In 1997, at the age of 15, he released his major-label debut, 'Lie to Me'. Though it picked up mixed critical reviews, the album served as a commercial breakthrough, with single "Lie to Me" particularly receiving much airplay and earning the #12 slot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. That blues rock track continues to be beloved by Lang's fan-base.
Lang followed with 'Wander This World', released on October 20, 1998. Broadening his sound somewhat with influences from classic soul and modern rock, the release experienced widespread success. His singles, "Wander This World" and "Still Rainin'", did particularly well, the latter tune reaching the #8 slot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
Several releases and constant touring later, Lang's latest work is 'Fight For My Soul', released on September 2, 2013. The album has received critical acclaim from publications such has Allmusic, with the reviewers remarking that Lang "dives headfirst into classic soul and R&B, its elastic, funky grooves allowing the guitarist plenty of space to solo". It also hit the #20 slot on Billboard's 'Top Rock Albums' chart, selling extremely well.
Part of his success has been due to a voice that sounds somewhat like that of a 40-year-old blues veteran, containing what fans have seen as a harshness tempered by a fine falsetto that has taken prominence in his newest albums. Another part of his success is his scorching, electrifying guitar solos, which display a prodigious natural talent honed by years of practice and playing. Whatever the secret to his success, the youngster has quickly become a fixture in the blues world, drawing crowds wherever he goes.
Lang has drawn deeply from the wellspring of influences from the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Luther Allison, and Albert Collins. Many blues artists have also been encouraged to pick up the guitar from his example. As he becomes more confident in his role as a musical veteran instead of a boy wonder, one can see the possibilities he has yet to share with his fans.
Midnight Train
Jonny Lang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ten to midnight in the rain
I was mindin' my own bus'ness,
waiting for that midnight train
Nobody in sight, starin' at my shoes,
I took out my paper to find me some good news
Mindin' my own bus'ness,
Yeah, yeah, babe
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
So I say, "If it ain't too much trouble,
when's the local out of town?"
His reply: "Two a.m."
If I'm leavin' local-bound
I can catch it in forty minutes,
if I want to grab the express
But the local trains are hard to come by,
this time of night, more or less
Listen, said
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
So I stood for forty minutes,
it was raining and it was cold
When the express rolled down the track,
I did not care where it was gonna go
Yeah, yeah
He said
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
The song Midnight Train by Jonny Lang is about a man waiting at the train station for the midnight train, but it never comes. The lyrics paint a picture of a lonely and desolate scene, with the rain and darkness adding to the mood. Despite waiting for the train, the man seems content to mind his own business and read the paper. However, when the ticket man calls his name, he realizes that there is no midnight train coming.
The man in the song then asks about a local train, but it isn't leaving until 2 am. He debates between waiting for the express train or taking the local train in 40 minutes, even though they are hard to come by at that time of night. Eventually, he ends up waiting for the express train even though he doesn't know where it's going. The lyrics are poignant and moving as they describe the man's hopeful anticipation turning into a sense of resignation and disappointment.
Overall, the song is about the fleeting nature of hope and the unpredictability of life. It invites listeners to reflect on their own experiences of waiting for something that never arrives, whether it be a train or a dream. Lang's soulful voice and blues-inspired guitar playing make the song even more powerful and emotional.
Line by Line Meaning
I was standin' at the station,
ten to midnight in the rain
The singer was waiting for a train at the station at ten minutes to midnight while it was raining.
I was mindin' my own bus'ness,
waiting for that midnight train
The singer was waiting for the midnight train while keeping to themselves.
Nobody in sight, starin' at my shoes,
I took out my paper to find me some good news
The singer was alone and bored while waiting, passing their time by reading the newspaper.
Mindin' my own bus'ness,
when the ticket man calls my name
Yeah, yeah, babe
The ticket man called out to the artist while they were keeping to themselves and addressed them in a friendly manner.
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
There is no midnight train coming to their station at that time.
So I say, "If it ain't too much trouble,
when's the local out of town?"
His reply: "Two a.m."
If I'm leavin' local-bound
The singer asked the ticket man about a local train leaving town, and was told it was at 2am. They thought about taking the local if they were heading that direction.
I can catch it in forty minutes,
if I want to grab the express
But the local trains are hard to come by,
this time of night, more or less
Listen, said
The singer thought about catching the express train in 40 minutes, but acknowledged that local trains were rare at that time of night.
So I stood for forty minutes,
it was raining and it was cold
When the express rolled down the track,
I did not care where it was gonna go
Yeah, yeah
The artist waited out in the rain for 40 minutes until the express train arrived, not caring where it was going as long as it got them away from the station.
He said
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
The ticket man confirmed again that no midnight train was coming to their station.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JON TIVEN, ROGER REALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@caitlynluvs2sing
I was standin' at the station,
Ten to midnight in the rain
I was mindin' my own bus'ness,
Waiting for that midnight train
Nobody in sight, starin' at my shoes,
I took out my paper to find me some good news
Mindin' my own bus'ness,
When the ticket man calls my name
Yeah, yeah, babe
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
So I say, "If it ain't too much trouble,
When's the local out of town?"
His reply: "Two a.m."
If I'm leavin' local-bound
I can catch it in forty minutes,
If I want to grab the express
But the local trains are hard to come by,
This time of night, more or less
Listen, said
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
So I stood for forty minutes,
It was raining and it was cold
When the express rolled down the track,
I did not care where it was gonna go
Yeah, yeah
He said
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
There ain't no midnight train
Comin' down the line
@kitskivich
One of the best duets ever.
@anthonygrillo6109
Love when Langs vocal first come in. Great collaboration
@BluesRedemption
Johnny still reminds me of Joe Cocker. Love it. I got to open for him once and he's a very cool; easy to talk to. great band.
@Quequechan
My dad stood late at Buddy Guys in Chicago one night to play his guitar at the open jam the club was having, he was planning on taking the midnight train home that night. Well he got on stage and jammed, he left the club and found out that there ain't no midnight train like the song says 2 days later he heard this song with Buddy and Jonny there ain"t no Midnight Train funny as hell
@michaeljavaras793
Priceless !! 😁🤣
@SeaBassVamp
Very nice groove..midnight train coming down the line..pure perfection. supreme song.
neat beat..funky rhythm..smoldering:):)
@fredhamann3852
Cool
@petejames9366
What a groove 👌❤️
@blondeapache9992
Always on my walk list because it is my favorite ever.
@melaniehamilton6550
Flat out love this! Only one Buddy Guy.