Doughty's sound is that of muted acoustic guitar rhythms and nasally vocals with impeccable melodies. His lyrics are unique, and he can be described as a master wordsmith. He turned to a new direction for his 2008 album, Golden Delicious. Instead of an acoustic gritty sound, he began using things like electric guitars, stronger vocal backgrounds and even a cello.
Doughty's album, Yes and Also Yes, was released in August 2011. In January 2012, The Book of Drugs, Doughty's memoir about his "ugly, drug-doing years", was published by Da Capo Press. In 2012 Doughty recorded a version of "Take Me Home, Country Roads" for a fund-raising cd titled "Super Hits Of The Seventies" for radio station WFMU. Doughty's album, The Question Jar Show, was released in late January 2012. It is a two disc set containing highlights from his Question Jar tour.
Discography:
Skittish LP (recorded 1996; released 2000)
Smofe + Smang: Live in Minneapolis LP (2002)
Rockity Roll EP (2003)
Skittish / Rockity Roll double LP (2004): A two disc re-release which includes the out-of-print Skittish, the Rockity Roll EP, and five bonus tracks.
Haughty Melodic LP (2005): Doughty's first full-band album, released on May 3, 2005.
The Gambler EP (2005): Six song EP. Title track is a cover of the Kenny Rogers hit.
Golden Delicious (2008)
Sad Man Happy Man (2009)
Yes and Also Yes (2011)
The Question Jar Show (2012)
The Lo-Fi Lodge (2012)
The Flip Is Another Honey (2012)
Official website: www.mikedoughty.com
Thank You Lord For Sending Me the F Train
Mike Doughty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The dark is dropping like a spot
Of black ink squeezed into a glass of water
And now the crowds are thinning out
Into the light down in the subway station
Here this train speeds underground
And I will drift back to the slope
Some face unlit there, stuck into the incline
Where I will sleep off all the noise
The soot accumulated all my trials
Here this train speeds underground
This train speeds under the river
And I thank you Lord Almighty up above
Just for sending out the F train to me
So thankful for all the unspent love
That I save up in the jar of money
Your Polaroid is on the wall
Stuck in the crack between the door and door-frame
Trapped in the middle of some laugh
Some drunken joke some friend of Yours was telling
Here this train speeds underground
This train speeds under the river
And I thank you Lord Almighty up above
Just for sending out the F train to me
So thankful for all the unspent love
That I save up in the jar of money
That I save up in the jar of money
That I save up in the jar of money
That I save up in the jar of money
That I save up in the jar of money
That I save up in the jar of money
The lyrics of Mike Doughty's "Thank You Lord for Sending Me the F Train" invoke a sense of relief and gratitude upon catching a train back home after a long day. The train ride signifies a release from the bustling city streets and the oppressive crowds, as the singer retreats into a world of solitude and personal reflection. Doughty compares the darkness of early evening to black ink in a glass of water, suggesting the city's incessant noise and activity have been diluted and dispersed.
As the crowds thin out in the subway station, the singer boards the F train and begins his descent into another world underground. The train speeds under the river, taking him deeper into isolation where he can tune out the noise and chaos of the city entirely. The singer plans to spend his time sleeping off the stresses of the day, indicated by the line, "Where I will sleep off all the noise. The soot accumulated all my trials."
Doughty's chorus repeats a message of gratitude and thankfulness to a higher power - "And I thank you Lord Almighty up above, Just for sending out the F train to me, So thankful for all the unspent love, That I save up in the jar of money." The singer is grateful for reaching his destination and being able to rest while also cherishing the unspent love that he saves up inside him. The Polaroid on the wall represents memories and happiest moments between friends, trapped in an unwanted drunken joke, a metaphor for how time and events can sometimes hinder our memories of the special moments in our lives.
In summary, the lyrics of "Thank You Lord for Sending Me the F Train" express a sense of relief and gratitude for finding respite from the chaos of the city. The singer is able to retreat inward and reflect on his day while cherishing the memories that keep him going.
Line by Line Meaning
The dark is dropping like a spot
The darkness is gradually taking over, just like a spot of black ink would spread in a glass of water
Of black ink squeezed into a glass of water
The darkness is similar to how black ink would look if it were squeezed into a glass of water
And now the crowds are thinning out
The number of people is decreasing
Into the light down in the subway station
The remaining people are heading towards the light of the subway station
Here this train speeds underground
The train is rapidly moving below ground level
This train speeds under the river
The train is moving quickly while passing under the river
And I will drift back to the slope
The singer will return to the slope they were at before
Some face unlit there, stuck into the incline
There is an unlit face stuck in the incline at the slope
Where I will sleep off all the noise
The artist will use sleep to escape from all the noise
The soot accumulated all my trials
The soot represents all the hardships and difficulties the artist has gone through
And I thank you Lord Almighty up above
The singer is expressing gratitude to God for something positive
Just for sending out the F train to me
The artist is grateful for the arrival of the F train and sees it as a positive occurrence
So thankful for all the unspent love
The singer is expressing gratitude for the love in their life that they have not used up
That I save up in the jar of money
The singer is saving their unspent love in a metaphorical jar of money
Your Polaroid is on the wall
There is a Polaroid picture on the wall
Stuck in the crack between the door and door-frame
The Polaroid is wedged in the space between the door and door-frame
Trapped in the middle of some laugh
The picture is from a moment of laughter
Some drunken joke some friend of Yours was telling
The laughter is from a joke told by a friend of the singer's
That I save up in the jar of money
The singer is still saving their unspent love in a metaphorical jar of money
That I save up in the jar of money
The artist is continuing to express their process of saving their unspent love
That I save up in the jar of money
The artist is emphasizing the importance they place on saving their unspent love
That I save up in the jar of money
The artist is repeating their message of saving their unspent love
That I save up in the jar of money
The singer is concluding their message by once again highlighting their process of saving their unspent love
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MIKE DOUGHTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind