Waiting For a Train - Jimmy Rodgers

 

Waiting For a Train

“Waiting for a train” sounds to be a very somber song. It starts with a single trumpet playing with what I believe to be a mute to create the jazz-like sound that helps create the somber feel. There are only two paragraphs of lyrics but those two paragraphs evoke the same idea of the fact that this person has nothing and nowhere to go, but still is waiting for a train. The idea is that if they can’t figure out what or where to go, the only thing to do is wait for a train. To keep the hope alive that there is something on the end of that train ride to create a reason to keep going. The music and lyrics have the same relationship meaning that when the instrumental is repeated, the lyrics repeat as well. The recorded version also has a slight noise, an old-timey hum from what I think is just bad recording quality since this song is quite old. However, it helps show that this is an old song. As far as instruments breaking from their traditional roles, I think the trumpet fits into that category. I do not believe this fits jazz, however, the trumpet is played with a mute as if it was a jazz song. This song does remind me of my favorite artist, willie nelson as it happens to be like country. Overall, I believe this is a very simple but meaningful song.