In the blues world, a big voice is often accompanied by a big ego (or at le… Read Full Bio ↴In the blues world, a big voice is often accompanied by a big ego (or at least a medium sized one…)
But the Danish singer Thorbjørn Risager, praised for his rough and strong voice by an unanimous choir of critics from a growing number of countries – 15 the last time we counted them - is a soft-spoken gentleman off stage. He is the leader of his seven-piece band mainly for practical reasons – to bring any little issue into a group discussion can be quite time-consuming. He is also composing most of the band’s music, and during the performance he is the obvious center of attention, even if the band has a charming way of passing round the task of introducing the songs between them, so that each musician gets his word in.

And this is a real smooth organization, who has divided all practical tasks such as web master, CD sales on gigs etc beween themselves. Which makes life easier in the midst of their heavy touring schedule. Since the start, they have played in 15 countreis, and only from Feb – Aug 2010 they have concerts booked in 11 European countries.

But the 38-year-old Dane had other plans for his life. He studied to be a school teacher, and worked in this profession for some years, before he decided to let the music take over. He studied at the Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen, a quite unique education where many of the teachers are jazz- or rockmusicians, and where the emphasis is on Rhythmic music of all genres.
In 2003 he started his band, selected musicians he liked both musically and personally, and the fact that up until today only one of them left and was replaced, at an early stage of the band’s career, proves that the choice was excellent.

But of course Thorbjørn’s musical interest started long before this. He played the saxophone from the age of 12, then guitar – but the singing was more of a coincidence at first. He was exposed to the blues through a neighbour, a middle-aged gentleman who was friends with his parents, and who started playing blues records to the young Thorbjørn. That’s how his life-long love story with the blues started, with B B King as his biggest hero. Ray Charles is one of his other obvious influences, but today, with almost 40 recorded songs from his own pen, he has definitely defined his own sound and style.

His mixture of genres is something that is sometimes mentioned by critics, who are looking for something of more homogenity. But this is Thorbjørn’s deliberate choice. To hear a band that plays one shuffle after another, or only jump blues through an entire CD or concert, might please some critics but there’s definitely a risk that the audience will get bored.

And this is why Thorbjørn and his band have created their specific sound by other means, especially his characteristic raunchy voice and the band’s typical sound, with its horns, solo performances and rolling, almost big-band-like grooves. So he weaves threads of soul, gospel, rock, R&B and funk into his music, to create a variety and keep the audience interested, something that the band succeeds with on each single gig.

Last Train
Thorbjørn Risager Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

HEART FULL OF SORROW
MY WORLD'S IN A MESS
MY SOUL'S A MYSTERY Y´ALL
THAT WORDS CAN NOT EXPRESS

SOME SAY IT'S SUNSHINE
SOME SAY IT'S RAIN
RODE UP THE EASY WAY

GOING DOWN ON A MIDNIGHT TRAIN

I FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN
FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN
WAY DOWN THAT RUSTY TRACK
SOMEBODY'S CALLING MED BACK AND I
FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN

I WATCH THE WORLD FROM A ROOFTOP
THE WORLD'S PASSING BY
I BELEIVE I'M READY
TO PASS ON OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE

TEN THOUSAND TEARDROPS
WASH THAT CITY DOWN
I THINK I'M BOUND TO LEAVE HERE
ROLLIN' ON OUT OF TOWN, AND I

I FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN
FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN
WAY DOWN THAT RUSTY TRACK

SOMEBODY'S CALLING MED BACK AND I
FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN

Overall Meaning

The song "Last Train" by Thorbjørn Risager is a reflection on life's challenges and the sense of uncertainty that comes with it. The lyrics express the feeling of being lost, confused, and unsure of what's ahead, as the world passes by. The song starts with the lines, "Heart full of sorrow, my world's in a mess, my soul's a mystery y'all, that words cannot express." These lines suggest that the singer is going through a difficult time in his life and that he cannot express his emotions in words.

The song goes on to contrast the turmoil in the singer's life with the views of those who see things differently. "Some say it's sunshine, some say it's rain," which implies that everyone has a different perspective on life's challenges.

In the chorus, the singer describes feeling like he's "riding on the last train," which could be interpreted as feeling like he's at the end of his rope, or at a crossroads in life. These feelings are further emphasized by the line, "Way down that rusty track, somebody's calling me back." This conveys a sense of uncertainty about which direction the singer's life will go.

Overall, the lyrics of "Last Train" convey a sense of loss and uncertainty in the face of life's challenges, while also hinting at the possibility of new beginnings and a fresh start.

Line by Line Meaning

HEART FULL OF SORROW
My heart is heavy with sadness and grief.

MY WORLD'S IN A MESS
My life is chaotic and troubled.

MY SOUL'S A MYSTERY Y´ALL
The true nature of my soul is unknown to everyone.

THAT WORDS CAN NOT EXPRESS
It is impossible to describe my soul with words alone.

SOME SAY IT'S SUNSHINE
Some people say that life is full of positive experiences.

SOME SAY IT'S RAIN
Others say that life is full of negative experiences.

RODE UP THE EASY WAY
I traveled through life with ease and comfort.

GOING DOWN ON A MIDNIGHT TRAIN
But now, I am experiencing a downward spiral and feel trapped.

I FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN
I feel like I am at the end of my journey and nothing is left for me.

WAY DOWN THAT RUSTY TRACK
I am traveling down a dilapidated and abandoned path.

SOMEBODY'S CALLING MED BACK AND I
Someone or something is beckoning me to turn back.

FEEL LIKE I'M RIDING ON THE LAST TRAIN
I am overwhelmed with a sense of finality and despair.

I WATCH THE WORLD FROM A ROOFTOP
I observe the world from a removed and isolated position.

THE WORLD'S PASSING BY
Life and time are moving forward without me.

I BELEIVE I'M READY
I think that I am prepared to move on to the next phase of existence.

TO PASS ON OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE
To transition into a new life, either physical or spiritual.

TEN THOUSAND TEARDROPS
Countless tears have been shed in this place.

WASH THAT CITY DOWN
The sadness and pain of the city seems to be endless.

I THINK I'M BOUND TO LEAVE HERE
I believe that it is time for me to move on and leave this place behind.

ROLLIN' ON OUT OF TOWN, AND I
I am ready to depart and begin a new journey.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EMIL OLIVER BALSGAARD, HANS NYBO JORGENSEN, JOACHIM SVENSMARK, KASPER MICHAEL WAGNER, MARTIN SEIDELIN SORENSEN, PETER WEIENDORP KEHL, SOREN BOJGAARD, THORBJORN RISAGER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@miket8238

16w

How in the hell did I just learn of these guys? Absolutely amazing music. They just made the list of artists I need to experience live.

@JasonLumbatis

1y↑2

I really dig that super sunny, carefree rhythm strumming that comes out of whoever is playing acoustic guitar on this one. It’s almost like the Monkees or something...or enjoying some gourmet cotton candy in sunny California. To me, it’s real close to Traveling Riverside Blues. It sure is fun to try and strum along and make my humbucker sing a little . Makes me strut around like a rooster and tap my foot and feel just happy to be alive🎶🎶🎶😁🎸💙 ✌🏻