Long Train Runnin'

Album: The Captain And Me (1973)
Charted: 7 8
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  • Down around the corner
    Half a mile from here
    You see them long trains runnin'
    And you watch them disappear

    Without love
    Where would you be now?
    Without love

    You know I saw Miss Lucy
    Down along the tracks
    She lost her home and her family
    And she won't be coming back

    Without love
    Where would you be right now?
    Without love

    Well, the Illinois central
    And the Southern Central Freight
    Got to keep on pushin', mama
    You know they're runnin' late

    Without love
    Where would you be now-na-na-now?
    Without love

    Well, the Illinois Central
    And the Southern Central Freight
    Got to keep on pushin' mama
    'Cause you know they're runnin' late

    Without love
    Where would you be now?
    Without love

    Well, pistons keep on churnin'
    And the wheels go 'round and 'round
    And the steel rails are cold and hard
    On the mountains they go down

    Without love
    Where would you be right now?
    Without love
    Ooh, where would you be now?

    Mmm, got to get you, baby, baby, won't you move it down?
    Won't you move it down?
    Baby, baby, baby, baby, won't you move it down?
    When the big train run
    When the train is movin' on
    I got to keep on movin'
    Keep on movin'
    Won't you keep on movin'?
    Gonna keep on movin' Writer/s: Tom Johnston
    Publisher: Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

  • Robin from MontanaKawa from Tokyo, Japan I just read the explanation of the lyrics by the writer of the song. Not where it came from at all but it was a good guess.
  • Kawa from Tokyo, JapanHi Music fans, I think the idea of this song came from the song 'I'm A Man' written by Steve Winwood and played by the Spencer Davis Group in 1967. I think that they wrote this song by hearing the Chicago' cover version in 1970. Also I think that the lyrics of the song came from the song 'Midnight Train To Georgia' in 1973. Then the band finished writing, recorded and released in the same year, 1973 ! The rest is history. Don't you know how many times you hear the words 'Train' on that song ?
  • Birdman_euston from London, UkAbout the Doobies ripping off Bachman-Turner Overdrive's guitar riff from "Let It Ride": The Doobies' side of the story is that after one of their gigs, BTO came backstage to learn the technique from them! NB "The Captain and Me'' was released nine months before "Bachman-Turner Overdrive II''.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 23rd 1987, the original members of the Doobie Brothers reunite for a Vietnam Veterans benefit at the Hollywood Bowl in LA...
    And exactly fourteen years earlier on May 23rd, 1973 the band's "Long Train Runnin'" was at #30 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; on June 24th, 1973 the song would peak at #8 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 18 weeks...
    It would also peak at #8 on the Canadian RPM Singles chart...
    Between 1972 and 1989 the group had twenty-seven Top 100 records; five made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, "Black Water" for one week in 1975 and "What a Fool Believes" for one week in 1979...
    They just missed having seven Top 10 records when "Listen to the Music" and "Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me)" both peaked at #11.
  • Jeff from Kingston, TnIn 1994 I seen Hootie and the Blowfish cover this while on the cracked rear view tour. Darius Rucker didn't take the lead vocal. Lead guitarist MarkBryan took lead vocals. I have seen them three times in concert which every concert has resulted in cover songs.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 15th 1973, "Long Train Runnin'" by the Doobie Brothers entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 at position #84; and on June 24th it peaked at #8 (for 1 week) and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100...
    It was the group's first Top 10 record...
    And personally, the Doobie Brothers are a perfect example of why the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame is a joke!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1979 Tom Johnston charted as a solo artist, his "Savannah Night" peaked at #34 and stayed in the Top 100 for 12 weeks...
  • Esskayess from Dallas, TxBy far my favorite DB song. LOVE the guitar and percussion.
  • Camille from Toronto, OhMarch 2010-this song must have only recently been put on Songfacts; I looked for it here not long ago and didn't find it-probably why not many comments yet. This song seemed average to me for a long time until last year my trumpet-playing teenage son joined the STEUBENVILLE BIG RED HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND and "LONG TRAIN RUNNIN'" is one of their signature tunes. It is on their songlist every year and the band ROCKS OUT with it. HIGH ENERGY. A true crowd-pleaser. Now I love to hear the song on the radio, love the guitar riff, the bass guitar, and the lovely wailing at the end "Wheeeerre would you be now?"
  • Ani from Yerevan, ArmeniaCan't believe there's no comment yet// Anyway, a very nice story!! Nice and lovely song. I also like very much "dark eyed cajun woman" from "the captain and me"! :)
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