No Train to Memphis
Garrison Keillor Lyrics

Well lightning struck at midnight with the thunder and the rain
I was awoken abruptly in the dead of night by the sound of deafening thunder and rainfall.

My sleep was interrupted by the rhythm of a train
I was roused from my slumber by the rhythmic sound of a passing train.

I asked of the conductor where this old train was bound
I inquired of the train conductor about the destination of this particular train.

He punched my ticket then he whispered, 'Memphis Town'
After taking my ticket, the conductor quietly and mysteriously let me know that the train was headed to Memphis.

But there ain't no train to Memphis anymore
Unfortunately, there are no longer any trains that go to Memphis.

You've got to take the highway when you go
If you want to get to Memphis now, you have to travel by car or bus on the highway.

Well them rusty tracks from Nashville
The old, unused train tracks that stretch from Nashville to Memphis.

Lay beside that stretch of road
As it turns out, the highway now runs parallel to those old train tracks, almost like a reminder of what was once there.

Well I pinched myself and crossed my heart to see if it was real
I had to check if what was happening was actually real or if I was just dreaming.

Or was I just imagining the grinding of the wheels
It was all so surreal that I had to question whether or not I was hearing the sound of the wheels grinding on the tracks.

I swore I heard that whistle and the clic-kity clack
Despite my skepticism, I could have sworn I heard the unmistakable sounds of the train whistle and the familiar sound of the train wheels clacking against the tracks.

As I rode that phantom streamline on a west bound track
It felt like I was riding on a ghostly, invisible train following the same path westward that real trains once took.

Well we cruised into the delta like we woke up from a dream
Sailing down the same delta where trains once roared along, it felt like we were emerging from a strange and hazy dream.

I felt a bit confused 'cause I was blinded by the steam
Upon disembarking, I felt a bit disoriented from the steam that had surrounded us during the ride.

Well I said, 'I come from Nashville and I just got off the train'
To the driver, I explained that I had come all the way from Nashville and had just ridden on this imaginary train.

And that driver looked at me as if he thought I was insane
The driver clearly didn't believe me and gave me a look that suggested he thought I was crazy.