The midnight train is whining low, I'm so lonesome I could cry - Hank Williams - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (1949)
From Irving Berlin's When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam (1912) through to Gladys Knight & the Pips' Midnight Train to Georgia (1973), Journey's Don't Stop Believin' (1981) and Buddy Guy's Midnight Train (1999). taking the midnight train, has symbolized leaving and never going back. Midnight, the end of the day, represents the end, usually the end of a former life or love.
Reasons for leaving, taking the midnight train, have included poverty, lack of opportunities, social isolation, the end of a love affair (leaving to forget), homesickness or possibly the end of life, as in The Doors' 'I'm leavin' town. On a midnight train' - The Changeling (1971).
Taking a late night train as in, The Blue Nile's From a Late Night Train (1989), expresses the same sentiments, 'It's over now'. It also expresses a marked reluctance to leave, 'But I can't let go'. Taking the midnight express shows a greater sense of urgency and the need to get out fast.
Hank Williams is so lonesome that the midnight train holds no hope for him, unlike Journey's lonesome small town girl. Livin' in a lonely world, she took the midnight train and left a dead and dull community for the bright lights of the city.
Journey's 'city boy born and raised in South Detroit', was so desperate to leave, that he was willing to take a midnight train 'goin' anywhere' - Don't Stop Believin' (1981), also willing to roll the dice, hoping his luck would change, was Buddy Guy, 'I did not care where it was gonna go' - Midnight Train (1999).
The need to take the midnight train to Alabama, presumably from New York, in When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam was brought on by isolation (Where many weary nights I sat ), homesickness (Thinking of the folks down home) and poverty (I'm goin' to overfeed my face).
Gladys Knight was taking the midnight train, from Los Angeles, along with her partner because he was unable to make a go of his career, 'L.A. proved too much for the man, he couldn't make it.'
He also didn't like the hectic pace of life in La La Land and yearned for the relative peace of the countryside and a 'simpler place and time'.
From Irving Berlin's When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam (1912) through to Gladys Knight & the Pips' Midnight Train to Georgia (1973), Journey's Don't Stop Believin' (1981) and Buddy Guy's Midnight Train (1999). taking the midnight train, has symbolized leaving and never going back. Midnight, the end of the day, represents the end, usually the end of a former life or love.
Reasons for leaving, taking the midnight train, have included poverty, lack of opportunities, social isolation, the end of a love affair (leaving to forget), homesickness or possibly the end of life, as in The Doors' 'I'm leavin' town. On a midnight train' - The Changeling (1971).
Taking a late night train as in, The Blue Nile's From a Late Night Train (1989), expresses the same sentiments, 'It's over now'. It also expresses a marked reluctance to leave, 'But I can't let go'. Taking the midnight express shows a greater sense of urgency and the need to get out fast.
Hank Williams is so lonesome that the midnight train holds no hope for him, unlike Journey's lonesome small town girl. Livin' in a lonely world, she took the midnight train and left a dead and dull community for the bright lights of the city.
Journey's 'city boy born and raised in South Detroit', was so desperate to leave, that he was willing to take a midnight train 'goin' anywhere' - Don't Stop Believin' (1981), also willing to roll the dice, hoping his luck would change, was Buddy Guy, 'I did not care where it was gonna go' - Midnight Train (1999).
The need to take the midnight train to Alabama, presumably from New York, in When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam was brought on by isolation (Where many weary nights I sat ), homesickness (Thinking of the folks down home) and poverty (I'm goin' to overfeed my face).
Gladys Knight was taking the midnight train, from Los Angeles, along with her partner because he was unable to make a go of his career, 'L.A. proved too much for the man, he couldn't make it.'
He also didn't like the hectic pace of life in La La Land and yearned for the relative peace of the countryside and a 'simpler place and time'.
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Midnight Train to Georgia
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Midnight Train to Georgia
Pop Songs and their Meanings
The Blue Nile
From a Late Night Train
Pop Songs and their Meanings
From a Late Night Train
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Breaking Free from the Ties that Bind
When the weather changes for the worse, when love breaks down or bad news is received, it is often symbolised in pop songs by rain. In a rain lashed town, sometimes there is no reason to stay.
