known
Someone who has been in your life for a long time, perhaps


How do I know I can come and give to you?
How can I be sure that I can come to you and offer my love?


Love with no warning and find you alone
What if I come to you, unexpectedly, and find you alone?


It won't be long
Soon enough, I will reach you


It won't be long
Before I see you once again


It won't be long
Until I am finally there with you




Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Alasdair Clayre, Jennifer Vashti Bunyan, Jenny Lewis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@andromeda0918

LYRICS

Traveling north, traveling north to find you
Train wheels beating, the wind in my eyes
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
Call out your name love, don't be surprised

It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles but it won't be long

What will I do if there's someone with you
Maybe someone you've always known
How do I know I can come and give to you
Love with no warning and find you alone

It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long



@sparklemod2418

Traveling north, traveling north to find you
Train wheels beating, the wind in my eyes
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
Call out your name love don't be surprised
It's so many miles and so long since I've left you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long
Nothing at all in my head to say to you
Only the beat of the train I'm on
Nothing I've learn all my life on the way to you
One day our love was over and gone
It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll say when I get to you
But suddenly now I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long
What will I do if there's someone there with you?
Maybe someone you've always known
How do I know I can come and give to you?
Love with no warning and find you alone
It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long
It won't be long, it won't be long, it won't be long



All comments from YouTube:

@coreyturpin5521

My wife and I had the pleasure of sitting with Ben's Mother and Father at a show in Seattle last year.  Very proud parents.  It was definitely a beautiful thing to witness.

@timmaloney6739

+Corey Turpin That had to be so cool!!!

@coreyturpin5521

Tim Maloney​ it was awesome!

@tysonjones8251

Pics,or It didn't happen....

@samhouston2711

@Tyson Jones bruhhhh whoah there

@vsavath

I actually love how haunting and almost foreboding this version is! I mean that in a 'cool spooky' way, not a bad way. Sure it contrasts from Vashti's original which is more soft and everyone prefers that one but Feist & Ben gave this song a whole different feel that I don't think many others would think to do. I'd also like to hear someone like Hozier do his own spin of this too

@andromeda0918

LYRICS

Traveling north, traveling north to find you
Train wheels beating, the wind in my eyes
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
Call out your name love, don't be surprised

It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles but it won't be long

What will I do if there's someone with you
Maybe someone you've always known
How do I know I can come and give to you
Love with no warning and find you alone

It's so many miles and so long since I've met you
Don't even know what I'll find when I get to you
But suddenly now, I know where I belong
It's many hundred miles and it won't be long

@amisophie

I have such different feelings after listening to this version and the Vashti version. Where as the Vashti version is beautiful in its simplicity, the Feist/Gibbard version is very dramatic. I do enjoy them both but think they both serve different passions. When I am longing the Feist/Gibbard version fits, however when I am feeling more on the love and tenderness the Vashti version suits. I so enjoy covers and originals of this variety, like the This Mortal Coil covers of Tim Buckley songs. Fantastic

@Jade13K1tty

Herbert Moore love vs. apathy

@asic3468

I feel the same way about the song "You Are the Blood". The Original version by The Castanets is beautiful in its simplicity, while the Sufjan Stevens cover (which is also from Dark Was the Night) is very dramatic. I love both versions, although I like the Sufjan Stevens cover better.

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