Old Man and the Land
Railroad Earth Lyrics


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there came a time for the old man
when a place of beauty, a lay of land
spoke out to him, said understand,
you should rest now,
i'm an open hand
and the man said yes!
i'd like the days here
i'd like the nights here
here I will settle me down
i'll spend my days here
the rest of my days here
here I will watch the world go round

there came a time for the old man
when a place of beauty, a lay of land
spoke out to him like a long lost friend
said stay with me now until the end
the man said yes!

I'd like the summers here
i'd like the winters
here I will settle me down
i'll spend my days here
rest of my days here
here I will watch
the world go round

and so they lived
the man and the land
they lived as one
until the end
and the man sang out

I like the days here
I like the nights here
oh! how the world spins around
I like the summers here
I like the winters here
here I will sleep in the ground




here I will sleep in the ground
here I will sleep in the ground

Overall Meaning

Railroad Earth's song Old Man and the Land speaks of the deep connection that can exist between a person and the natural world. The song tells the story of an old man who finds a place of beauty and decides to stay there until the end of his life. The land speaks to him, and he understands that he should rest there, settling down and watching the world go round. The man and the land become one, and he sings of his love for the place and the world around him until he ultimately decides to rest in the ground upon his death.


The lyrics of the song are rich with symbolism and meaning. The land itself can be seen as a metaphor for the cycle of life and death. The old man's decision to stay there until the end speaks to a desire for a sense of permanence in a constantly changing world. His love for the land and the world around him emphasizes the importance of finding a sense of connection and meaning in life.


Railroad Earth's Old Man and the Land is a beautiful, meaningful song about the connection between humanity and the natural world. It speaks to the desire for permanence and the importance of truly appreciating the beauty and cycles of the world around us.


Line by Line Meaning

there came a time for the old man
The story begins with an old man who found something special.


when a place of beauty, a lay of land
The old man discovered a beautiful piece of land.


spoke out to him, said understand,
The land spoke to the old man and asked him to take care of it.


you should rest now,
The land invited the old man to rest in its beauty.


i'm an open hand
The land promised to take care of the old man, just like an open hand.


and the man said yes!
The old man gladly accepted the land's invitation.


i'd like the days here
The old man expressed his desire to spend his remaining days on the land.


i'd like the nights here
The old man appreciated the peaceful nights on the land.


here I will settle me down
The old man decided to make the land his home.


i'll spend my days here
The old man planned to spend the rest of his days on the land.


the rest of my days here
The old man wasn't looking for anything else, just to spend the rest of his days on the land.


here I will watch the world go round
The old man was content to simply observe the world from the land.


when a place of beauty, a lay of land
The beauty of the land continued to inspire the old man.


spoke out to him like a long lost friend
The land had become a close companion to the old man.


said stay with me now until the end
The land extended an invitation for the old man to stay until the end of his life.


and the man said yes!
The old man was happy to agree.


I'd like the summers here
The old man appreciated the warm summers on the land.


i'd like the winters
The old man also enjoyed the cold winters on the land.


here I will sleep in the ground
The old man acknowledged that he would eventually pass away and be buried on the land.


and so they lived
The story concludes with the old man and the land living together.


the man and the land
The relationship between the old man and the land was strong and intimate.


they lived as one
Their lives were intertwined.


until the end
Their bond lasted until the old man's death.


oh! how the world spins around
Even though the old man was gone, the world continued on.


here I will sleep in the ground
The old man rest in the ground where he lived and found peace.




Contributed by Dylan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@asmarrahbedford4290

I’m listening to this while driving through the Highlands of my new home, Scotland ❤️

@markbushnell4019

love these guys...they have saved my faith in REAL, honest, non-ego oriented music.  I've been out of the loop for a while, but these guys are pulling me back in...thank you Railroad Earth

@GaryD9871

Without a doubt, my second favorite song of all time. Behind Louis Armstrong's "What a wonderful world".

@zr24X4ROCKS

remember this back in the day, great times,

@citizenx3365

What a cool jam!

@gregd6361

I love them too

@MrReptilianhumanoid

finally! a band that knows how to play their fucking instruments!

@2bellamama

i know about them

@xtrmn8r1

Weezy on this track?

@tecskate

@highwire51 Ya they are...Its too bad not many people know about them.

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