Story Behind The Song
This song was written during a very irritating period of my life in 2001. We had ill advisedly agreed to finance a CD for someone who turned out to be the biggest pain in the butt EVER. During the whole process - recording, mixing mastering and subsequent promotions efforts - it seemed that we would make a little progress, and then a huge issue would come up and we were sliding back again, real fast.
Tony Quarrington came up with some really great ideas to spruce it up and change it from a rather boring blues to a really great train song, with lots of fabulous instrumentation.
Song Description
This about how it seems that you make some progress, then theres' a problem and you lose ground. It seems one is always losing ground more rapidly than gaining.
| Song Length |
5:16 |
Genre |
Blues - General, Blues - Traditional |
| Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
| Mood |
Passive |
Subject |
Life |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
Chorus
My life is like a freight train, on a very hilly track
It's movin' slowly forward, then it's rollin' quickly back
My life is like a freight train, on a very hilly track It's movin' slowly forward, then it's rollin' quickly back __________________________
4 bars ______________________________________
Verse 1
The engine it needs dampin', then it's run- nin' out of coal
The boxcars are all empty, then they are too doggone full
The train it gets to shunting then it's
movin' down the line
First I get my signals crossed, then communications' fine
__________________________
4 bars ______________________________________
Verse 2
I hear the whistle blowing - we are com- ing to a stop
Then we're speedin' up again, I really have to hop
The train is movin' faster now, just listen to it huff
But then there is a rockslide and the goin' gets real rough
---16-bar solo---
Verse 3
My mama used to tell me "You know, kid, you'll never win"
"You make some plans and then the Lord, he puts you in a spin"
"You gotta learn to ride them rails, and hang on every day"
She said "when things get bumpy, you gotta learn to pray"
Chorus
My life is like a freight train, on a very hilly track
It's movin' slowly forward, then it's rollin' quickly back
My life is like a freight train, on a very hilly track
It's movin' slowly forward, then it's rollin' quickly back
it's rollin' quickly back it's rollin' quickly back