Train Song
Feist and Ben Gibbard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
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