Long Black Train

 

About every forty years or so a good song called “Long Black Train” comes along. The next one is due about 2043, so I guess my grandchildren will have to enjoy the next one.

 

 

 

Long Black Train

 

In 1960, when Conway Twitty was still in the Rock phase of his singing career trying to sound and look as much as possible like Elvis Presley, he wrote and released a song called “Long Black Train” which had shades of country, shades of bluegrass, but was primarily Rockabilly with some parts sounding a lot like Elvis. I always liked the song because of all the above traits. It wasn’t too long after that when Conway went into his 100% country mode.

 

 

Conway.s hair is cut similar to Elvis Presley’s in the album picture. If you listen to the song you’ll hear a little Elvis in the singing.

 

 

Forty three years later in 2003, Josh Turner also wrote and released a song called “Long Black Train” The song was pure country and sung in that deep rich base voice of Josh. I loved this song better than the Conway song as it delivers a strong message to young people to be very careful about the direction they take their lives now if they want a happy life in the future. It is rare when both the music and the lyrics to a song are outstanding.

 

 

A good looking young man with an outstanding song and lyrics.

 

 

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Here are the lyrics to the Long Black Train

 

“There’s a long black train comin’ down the line,
Feeding off the souls that are lost and cryin’.
Rails of sin, only evil remains.
Watch out, brother, for that long black train.

 

Look to the heaven’s, you can look to the sky.
You can find redemption staring back into your eyes.
There is protection and there’s peace the same:
Burnin’ your ticket for that long black train.

 

‘Cause there’s victory in the Lord, I say.
Victory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don’t go ridin’ on that long black train.

 

There’s an engineer on that long black train,
Makin’ you wonder if the ride is worth the pain.
He’s just a-waitin’ on your heart to say:
“Let me ride on that long black train.”

 

But you know there’s victory in the Lord, I say.
Victory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don’t go ridin’ on that long black train.

 

Well, I can hear the whistle from a mile away.
It sounds so good but I must stay away.
That train is a beauty makin’ everybody stare,
But it’s only destination is the middle of nowhere.

 

But you know there’s victory in the Lord, I say.
Victory in the Lord.
Cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don’t go ridin’ on that long black train.

 

I said cling to the Father and his Holy name,
And don’t go ridin’ on that long black train.

Yeah, watch out brother for that long black train.
That devil’s drivin’ that long black train.”

 

 

 

Thanks for reading Long Black Train,

Bill