Matthew Herbert is an electronic music producer known for breaking the boun… Read Full Bio ↴Matthew Herbert is an electronic music producer known for breaking the boundaries and conventions of the genre. Since 1996 he has released music on a variety of record labels under many aliases including Doctor Rockit, Wishmountain, Radioboy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, under his own name and with his Big Band. He has played at the Montreux and North Sea Jazz Festivals, Paris' Pompidou Centre, Tokyo's Blue Note, Sonar and Glastonbury, and supported Bjork at the Hollywood Bowl. Along with over ten albums of self-written, produced and performed music, he has produced albums by Róisín Murphy, Dani Siciliano and Barbara Panther, worked with Björk and remixed Moloko, R.E.M., Perry Farrell, Serge Gainsbourg, Yoko Ono, John Cale, The Avalanches and Cornelius. He also runs his own label, Accidental Records.

Herbert began creating music with found objects whilst at Exeter University (UK) in the 1990s, where he studied Drama. From bottles, books, and pepper pots he progressed to recording places and experiences, effectively using the sampler as an instrument on many of his Doctor Rockit and Herbert releases. This style evolved into the overtly political when he began sampling objects from McDonald's and The Gap as a protest against corporate globalism on the The Mechanics Of Destruction album. The CD was distributed free at concerts and available as a free download and has never been available in stores.

His 2003 Big Band album, Goodbye Swingtime combined the political commentary of Radioboy with the song structure of his Herbert albums. Recorded with sixteen musicians from the British jazz world, including saxophonists Dave O'Higgins and Nigel Hitchcock and bassist Dave Green, the band is complemented on stage by long-term vocal partner Dani Siciliano and occasionally Arto Lindsay and Warp recording artist, Jamie Lidell. Recently he has provided music for a number of films, including Dogme director Kristian Levring's The Intended along with original music for TV. Herbert's newest album Plat du Jour addresses world famine.

Moving Like a Train
Herbert Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

no matter where you aim or what's your game we're all the same you just can't miss
no matter what you earn you'll feel the burn the screw will turn a notch like this
no amount of hesitation, no amount of preparation gets you off
if you hate the destination..enjoy the journey cos you can't get off

all out of time
no chance of maybe
blood on the line

here comes the one

don't look
don't think
don't flinch
it's heading right here

no matter right or left it's all straight on it's all to come on a night like this
no matter what you heard you've never heard a human make a sound like this

all out of time
no chance of maybe
blood on the line
here comes the one

don't look
don't think
don't flinch
it's heading right here

don't stop move it along on now
don't stop move it along on

no amount of careful thought or gentle sport can keep the door ajar a bit
no amount of incantation...no grateful nation took the sting of it
no soft inside big slide outside little red hammer stewardess to get you out
no amount of presentation....no artist ever painted darkness out

no one in here needs a ticket
choose your carriage get right in it

Overall Meaning

In "Moving Like a Train," Herbert invites us onto a journey – a journey that we cannot get off of. The lyrics describe how we are all equal and inevitably going towards the same destination. No matter where you aim, what you do or how much money you have, we are all in the same boat. Furthermore, no matter how much preparation you do or how long you wait, the train moves on relentlessly to its final destination. It's a journey that we cannot stop or slow down, and we must accept and embrace it.

The line 'blood on the line, here comes the one' is an allusion to the railways and the hazards involved in steam locomotion. The reference is to The Guard, whose job it was to ensure the line is clear before the train moves. The repetition of the phrase 'don't look, don't think, don't flinch' gives a sense of foreboding – as if something monumental is about to happen, and you must be prepared with every fiber of your being.

The song's last verse talks about no one in the journey needing a ticket, highlighting that our journey through life is not about material wealth but rather the experiences we have and the memories we make. It's about choosing your carriage and enjoying the ride, no matter what strike-up comes your way.

Line by Line Meaning

no matter where you aim or what's your game we're all the same you just can't miss
It doesn't matter what you do in life, we are all human and bound to make mistakes.

no matter what you earn you'll feel the burn the screw will turn a notch like this
No matter how much money you make, you will still face difficulties in life.

no amount of hesitation, no amount of preparation gets you off
No matter how much you prepare or plan, life is unpredictable and you can't control everything.

if you hate the destination..enjoy the journey cos you can't get off
If you don't like where you're going in life, enjoy the journey because you can't change where you're headed.

all out of time
Time is up, there's no going back.

no chance of maybe
There's no room for uncertainty.

blood on the line
The stakes are high, there's a lot at risk.

here comes the one
The moment of truth is approaching.

don't look
Don't dwell on the past or worry about the future.

don't think
Just act, don't hesitate.

don't flinch
Be bold and unyielding.

it's heading right here
The decisive moment is imminent.

no matter right or left it's all straight on it's all to come on a night like this
No matter which direction you go in, the road ahead is uncertain.

no matter what you heard you've never heard a human make a sound like this
This moment is unique and unprecedented.

don't stop move it along on now
Keep going, don't give up.

no amount of careful thought or gentle sport can keep the door ajar a bit
No matter how carefully you plan or how gently you approach a situation, some things are beyond your control.

no amount of incantation...no grateful nation took the sting of it
No amount of magic or gratitude can protect you from the pain of life.

no soft inside big slide outside little red hammer stewardess to get you out
No one is going to come to your rescue, you have to save yourself.

no amount of presentation....no artist ever painted darkness out
No matter how you try to present or frame a situation, darkness and difficulty still exist.

no one in here needs a ticket
Everyone is welcome, no special requirements needed.

choose your carriage get right in it
Choose your path and commit to it.

Contributed by Bella R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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