Meditation
Michael G. Ronstadt Lyrics
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© 1933 Peer International Corp
Last night as I lay on the boxcar
Just waiting for a train to pass by
What will become of the hobo
Whenever his time comes to die
Got a place that we might call our home
Will we have to work for a living
Or can we continue to roam
Will there be any freight trains in heaven
Any boxcars in which we might hide
Will there be any tough cops or brakemen
Will they tell us that we cannot ride
Will the hobo chum with the rich man
Will we always have money to spare
Will they have respect for the hobo
In that land that lies hidden up there
Will there be any freight trains in heaven
Any boxcars in which we might hide
Will there be any tough cops or brakemen
Will they tell us that we cannot ride
Will the hobo chum with the rich man
Will we always have money to spare
Will they have respect for the hobo
In that land that lies hidden up there
The song Meditation by Michael G. Ronstadt is a cover of Jimmie Rodgers' song that was written in 1933. The lyrics are about a hobo who is waiting for a train to pass, contemplating what will happen to him after he dies. He questions whether there is a place for him in heaven and whether he will have to work for a living or if he can continue to roam. The hobo wonders if there will be any freight trains or boxcars in heaven and if he will be allowed to ride them. He questions if he will be accepted and respected in the land that lies hidden up there.
The lyrics to this song are both thought-provoking and sad. They offer a glimpse into the mind of a hobo who has lived a life of wanderlust and uncertainty, unsure of what will happen to him after he dies. The song highlights the struggles that hobos faced during the Great Depression, where unemployment was rampant and many people resorted to riding freight trains to search for work.
Line by Line Meaning
Last night as I lay on the boxcar
As I rested on the boxcar last night
Just waiting for a train to pass by
I was biding my time until a train came through
What will become of the hobo
What will happen to those of us who lead an itinerant lifestyle
Whenever his time comes to die
When we reach the end of our time on earth
There's a Master up yonder in heaven
God resides in the realm above
Got a place that we might call our home
He has provided a place for us to live eternally
Will we have to work for a living
Will we need to continue to labor for survival
Or can we continue to roam
Or will we be free to wander without constraint
Will there be any freight trains in heaven
Will there be transportation available in the afterlife
Any boxcars in which we might hide
Will there be shelter for those of us accustomed to hiding in boxcars
Will there be any tough cops or brakemen
Will law enforcement or railroad workers keep us from our freedom
Will they tell us that we cannot ride
Will they deny us the ability to travel as we see fit
Will the hobo chum with the rich man
Will there be social equality among all residents of heaven
Will we always have money to spare
Will we need to concern ourselves with life's monetary worries in the hereafter
Will they have respect for the hobo
Will the homeless be treated with dignity in paradise
In that land that lies hidden up there
In the concealed world above us
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JIMMIE RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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