Reuben's Train
Rag'n'Bone Man Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Reuben had a train and he rode it down the line
Rode it to God knows where
Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my
Rode it to God knows where

You should have been in town
When old Reuben′s train went down
You could hear the whistle blow from miles around
Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my
You could hear the whistle blow from miles around

Reuben down and low, he's got no place to go
He′s been running round them train tracks all his days
Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my
Been running round them train tracks all his days

Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my

So he got himself a blade, laid old Reuben in the shade
Said he's gonna start a graveyard of his own




Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my
He's gonna start a graveyard of his own

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rag'n'Bone Man's song Reuben's Train tell the story of a man named Reuben who rides his train down the line to an unknown destination. The repetition of the phrase "oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my" adds to the somber and mournful tone of the song. The second verse describes a tragic incident where Reuben's train crashes and the whistle can be heard from miles away. The sorrowful lyrics convey a feeling of helplessness and loss.


The third verse reveals that Reuben is now down on his luck and has no place to go. He has been running around the train tracks for all his days, suggesting a life of aimlessness and desperation. The final verse then takes a darker turn as Reuben decides to take matters into his own hands and starts a graveyard of his own. The imagery of Reuben laying in the shade with a blade, ready to start a graveyard, adds a haunting and eerie quality to the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Reuben had a train and he rode it down the line
Reuben had a means of transport and he rode it along the track


Rode it to God knows where
He rode it to an unknown destination


Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my
A phrase to express surprise and concern


You should have been in town When old Reuben′s train went down
You should have been there when Reuben's train crashed


You could hear the whistle blow from miles around
The sound of the train whistle was audible from far away


Reuben down and low, he's got no place to go
Reuben is feeling depressed and hopeless with nowhere to go


He′s been running round them train tracks all his days
He has been spending his days running around the train tracks


So he got himself a blade, laid old Reuben in the shade
He got a sharp object and killed Reuben, then placed him in a hidden spot


Said he's gonna start a graveyard of his own
He said he will create his own cemetery for the deceased


Oh Lordy me, oh Lordy my
A phrase to express surprise and concern




Writer(s): Daniel Robin Priddy, Mark Sterling Crew, Rory Charles Graham

Contributed by Jeremiah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

happyx walouma

Update: just finished listening and omg I literally got chills from it

ntokos gamer

me ti mate και εγω

207 Life

I don’t know how or why but I literally FEEL your voice in the center of my chest. I think it’s where my soul is...wow!

Oche Israel

God... Your vocal is pure, and trust me when I say pure. Ragnbone man you're good... Your music just got me emotional right now. And you know what? When ever I listing to your music I feel alive. Keep up that awesome work.

Deb Banerji

This is outstanding....and what a voice!

Gordinho

show! Som muito bom!

Yunet Torres Diaz

Me encanta, que voz y estilo. Mis felicitaciones, éxitos con este nuevo temazo. Gracias ♥

Antsa Safidy

I guess that’s the angel’s voice who will take me to heaven in a badass way.

Pasja78

Ach, ten głos 🔥

Silvia Cabrera

QUE BUEN TEMA!!! MUY BUENO LOS COROS!!!.
COMO SIEMPRE, CON EXCELENCIA TODO!

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