Southern Streamline
John Fogerty Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mama I'm on fire
Old flame
Sweet desire
Comin' on the midnight
Comin' on the midnight train
Rollin' steel and thunder
Bring my baby back again
Roll on down the line
Big wheels rollin' right on time
Hear that wistle blowin'
Hear that engine roar and whine
Take care of my baby
Ridin' on that southern streamline

[Chorus]
Well I got a little letter this morning
Just about the break of day
Bluebird ringin' my doorbell
Rollin' my bules away
Said honey babe we'll go steppin'
Long about Saturday night
So head it down to the station
An' everything'll be alright

Honey what's that sound
Big wheels rollin' homeward bound
See that smokestack sparkin'
Lightin' up a purple sky
Take care of my baby
Ridin' on that southern steamline

[Chorus]

Mama I'm on fire
Old flame
Sweet dire
Comin' on the midnight
Honey let your little light shine
Rollin' steel and thunder
Ridin' on that southern streamline




Take care of my baby
Ridin on that southern streamline

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Fogerty's song "Southern Streamline" tell the story of a lover who is waiting for his significant other to come back to him on the "midnight train." There is a sense of urgency and longing in the lyrics as the singer pleads with his love to take care of his baby while riding on the "southern streamline." He expresses his intense desire with lines like "Mama I'm on fire, old flame, sweet desire," and repeats the line "take care of my baby" as if to emphasize how important it is to him.


The song has a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era of America, with imagery of big wheels rolling and trains rumbling down the line. The sound of the train whistle blowing and the engine roaring and whining is also used to create an atmosphere of anxious anticipation. The lyrics are simple yet effective in conveying the emotions of the singer as he waits for his love to return.


Overall, "Southern Streamline" is a classic American rock and roll song that tells a timeless story of love and longing. The use of train imagery creates a sense of movement and urgency that complements the urgent feelings expressed in the lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

Mama I'm on fire
I am feeling passionate and full of energy


Old flame
Someone from my past who I still have feelings for


Sweet desire
Strong craving for something or someone


Comin' on the midnight
Arriving late at night


Comin' on the midnight train
Arriving by train late at night


Rollin' steel and thunder
Moving quickly and powerfully like a train


Bring my baby back again
I want my loved one to return to me


Roll on down the line
Continue moving forward on the train tracks


Big wheels rollin' right on time
The train is on schedule and moving fast


Hear that wistle blowin'
The train's whistle is audible


Hear that engine roar and whine
The engine is making loud noises


Take care of my baby
Please look after my loved one


Ridin' on that southern streamline
Traveling on the fast train going south


Well I got a little letter this morning
I received a brief message today


Just about the break of day
Near sunrise


Bluebird ringin' my doorbell
A symbol of good luck is at my door


Rollin' my bules away
My troubles are being taken away


Said honey babe we'll go steppin'
My loved one and I will go dancing


Long about Saturday night
On Saturday night, at a certain time


So head it down to the station
Let's go to the train station


An' everything'll be alright
Things will turn out fine


Honey what's that sound
Listen to that noise


Big wheels rollin' homeward bound
The train is headed home


See that smokestack sparkin'
The train's smokestack is emitting sparks


Lightin' up a purple sky
The sky is turning purple due to the light from the train


Honey let your little light shine
Please show your love and positivity


Ridin' on that southern streamline
Traveling on the fast train going south


Take care of my baby
Please look after my loved one


Ridin on that southern streamline
Traveling on the fast train going south




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: FOGERTY

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

kain hall

i first heard this album in my dads 72 Plymouth satellite Sebring plus
AKA a road-runner.... with cheaper insurance
.
440CI big block..... making about 460hp and LOADS of torque
cam so big... it doesnt have enough vacuum to run booster brakes
.
it lost oil pressure after sitting for the winter.... and now has a NASTY rod knock
this summer my dad and i are going to tear it down..... hopefully the crank can be saved
.
i grew up in that car..... as my dad and his friends restored it
its where i learned to be the mechanic i am today.....
.
my passion is making cars run good
from my 300,000 miles 99 buick century
to hondas....
.
if its got a motor (even a 100cc 2 smoker in a 74 kawi G5 i have)
i want it to run correctly.... and if i can sneak 10 more HP out of it.... hell ya!
.
growing up poor will make a person one hell of a mechanic
i know how to fix it right...... and i know how to fix it CHEAPLY....yet it will work just fine for 50,000 miles
.
dont buy a car that is "mechanic owned"
most think "oh, its been taken care of"
.
HELL NO!!!
its been abused to the limit..... because i know that GM 3.1 can go 8,000 miles before changing the oil
i try to change it every 5500...... but when im broke..... 8000 isnt going to hurt it.... that much
.
tie rod ends have a little play
alternator is starting to make noise
its got 3 lifters ticking their brains out till it warms up
the one lower ball joint has a cracked boot.... (just grease it OFTEN! and its fine)
ETC
ETC
ETC
.
that is a mechanic owned car.....
mechanics know how much noise something can make before its time to replace it
.
i drove 5000 miles on a bad wheel bearing..... because it wasnt loose / making enough noise for me to replace it
and i wanted to get my money out of it



All comments from YouTube:

Edson Ramalho

Sensacional

David Hitztaler

Love John Fogerty's talent..Thanks John for your "music" and being a great person...

micah kling

I love this guy!❤️❤️❤️

Angel Peñaloza

El más grande de todos los cantantes John , tristes recuerdos de un pasado alegre

Peter Powell Berz

songs like this and musicians like john make you feel happy to be a musician. love ya john

logawinner

If you don't think about how bad you are.

Sheena Wesley

Awe, my mom use to blast this song up, I remember she had this cd!! Great childhood memories!!

79tazman

You must be young because this is from the Blue Moon Swamp album and it came out in 1997 I think

dario monzón

John fogerty es el mejor guitarrista de todos los tiempos

Mich KenntKeiner

One of the best songs he ever made <3

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