At other times you might be forced to leave. When the rain is falling, your situation can become intolerable. You are unwanted, no longer fit in or become an embarrassment, usually to yourself. All the rainy pavements lead to the station and the midnight train.
You could be facing a double whammy, a lost love and a lost life. The effects of this double whammy are shown in The Blue Nile's From a Late Night Train.
At other times you might be forced to leave. When the rain is falling, your situation can become intolerable. You are unwanted, no longer fit in or become an embarrassment, usually to yourself. All the rainy pavements lead to the station and the midnight train.
You could be facing a double whammy, a lost love and a lost life. The effects of this double whammy are shown in The Blue Nile's From a Late Night Train.
The Blue Nile's Paul Buchanan live at the Electric Picnic Festival (2012)
Journey
Don't Stop Believing
American soft rock band Journey released this track, from their Escape album, as a single in 1981. It became a top ten hit in the USA, Canada and Ireland. Elsewhere it made little impression on the charts. Through its subsequent use in films and TV, it has gained global popularity, being one of the best-selling digital tracks ever, with around six million downloads.
Don't Stop Believing
American soft rock band Journey released this track, from their Escape album, as a single in 1981. It became a top ten hit in the USA, Canada and Ireland. Elsewhere it made little impression on the charts. Through its subsequent use in films and TV, it has gained global popularity, being one of the best-selling digital tracks ever, with around six million downloads.
A Midnight Train Goin' Anywhere
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world, She took the midnight train, goin' anywhere
Journey get a little confused here, anyone who has ever lived in a small town or a village will know they are far from being lonely worlds. They are places where everyone knows your name, even if you don't want them to know your name. It is the cold heart of the city that is the loneliest of places, where no one knows your name.
If they mean that she is lonely because she hasn't found a suitable partner, getting on a midnight night train going anywhere is not a good idea. She might end up in Remotesville, Arizona with a population of 7 inhabitants comprised of three ineligible octogenarians, a horse, two cows and a chicken.
Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train, goin' anywhere
The city boy, rolling the dice on the midnight train, was either keen to find better opportunities, a quieter pace of life or a place where everyone knows your name, rather than being lost and unseen in the forest of the city. Either that or his unstated personal situation was so bad he just had to leave Detroit.
No South Detroit? - Living in a Parallel World
Journey's Steve Perry got even more confused, than the small town girl, when he told a New York newspaper that there was no South Detroit. It was purely fictitious. In his confused state he was seemingly ignorant of the fact that all towns have north, south, east and west sides, including Detroit.
No South Detroit, this came a shock to those living in South Detroit who might have entertained thoughts they were living in a parallel universe. Most, however succumbed to the idea that Steve Perry was living in a parallel world.
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world, She took the midnight train, goin' anywhere
Journey get a little confused here, anyone who has ever lived in a small town or a village will know they are far from being lonely worlds. They are places where everyone knows your name, even if you don't want them to know your name. It is the cold heart of the city that is the loneliest of places, where no one knows your name.
If they mean that she is lonely because she hasn't found a suitable partner, getting on a midnight night train going anywhere is not a good idea. She might end up in Remotesville, Arizona with a population of 7 inhabitants comprised of three ineligible octogenarians, a horse, two cows and a chicken.
Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train, goin' anywhere
The city boy, rolling the dice on the midnight train, was either keen to find better opportunities, a quieter pace of life or a place where everyone knows your name, rather than being lost and unseen in the forest of the city. Either that or his unstated personal situation was so bad he just had to leave Detroit.
No South Detroit? - Living in a Parallel World
Journey's Steve Perry got even more confused, than the small town girl, when he told a New York newspaper that there was no South Detroit. It was purely fictitious. In his confused state he was seemingly ignorant of the fact that all towns have north, south, east and west sides, including Detroit.
