Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band formed in Dunfermline in 1968 that ha… Read Full Bio ↴Nazareth is a Scottish hard rock band formed in Dunfermline in 1968 that had several hits in Canada, the United Kingdom, and a number of other European countries in the early 1970s. The breadth of their popularity expanded internationally, including in the USA, with their 1975 album Hair of the Dog, which featured their hits "Hair of the Dog" and a cover of the ballad "Love Hurts". They have continued to record and tour for more than fifty years.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazareth_(band)

Studio albums
Nazareth (1971)
Exercises (1972)
Razamanaz (1973)
Loud 'n' Proud (1973)
Rampant (1974)
Hair of the Dog (1975)
Close Enough for Rock 'n' Roll (1976)
Play 'n' the Game (1976)
Expect No Mercy (1977)
No Mean City (1979)
Malice in Wonderland (1980)
The Fool Circle (1981)
2XS (1982)
Sound Elixir (1983)
The Catch (1984)
Cinema (1986)
Snakes 'n' Ladders (1989)
No Jive (1991)
Move Me (1994)
Boogaloo (1998)
The Newz (2008)
Big Dogz (2011)
Rock 'n' Roll Telephone (2014)
Tattooed on My Brain (2018)
Surviving the Law (2022)

Railroad Boy
Nazareth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hear the whistle blowin' so long
Tellin' me I gotta move along
Coast to coast gonna steal highway
Railroad boy up in the guiding daybreak

Get no sleep in a boxcar
Get no piece of line
They catch you jumpin' a freight train

They give you such a hard time

Movin' fast as my time runs out
Coal is something I can live without
Railroad fever got me a route
Like tumbleweed I ain't got no roots

You know no peace in a boxcar
Just can't sleep on a line
They catch you jumpin' a freight train
They give you such a hard time

East coast towns they are
Dark and cold
West coast ladies
They get right to my soul

But you know
Can't stand long

Bet all railroader's
Are singin' my song

Overall Meaning

The song "Railroad Boy" by Nazareth is about a railroad worker who travels across the country by rail, never staying in one place too long. The lyrics describe the excitement and danger of life on the rails, with the whistle blowing as a constant reminder to keep moving. The Railroad Boy is on a mission to explore new places and find adventure, leaving behind the monotony of everyday life. The singer sings about the hardships of sleeping in a boxcar and the constant threat of being caught by authorities for jumping on a freight train, but despite these challenges, the Railroad Boy is driven by his love of travel.

The song speaks to the restlessness and wanderlust that many people experience at some point in their lives, yearning for something more than what their current situation offers. It paints a romantic picture of life on the rails, with the freedom to explore new places and meet new people, even if it means living in less than ideal conditions. The Railroad Boy represents a desire for adventure and a refusal to be tied down to one place.

Overall, the song captures the spirit of an era in American history when railroads were a vital part of transportation and commerce. It explores themes of freedom, adventure, and the human desire for new experiences.

Line by Line Meaning

Hear the whistle blowin' so long
I hear the train whistle blowing for a while, signaling that I must leave and continue on my journey.

Tellin' me I gotta move along
The train's whistle is signaling me that I must leave and continue on my journey.

Coast to coast gonna steal highway
Traveling from one coast to another by train, ignoring roads and highways.

Railroad boy up in the guiding daybreak
As a railroad boy, I am up early, navigating the railways and watching morning break.

Get no sleep in a boxcar
It is impossible to sleep in a boxcar while travelling on a train.

Get no piece of line
I am unable to rest on this journey.

They catch you jumpin' a freight train
If authorities catch you jumping onto a freight train, they will give you a hard time.

They give you such a hard time
If authorities catch you jumping onto a freight train, they will treat you roughly and/or punish you.

Movin' fast as my time runs out
As I move quickly, I can feel time slipping away from me.

Coal is something I can live without
I don't need coal as it relates to my current situation and desires.

Railroad fever got me a route
I am obsessed with travelling by train and have chosen my path.

Like tumbleweed I ain't got no roots
Similar to a tumbleweed, I have no permanent home and am always on the move.

East coast towns they are dark and cold
I find the towns on the East coast to be somewhat gloomy and unwelcoming.

West coast ladies they get right to my soul
I am drawn to the women on the West coast and feel deeply connected to them.

But you know can't stand long
Unfortunately, I cannot stay in any one place for long.

Bet all railroader's are singin' my song
I suspect that many other train travelers are experiencing similar feelings and singing along with me.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Dan McCafferty (non Mountain title, Darrell Sweet, Manuel Charlton, Peter Agnew

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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