Night Train
Steve Winwood Lyrics

Out of the night burning with light
The song starts with the singer describing the night as a bright and fiery thing.

Train shining black, I won't look back, life is running
The singer is on a fast-moving train, the color of which he describes as black, and he doesn't want to look back because he feels like life is passing him by.

Hoping someday someone will say, I got it made
The singer wants to feel successful someday, and wants someone to confirm that he has achieved it.

Pull up the shade, let the sun in
The artist wants to open up the curtains and let some light and positivity into his life.

Down on the night train, I feel the starlight steal away
The artist is on a train at night, and feels like he is losing time as the stars fade out of sight.

Use up a lifetime looking for the break of day
The singer has spent his life trying to find happiness or success, but hasn't been able to achieve it (the break of day).

Border patrol looking through me
The singer is passing through a border, or some other place where he is being scrutinized heavily, and he feels like he's being seen through.

And towns without names all look the same, I hear crying
The artist is traveling through a lot of small, indistinct towns or cities, and feels overwhelmed by the sadness in the world.

Paris to Spain, countries in pain
The artist is traveling through Europe, and he sees a lot of suffering and hardship in different countries.

Caught up in flight, feel the sight, Europe dying
The artist feels like he's witnessing the end of something as he travels through Europe, like the old ways of life and culture are dying out.

Rolling on, hear the wheels singing, fever keeps coming on so strong
The singer is entranced by the motion of the train, and he feels like he's experiencing a fever or intense emotion.

My ticket paid, trying to fade
The artist has already paid for his ticket, and is trying to let go of his worries and stresses.

I hope I get there, not just somewhere I was leaving
The singer hopes to achieve something important or meaningful with his travels, rather than just running away from his problems.

Out in the dark all the wolves bark
The singer feels like he's alone and vulnerable, with danger lurking around him (the wolves).

And I close my arms, try to keep warm by believing
The singer is trying to comfort himself and keep himself warm by believing in something greater than himself.

Hard rain holdin' on, cold wheels movin' on
The artist is weathering a lot of hardships, but he keeps moving forward.

Everybody, they're so alone down on the night train
The artist sees other people on the train, and he feels like they're all alone and struggling.

Night train
The singer repeats the title of the song to emphasize the sense of traveling through the night and all its accompanying emotions.