Trials & Troubles
Old Crow Medicine Show Lyrics


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Down the track this morning she did stroll
In an accident her foot got caught in a hole
I'm going to tell you the truth
Die for a touch of that cold hand
I'd be crying every time the Southern makes it's run

I'm going to buy them all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco when I can
Trials and troubles are heavy for me

She's a ramblin' gal
Bound to leave her home
I begged my brown skin
Please don't leave me alone
I'm going to make amends
Bound to cry to touch her hand
I'm going to ride that line
Till I see that black train come

I'm going to buy them all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco when I can
Trials and troubles are heavy for me

Now people that Southern Pacific make her run
From Chapel Hill to the state of Washington
Round the bend at 40 miles
20 tons of loaded freight a-comin' on
Florsheim's stuck and it won't come out
My good gal's dead and gone

I'm going to buy them all
Cigarettes and chewing tobacco when I can
Trials and troubles are heavy for me





Trials and troubles are heavy for me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Trials & Troubles" by Old Crow Medicine Show tell a story of love and loss, as well as the joys and sorrows that come with life's trials and hardships. The song begins with the singer recounting a chance encounter with a woman on the train tracks, who unfortunately gets her foot caught in a hole. Despite the unfortunate event, the singer expresses a desire to touch her hand and be with her, even if it means shedding tears every time the train passes by.


The lyric "She's a ramblin' gal/Bound to leave her home" suggests that the woman is a wanderer, and that the singer is afraid he will lose her. He begs her not to leave him, even as he acknowledges that he has done wrong and needs to make amends. The refrain "I'm going to buy them all/Cigarettes and chewing tobacco when I can/Trials and troubles are heavy for me" attests to the singer's tough life but also shows that he is willing to find comfort in small pleasures.


The final verse of the song takes a tragic turn as the train, which the singer mentions several times throughout the song, brings news of the woman's death. The lyrics "My good gal's dead and gone" reveal the heartbreaking conclusion to the story. Overall, the song reflects the themes of mortality, perseverance, and love's endurance despite the trials and tribulations of life.


Line by Line Meaning

Down the track this morning she did stroll
She walked down the railroad track this morning


In an accident her foot got caught in a hole
Her foot got caught in a hole and she was injured


I'm going to tell you the truth
I'm going to be honest


Die for a touch of that cold hand
I would do anything for a touch of her hand, even die


I'd be crying every time the Southern makes it's run
I cry every time I hear the Southern train passing by


Trials and troubles are heavy for me
I have many challenges and problems to deal with


She's a ramblin' gal
She is a traveler


Bound to leave her home
She is destined to leave her home


I begged my brown skin
I pleaded with her to stay


Please don't leave me alone
Please do not abandon me


I'm going to make amends
I will try to make things right


Bound to cry to touch her hand
I will cry if I can touch her hand


I'm going to ride that line
I will travel along the railroad track


Till I see that black train come
Until I see the black train approaching


Now people that Southern Pacific make her run
The Southern Pacific train is in operation now


From Chapel Hill to the state of Washington
The train operates from Chapel Hill to the state of Washington


Round the bend at 40 miles
The train is traveling at 40 miles per hour around a bend


20 tons of loaded freight a-comin' on
The train is carrying 20 tons of freight


Florsheim's stuck and it won't come out
The train is having mechanical problems that prevent it from moving


My good gal's dead and gone
My lover has passed away




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: KETCH SECOR, WILLIE WATSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@robcool529

Old Crow makes me smile every time.

@spindletopcenter

Makes me smile. Now go find Cumberland Blues by the Grateful Dead

@MacDillaz

good shit

@jbush187

nice

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