1) American rockabilly revivalist Robert Gordon (March 29, 1947 – October 18, 2022) grew up in Bethesda, M.D., a suburb of Washington D.C. Unlike many of his heroes, he had a relatively comfortable childhood. At a young age, after hearing Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel, he was inspired to choose R'n'R as his future career path, according to Wikipedia. In the mid-seventies Gordon was a part of the then-flourishing downtown NYC punk scene, fronting the CBGB regulars, Tuff Darts (who appear on an early CBGB live compilation album). After recording one album with the band ("All for the Love of Rock 'n' Roll) he parted ways with the band to work with such artists as Link Wray and Chris Spedding, both of whom share a love for early rock 'n' roll and rockabilly. Bruce Springsteen wrote the song, Fire, for Gordon and played piano on the studio version which also features the guitar-legend Link Wray.
Official site
2) Robert Gordon is a Sheffield-based producer and co-founder of Warp Records. Most of his output is under pseudonyms (including "Track With No Name" as Forgemasters which was Warp's first release), but he has put out a handful of EPs and a full-length under his own name.
Lonesome Train
Robert Gordon Lyrics
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I'm going away, ain't coming back
I'm going somewhere far from my baby
On a lonesome train, on a lonesome track
Lonesome train on a lonesome track
Got all my troubles in one big pack
My baby left me so sad and lonely
On a lonesome train, on a lonesome track
My girl don't love me and that's a fact
No use in living, no use in dying
On a lonesome train, on a lonesome track
Oh, lonesome train, on a lonesome track
I want my baby, I want her back
Don't want to go on forever travelling
On a lonesome train, on a lonesome track
Robert Gordon's song Lonesome Train tells the tale of someone who is leaving on a train, alone and full of troubles. The lyrics express the feeling of heartbreak and despair that the singer is experiencing as he travels far away from his lover. He is consumed by his sadness as he realizes that his baby has left him, and that she does not love him anymore. The lonesome train and track represent his state of mind, as well as the fact that he has nowhere to go and no one to turn to. He is stuck in a cycle of sadness, with no hope of returning to his old life.
The lyrics are simple yet powerful, and they convey the idea of a man that has lost everything he cared about. The repetition of the phrase "lonesome train on a lonesome track" serves to emphasize the loneliness and isolation that the singer is experiencing. The urgency of the lyrics is conveyed through the severity of the emotional pain, as well as the hopelessness of the situation that he finds himself in. Overall, the song is a powerful expression of heartbreak and loss, set against the backdrop of a lonesome train riding through the night.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonesome train on a lonesome track
The train and the track are empty, no one to talk to, no sights to see.
I'm going away, ain't coming back
I'm leaving and never planning to return.
I'm going somewhere far from my baby
I'm going to a place my baby doesn't know and can't follow me to.
Got all my troubles in one big pack
All of my problems, regrets, and worries are weighing me down.
My baby left me so sad and lonely
My significant other deserted me, leaving me heartbroken and isolated.
My girl don't love me and that's a fact
My love interest doesn't have feelings for me, and that's the reality.
No use in living, no use in dying
There's no reason to continue existing or to end my life either because of my loss.
I want my baby, I want her back
I deeply crave my lover and desire their return.
Don't want to go on forever travelling
I don't want to keep wandering aimlessly indefinitely.
On a lonesome train, on a lonesome track
Overall, I am isolated, destitute, and confined to this desolate journey, with no hope in sight.
Contributed by Skyler R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.