He also records and tours with his own band, Lonesome Standard Time, who he formed in 1990 and includes Terry Eldredge on upright bass, lead acoustic guitarist Booie Beech, fiddler Fred Carpenter, mandolinist David Harvey, and banjo player David Talbot.
Together they have recorded five albums together including the Grammy-nominated Lonesome Standard Time in 1992 and more recently, Took Down And Put Up in 2007.
Lonesome Standard Time
Larry Cordle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the sound of pourin' rain
Does your heart start to yearnin'
When you hear a distant train
If you'd like to take that train and ride
To someone left behind
You don't need the wind to tell you
You're on lonesome standard time
Do you sit alone and think about
An old love from the past
Do you feel a bit more empty
Every time you raise your glass
If the memory of his kisses
Sends a shiver up your spine
You don't need a watch to tell you
You're on lonesome standard time
When you hear them old sad songs
Do you hand on every word
Do you swear a cryin' fiddle
Has the sweetest sound on earth
If you shudder at the music
Of a hoot owl in the pines
You're on lonesome standard time
There's a bigger clock a tickin'
It crosses every zone
The first time your old heart broke
Was the time you turned it on
It don't never need a windin'
'Cause if it works like mine
Well there ain't no doubt about it
You're on lonesome standard time
When you hear them old sad songs
Do you hand on every word
Do you swear a cryin' fiddle
Has the sweetest sound on earth
If you shudder at the music
Of a hoot owl in the pines
You're on lonesome standard time
Well if you shudder at the music
Of a hoot owl in the pines
You're on lonesome standard time
Larry Cordle's song "Lonesome Standard Time" is a melancholic ballad that speaks of loneliness and heartbreak. The song paints a picture of someone who is going through the motions of everyday life but is always reminded of their lost love in various ways. The lyrics use imagery related to rain, trains, old love, and sad songs to convey a sense of longing and nostalgia. The chorus emphasizes the idea of being on "lonesome standard time," which is a metaphorical time zone that one enters when experiencing heartbreak.
The opening verse invites the listener to reflect on their emotional state by asking if they "feel a kindred spirit to the sound of pourin' rain" or "if your heart starts to yearn when you hear a distant train." The second verse brings up memories of past love and how it can make one feel empty. Finally, the third verse talks about the power of sad music to evoke emotions and create a sense of longing. Throughout the song, the chorus repeats the phrase "lonesome standard time" as a reminder that heartbreak is a universal experience that is always present.
In summary, "Lonesome Standard Time" is a song that captures the experience of heartbreak and loneliness through the use of vivid imagery and metaphors. The song speaks to the universal human experience of losing love and the emotions that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you feel a kindred spirit
Do you identify with a mood of sorrow
To the sound of pourin' rain
When it rains heavily, does it make you feel even more lonely?
Does your heart start to yearnin'
Do you start to long for something or someone?
When you hear a distant train
Does the sound of a train in the distance make your heart ache?
If you'd like to take that train and ride
If you want to escape to be with someone you care about
To someone left behind
To someone who you miss and who is separate from you
You don't need the wind to tell you
Your heart makes you feel that you're alone
You're on lonesome standard time
You are suffering from loneliness
Do you sit alone and think about
Do you spend time by yourself and reminisce?
An old love from the past
Someone who is no longer part of your life
Do you feel a bit more empty
Does your heart feel more and more empty with each passing moment?
Every time you raise your glass
Whenever you drink, do you think of the past?
If the memory of his kisses
Do you fondly remember the way he used to kiss you?
Sends a shiver up your spine
Does it excite you and make you feel emotional?
You don't need a watch to tell you
You're aware of how time has affected you emotionally
When you hear them old sad songs
Do you listen intently to melancholic music?
Do you hand on every word
Do you pay close attention to the lyrics?
Do you swear a cryin' fiddle
Do you think a weeping violin has the most bittersweet sounds?
Has the sweetest sound on earth
Does it bring you comfort that no other sounds can?
If you shudder at the music
If the music moves you and you feel intense emotions because of it
Of a hoot owl in the pines
Do you feel a sense of loss and sorrow when you hear the sound of a hooting owl near the pine trees?
There's a bigger clock a tickin'
Time is always moving forward and there's nothing you can do to stop it
It crosses every zone
It doesn't matter where you are, time moves forward the same for everyone
The first time your old heart broke
The first time you suffered emotional pain or heartbreak
Was the time you turned it on
Was the time you became aware of your emotions and your ability to love
It don't never need a windin'
Your heart never stops beating and feeling emotions
'Cause if it works like mine
Just like my heart, if you are very emotional and easily moved by love songs
Well there ain't no doubt about it
There's no denying that you are a very emotional person
You're on lonesome standard time
You are constantly feeling lonely and the pain that it brings
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LARRY CORDLE, JIM RUSHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Café
Damn I love this song!!
Bluegrass Train
Yummy lonesome crunchy blue time!