The The Mannish Boys is a loose coupling of great blues talent. The band c… Read Full Bio ↴The The Mannish Boys is a loose coupling of great blues talent. The band changes without losing the blues thread that brought them together. Their ability to integrate new and different talent makes the blues real each time. Finis Tasby, Johnny Dyer, David "Kid" Ramos, Frank "Paris Slim" Goldwasser, Leon Blue, Tom Leavey, and Richard Innes have all played, and played well, building on each other's strengths. Randy Chortkoff is the guy who sings, plays the harmonica, and leads the blues revue.

Mystery Train
The Mannish Boys Lyrics

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Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Well, that long black train, got my baby and gone

Train, train, comin' round the bend
Train, train, comin' round the bend
Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
No, not again

Train, train, comin' down, down the line
Train, train, comin' down, down the line
Well, it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine, all mine
She's mine, all mine

Train, train, comin' round, round the bend
Round, round the bend
Train, train, comin' round, round the bend
Round, round the bend
Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
Never will again

Whoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-hoo

Overall Meaning

The Mannish Boys's song "Mystery Train" is a blues classic that has been covered by multiple artists over the years. The lyrics are about a man whose baby has been taken away on a train. The first stanza describes the train as being sixteen coaches long and that it has taken the man's baby away. The repetition of the lyrics emphasizes the sadness and finality of the loss. The second stanza talks about how the train is coming back around the bend, but this time it is bringing the man's baby back to him. The tone of the lyrics changes from sorrow to hope, and the man is confident that he will be reunited with his loved one. The final stanza repeats the same lines as the first one, showing the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of loss and recovery.

The lyrics to "Mystery Train" are simple but powerful. They convey a sense of loss and longing, but also hope and resilience. The train serves as a metaphor for the ups and downs of life and the journey that we all must take. The repetition of the lyrics and the haunting melody create a sense of melancholy that is hard to shake off. Overall, "Mystery Train" is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Line by Line Meaning

Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
I am riding a train that is long and consists of sixteen coaches

Train, train, comin' round the bend
A train is approaching and rounding the bend

Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
The train took my loved one but will never take them again

Train, train, comin' down, down the line
Another train is coming down the tracks towards me

Well, it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine, all mine
This train is carrying my loved one and bringing them back to me

Train, train, comin' round, round the bend
Another train is once again approaching and rounding the bend

Well, it took my baby, but it never will again
The previous train took my loved one, but it will never happen again

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HERMAN PARKER JR., SAM PHILLIPS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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