Mystery Train
Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks Lyrics

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Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Well that long black train got my baby and gone

Train train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
Train train, comin' 'round the bend
Well it took my baby, but it never will again (no, not again)

Train train, comin' down, down the line
Train train, comin' down the line

Well it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine all, all mine
(she's mine, all, all mine)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks's song Mystery Train depict the grief and lament of a man who has lost his lover to a long black train which has taken her away from him forever. The repetition of the phrase "Train I ride, sixteen coaches long" emphasizes the magnitude of the loss and the sheer power of the train. The train is personified as a thief that has robbed the singer of his happiness and bliss. The train is depicted as an ominous presence that is always lurking around the bend, ready to take away someone else's beloved.

However, towards the end of the song, the mood changes and the train takes on a more positive connotation. The singer believes that the train is bringing back his lover to him, and he proclaims that she is his, all his. The repetition of the phrase "she's mine, all, all mine" reflects his joy and relief at the prospect of being reunited with his lover.

Overall, the lyrics of Mystery Train evoke a strong emotional response from the listener, capturing the complex emotions associated with love, loss, and hope.

Line by Line Meaning

Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
I'm on a train that's really long with sixteen coaches

Well that long black train got my baby and gone
My lover has left me on that long, black train

Train train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend
A train is coming and it's coming around the bend

Well it took my baby, but it never will again (no, not again)
That train took my love away, but it will never happen again

Train train, comin' down, down the line
Another train is coming down the line

Well it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine all, all mine
This train is bringing my lover back, because she belongs to me

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Herman Parker Jr., Sam Phillips

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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