Love in Vain Blues
Robert Johnson Lyrics


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I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand
And I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand
Well it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, when all your love's in vain
All my love's in vain
When the train rolled up to the station, I looked her in the eye
When the train rolled up to the station, and I looked her in the eye
Well I was lonesome I felt so lonesome, and I could not help but cry
All my love's in vain
The train it left the station, was two lights on behind
When the train it left the station, was two lights on behind
Well the blue light was my blues and the red light was my mind




All my love's in vain
All my love's in vain

Overall Meaning

Robert Johnson's Love In Vain Blues is a melancholic tale of a man who has lost the love of his life. The opening lines, "I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand," show that the man is trying to keep up with his lover, but he is aware that his efforts are in vain. He knows that his love is not reciprocated and is doomed to fail. The repetition of the line, "All my love's in vain," emphasizes his sense of hopelessness and despair.


As the train arrives at the station, the man finally looks his lover in the eye. However, the meeting only serves to make him feel more alone and desperate. The line, "Well I was lonesome I felt so lonesome, and I could not help but cry," expresses the depth of the man’s emotion, and how much he is struggling to move on from his heartbreak.


The final lines of the song, "When the train it left the station, was two lights on behind, Well the blue light was my blues and the red light was my mind," bring the song to a sorrowful close. The blue and red lights symbolize the man's pain, both physical and emotional. The train is leaving, and the man is left with nothing but his memories and his pain.


Overall, Love In Vain Blues is a powerful and emotional song that captures the feeling of heartbreak and the sense of hopelessness that can come with it.


Line by Line Meaning

I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand
I went after her to the train station carrying my suitcase


And I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand
Again, I went after her to the train station carrying my suitcase


Well it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, when all your love's in vain
It's difficult to comprehend when affection and emotions are not reciprocated and are futile


All my love's in vain
All the love I have for her is wasted and unreturned


When the train rolled up to the station, I looked her in the eye
When the train arrived at the station, I stared directly into her eyes


When the train rolled up to the station, and I looked her in the eye
Once again, when the train arrived at the station, I stared directly into her eyes


Well I was lonesome I felt so lonesome, and I could not help but cry
I was alone, felt so alone, and could not stop myself from shedding tears


The train it left the station, was two lights on behind
The train departed the station, and two lights were left visible in the distance


When the train it left the station, was two lights on behind
When the train departed the station, there were two lights visible in the distance


Well the blue light was my blues and the red light was my mind
The blue light symbolized my sadness, and the red light represented my feelings and thoughts


All my love's in vain
All the love I have for her is wasted and unreturned




Writer(s): Walter Trout Copyright: Warner/Chappell Music Denmark A/S

Contributed by Dominic E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@BrianCarnevaleB26

Get over the pain and take back your power! !send her down the road, Son!!

BECAUSE, at there end of the day you really need a woman like you need a "hole in the head!

Take back your power
Take care of your own business
Don't cater to them, don't appease them because, at the end of the day, you are your 'own man!"
Today's woman WILL PLAY YOU LIKE AN OLD FIDDLE! (tell me I am wrong)

Getcha a loyal loving DOG instead!



@user-js6el7vn2r

"Love In Vain"

And I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand
And I followed her to the station
With a suitcase in my hand
Well, it's hard to tell, it's hard to tell
When all your love's in vain
All my love's in vain

When the train rolled up to the station
I looked her in the eye
When the train rolled up to the station
And I looked her in the eye
Well, I was lonesome, I felt so lonesome
And I could not help but cry
All my love's in vain

When the train, it left the station
With two lights on behind
When the train, it left the station
With two lights on behind
Well, the blue light was my blues
And the red light was my mind
All my love's in vain

Ou hou ou ou ou
Hoo, Willie Mae
Oh oh oh oh oh hey
Hoo, Willie Mae
Ou ou ou ou ou ou hee vee oh woe
All my love's in vain



All comments from YouTube:

@larryc3860

for us blues junkies this is one of those "Holy Grail" performances of all time

@davebrokenshire1086

True!

@martinvanburen4578

it seems ok, to be honest, i prefer the rolling stones version which is more bluesy.....this seems almost quaint even though the lyrics are bleak

@larryc3860

@@martinvanburen4578 We all have our favorites, of course.......I think it's important to remember the Blues legends of the 1920's-1940's, including Johnson (R.I.P.), were mostly from rural areas......"Delta" Blues are traditionally simpler ('quaint'), played on acoustic instruments through microphones, not modern electric guitars......also, Rock and Roll and "electric" Blues were years in their future.......thanks for your comment ! ✌

@MisterNatale

The Blues: 20% chords, 80% pure magic soul

@benjaminrobinson5552

It's all in the chords, you're only limited by your imagination.

@cinnamonsinner4619

@@benjaminrobinson5552 well youre both right

@stavrospgr2009

100% black magic produced by the meeting with the devil :)

@jamiecamarillo1995

Beautiful

@simo9272

@SoftserveSodium selling your soul to the devil is just a metaphor grow up y'all

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