EPISODE · Jan 1, 2014 · 4 MIN
There Used To Be A Train
from James Curley Songwriter · host James Curley
Trains have always represented something quintessentially American to me, and as I look out in to the America of 2014, I wonder, worry and wish that we retain some of the values associated with the icon of the train... here are the lyrics, enjoy the song... THERE USED TO BE A TRAIN - James Curley There used to be a train; ran along these tracks / Taking coal down to the mill, bringing empty rail cars back / Headlight in the rain, blew its whistle in the night Rumbled through my dreams and told me everything’s all right There used to be a train; stopped in my hometown // Took my cousin off to war; brought his body back around /// He jumped from planes into the fields of Vietnam But died in New York City with a needle in his arm Rusted rails and rotting ties are all that remain To prove that once upon a time there used to be a train… There used to be a train There used to be a train; every hobo hitched a ride /// From job to job and town to town across the countryside /// Now the fruited plain offers nothing to the poor And honest work for homeless folk has become folklore There used to be a train that would bring the candidates /// Folk from near and far would get to hear the whistle-stop debate ///Nowadays campaigns spin every little thing So we get the kind of government a train would never bring The Roman Empire is no more, and we will fade away / Via Salaria, Great Northern, Sante Fe… There used to be a train far off in the night Bound for the horizon and the early morning light The free and brave would board it with their dreams I hope and pray that old train ain’t runnin’ out of steam
What this episode covers
Trains have always represented something quintessentially American to me, and as I look out in to the America of 2014, I wonder, worry and wish that we retain some of the values associated with the icon of the train... here are the lyrics, enjoy the song... THERE USED TO BE A TRAIN - James Curley There used to be a train; ran along these tracks / Taking coal down to the mill, bringing empty rail cars back / Headlight in the rain, blew its whistle in the night Rumbled through my dreams and told me everything’s all right There used to be a train; stopped in my hometown // Took my cousin off to war; brought his body back around /// He jumped from planes into the fields of Vietnam But died in New York City with a needle in his arm Rusted rails and rotting ties are all that remain To prove that once upon a time there used to be a train… There used to be a train There used to be a train; every hobo hitched a ride /// From job to job and town to town across the countryside /// Now the fruited plain offers nothing to the poor And honest work for homeless folk has become folklore There used to be a train that would bring the candidates /// Folk from near and far would get to hear the whistle-stop debate ///Nowadays campaigns spin every little thing So we get the kind of government a train would never bring The Roman Empire is no more, and we will fade away / Via Salaria, Great Northern, Sante Fe… There used to be a train far off in the night Bound for the horizon and the early morning light The free and brave would board it with their dreams I hope and pray that old train ain’t runnin’ out of steam
NOW PLAYING
There Used To Be A Train
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Apr 19, 2026 ·57m
Apr 12, 2026 ·45m
Apr 5, 2026 ·59m
Mar 29, 2026 ·45m
Mar 22, 2026 ·62m
Mar 15, 2026 ·67m