No South Detroit, this came a shock to those living in South Detroit who might have entertained thoughts they were living in a parallel universe. Most, however succumbed to the idea that Steve Perry was living in a parallel world.
The Changeling - Pop Songs and their Meanings
I had money, and I had none, I had money, and I had none. But I never been so broke
That I couldn't leave town - The Changeling
In the The Changeling life has become so bad, that Jim Morrison & The Doors are thinking of leaving town. They're too broke to be leaving town by the sort of trains that turn up at the local station, and are hinting at taking the final train, Yeah, I'm leavin' town, On a midnight train.
Some months after penning The Changeling Morrison's premature death, at the age of 27 prompted rumours that he actually took the midnight train. However, Morrison's death in Paris in July 1971, through a heroin overdose, given the surrounding circumstances and evidence, was believed to be unintentional.
I had money, and I had none, I had money, and I had none. But I never been so broke
That I couldn't leave town - The Changeling
In the The Changeling life has become so bad, that Jim Morrison & The Doors are thinking of leaving town. They're too broke to be leaving town by the sort of trains that turn up at the local station, and are hinting at taking the final train, Yeah, I'm leavin' town, On a midnight train.
Some months after penning The Changeling Morrison's premature death, at the age of 27 prompted rumours that he actually took the midnight train. However, Morrison's death in Paris in July 1971, through a heroin overdose, given the surrounding circumstances and evidence, was believed to be unintentional.
Buddy Guy
Midnight Train
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Midnight Train
Pop Songs and their Meanings
I got some Bad News - I'm Looking for Good News and I sure won't find it here
After receiving some terrible news, Buddy Guy was so intent on finding good news, that he even took out the paper and scanned the pages for good-news stories. He was also desperate to leave. But, no matter how desperate you are to leave, sometimes there is no quick way out. The ticket man at the station, told a disbelieving Buddy Guy, there ain't no midnight train.
After receiving some terrible news, Buddy Guy was so intent on finding good news, that he even took out the paper and scanned the pages for good-news stories. He was also desperate to leave. But, no matter how desperate you are to leave, sometimes there is no quick way out. The ticket man at the station, told a disbelieving Buddy Guy, there ain't no midnight train.
Kid Rock
Midnight Trains & Ferries
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Kid Rock was continously boarding any form of midnight transport. He had a problem seeing any day through. By the end of the day, he had seen enough and wanted to get out. Here he takes the slowest form of transport from South Detroit, a midnight ferry. Not in a hurry, choosing a ferry over an express train, things couldn't have been that bad.
A recurring theme, reprised here, is that South Detroit is a bad place to be. You should get out quick. However, if you can't get an airplane or a fast train, leaving at a leisurely pace on the ferry is better than nothing.
Midnight Trains & Ferries
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Kid Rock was continously boarding any form of midnight transport. He had a problem seeing any day through. By the end of the day, he had seen enough and wanted to get out. Here he takes the slowest form of transport from South Detroit, a midnight ferry. Not in a hurry, choosing a ferry over an express train, things couldn't have been that bad.
A recurring theme, reprised here, is that South Detroit is a bad place to be. You should get out quick. However, if you can't get an airplane or a fast train, leaving at a leisurely pace on the ferry is better than nothing.
Irving Berlin
When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam
Pop Songs and their Meanings
When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Half-Starved in Dreary New York - I had to get out
Irving Berlin was tired of sitting alone, half-starved, in a dreary New York flat. He was set upon handing back the keys to the landlord and taking the midnight choo choo.
Irving Berlin was tired of sitting alone, half-starved, in a dreary New York flat. He was set upon handing back the keys to the landlord and taking the midnight choo choo.
Hank Williams
Did you ever see a robin weep or hear the midnight train whining low?
I'm So Lonesome I could Cry
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Did you ever see a robin weep or hear the midnight train whining low?
I'm So Lonesome I could Cry
Pop Songs and their Meanings
Lonely as a whippoorwill, Hank Williams can't take the midnight train.