https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 22:41:13 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-367763 Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:34:37 +0000
Good start :D Strong images and concrete details.....nice job :wink:

Suggestion:

The last verse doesn't seem to match up with the previous verses as there is no reference to trains.

Also, this is my ignorance coming through, I would assume that the "engineer" would have to "keep it together" or "keep up appearances" to keep a job.....not saying that they couldn't be an alcoholic, but if the engineer was losing everything to drink, it seems like the job would be hard to keep up....for me it makes the singer less "believable" but again it could be my ignorance of the "train world".....my only two references are "Thomas the Tank Engine"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Tank_Engine
and "Unstoppable" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unstoppable_%282010_film%29 :roll:

Thanks for sharing.

James]]> Sunday Songwriters Group jamestoffee https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-367763 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-367696 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:47:24 +0000 Peter, looking at this with fresh eyes this morning, I think you're right; the second verse should be the first. And Chris, I also think a third verse is in order, although I think I'll leave the farting references to the guys on the forum. This whole thing may get re-written into somthing else.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group katreich https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-367696 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-367693 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:42:41 +0000
As usual from you, a tight and well constructed set of lyrics. I was a bit puzzled by "railroaded" but that may be because I'm Australian. To me, it means something along the lines (excuse the pun...) of "hustled rapidly in a direction that somebody didn't necessarily choose for themselves". Whereas the guy in the song seemed to be just slowly sinking yet again into a familiar and self-induced quagmire of self pity.

I actually liked "plausible replacement" with "basement" but I agreed with Peter that the second verse had more story potential than the first. The problem with dedicated drunks (and regular stoners in general) is that, in real life, they tend to be among the most tedious people on the planet. I guess that another bar bore staring at the clock yet still failing to notice the hands moving is OK as a quick scene setter, but there's not much ongoing narrative interest in it . I think I would have burst through the doors and shot him by the second verse (or put in a couple of fart jokes? :wink: ), just to give him something to sing about in a third one.

If he's "spent a thousand night-times with twenty dollar whores" he must be pretty old. Unless I'm simply showing my genuine ignorance of the hooker/client price structure, whores that cheap make him sound like he's a Civil War veteran. So surely he must have something more intriguing to relate than a bit of domestic drudgery and some very old slappers? Unless he's the guy in the tale who when asked what he was drinking to forget, replied "I forget..."

Maybe it's really a three verse story that's still missing the ending?

Cheers,

Chris]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Chris C https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-367693 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-41468 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 06:25:20 +0000 07/01/11
As I thought, I sat down to work on this and it turned into something else completely. Blind Kiwi put a bug in my ear about "Cray Heart" and it ran from there.

Train to Nowhere

I thought I'd like to travel, when I was just a lad
But I always had to scramble for everything I had
I've washed a million dishes, I've swept a million floors
And spent a too many nighttimes with twenty dollar whores
Chasing fame and fortune like some elusive souvenir
Riding the train to nowhere and I'm the engineer.

So open up the throttle,
There's no stepping on the brake
There's no use in denying
I've paid for my mistakes.
And though I've tried to take the pledge
I'm still off running blind
Can't find a way to flip the switch
Off this one track mind.

I used to have a family, I used to have a home
Before the bottle got me, and fed this urge to roam
I walked out on my children, I walked out on my wife
To chase this cruel mistress, I've given up my life
From the penthouse to the gutter, how I got here isn't clear
Riding the train to nowhere, and I'm the engineer.
chorus

Bridge:
I've fallen down all those twelve steps
Looking for that bottle in the basement
some day I'll find my self again
Or a suitable replacement
Chorus

Last night I played for tips and dinner, in some bowling alley lounge
Then I bought myself a bottle, with what change that I could scrounge
Woke up lying in the bathroom, arms wrapped tight around the bowl
And prayed to god right there and then to take my wretched soul
I won't lie, I want to die, I'm tired of being here
On this runaway train to nowhere, and I'm the engineer.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group katreich https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/week-35-train-to-nowhere-edited/#post-41468