When I first heard this I played it continuously for three hours, cleansed myself with tears at each replaying. During the course of a lifetime, you'll have people ask you philosophical questions just so they may judge what kind of person they believe you to be. One of my all-time favorites: " What do you wish to do with your last breath?" I always give the same answer, "Laugh." Most of the time, I get a bewildered look, as if I'm the weird one. "I got this old black leather jacket, I got the pack of Marlboro Reds. I got this stash here in my pocket, I got these thoughts in my own head, the right to run until I've gotta walk or until I've got to crawl. I got this moment that I'm in right now and nothing else at all." Now I don't believe I've ever met Mr. Snider, nor the man he wrote this song about, but it does resemble someone I keep seeing in the mirror. "Play a train song, pour me one more round.Make 'em leave my boots on, on the day they lay me down. I'm a runaway locomotive out of my one track mind, and I'm a-lookin' for any kinda trouble that I can find."
Todd Snyder’s music was introduced to me by a very dear friend was recently deceased. He worked for the rail road for many years. The train song was one of my favorites. I play it now in his memory .
All of the lyrics I have found online are so wrong compared to this live version, which I think is the best... Smokin’ long black cadillac, Engine winding down. He'd park it up on the sidewalk like he owned the whole damn town. I'd hear him talkin' to some chick through a thick ghost of smoke, through a thicker haze of Southern Comfort and coke, Say, Girl you're hotter than the hinges hangin' off the gates of hell. Don't be afraid to turn to me babe if he don't treat you well, and by he he meant me, so I laughed and I shook his hand. He'd laugh a little bit louder as he yelled up at the band… Play a train song. Pour me one more round. Make 'em leave my boots on the day they lay me down. I am a runaway locomotive, outta my one track mind, and I'm lookin' for any kinda trouble that I can find. Got this old black leather jacket, got this pack of Marlboro Reds, got this stash here in my pocket, got these thoughts in my own head, the right to run until I’ve gotta walk, until I’ve gotta crawl. I’ve got this moment that I'm in right now and nothing else at all. Play a train song. Pour me one more round. Make 'em leave my boots on the day they lay me down. I am a runaway locomotive, outta my one track mind. In the television blizzard lights, we looked around his place. Found him cold there on the sofa, a little smile across his face, and though I tried with all of my sadness, somehow I could not just could not weep for a man who looked to me like he died laughin' in his sleep. Singing a train song. Drinkin' one last round. We made 'em leave his boots on on the day that they laid him down. He was a runaway locomotive out of his one track mind. Play a train song Play a train song Play a train…
