PG Music Home Forums General Discussion User Showcase Steam Train

Here's a track from me.
It's called STEAM TRAIN

Ukulele, vocals, and not much else. Well, actually there's a few things
Notice the cinematic finale

SOUNDCLOUD LINK:
STEAM TRAIN

LYRICS:

STEAM TRAIN
Run through the fields, run through the sands
run through the woods of distant lands
Run with the dreams of a little child
and take with you this deep breath of mine
Run to the East, run to the West
run with the heartbeat inside my chest
Run for the hope of a brand new day
Run for the blood inside my veins

Run, old steam train
Run for us, like there's no other way
Keep running for us, like we don't live in vain
And run for me, my old steam train

Run for the voices that nobody heard
take away all these things strange and absurd
Run through the mountains and over the rivers
take with you our letters and then bring us shivers
Run for the hope of a brand new day
Your fuel is the blood running in our veins
Run to the end to a place I'll never see
and when you reach the ocean
say a prayer for me

Run, old steam train
Run for us, like there's no other way
Keep running for us, like we don't live in vain
Run for me, my old steam train

Run for the hope of a brand new day
Your fuel is the blood running in my veins
Run to the end to a place I'll never see
and when you reach the ocean
say a prayer for me

Run, old steam train
Run for us, like there's no other way
Keep running for us, like we never lived in vain
Run for me, my old steam train

I really love the ukulele in this song! You have a very distinct sound that I quite enjoy. When you make a song I can always tell that it's yours, and you write so creatively.

Keep up the fantastic work.

This is one of the more interesting songs I've listened to in a while. I really enjoy how you fluidly weave the various elements in and out so effortlessly. The creative magic behind this is terrific. And yes, the cinematic ending was a real nice outro.

Love this a lot!

Alan

Very cool tune Jon. I also love the ukulele in this. Super vocal and lyric. Backtrack was super

Mr. Thomas...

Your song, "Steam Train", stirred up some creatively conflicting feelings/impressions/moods within me, which is exciting! A little ambiguity is like a match struck in darkness: you never know what it will ignite!

The rhythm has a "Footloose" kind of urgency, but the lyrics seem dark. Frankly, through the lyrics, I imagined the subject of the song was dying while his mind was cycling exuberantly through memories of the past and his hopes for the future.

Regardless, the feel of the song certainly advances the image/idea of a steam engine gaining speed as it accelerates in an unfettered way toward some point: an end, a beginning, or, a...?

Musically, the song is majestically produced in that the music is alive with drama, energy and purpose. Your "cinematic ending" packs a lot of feeling with its strings and horns signalling the approach of a dawn horizon, or maybe a dying sunset. Which style, MIDI or Real Tracks did you use?

I believe there's more than meets the ear in "Steam Train"!

Mystically inspired,

LOREN

Thank you Loren (and everybody else of course) for the kind words.
Loren, your comment is a song in itself :-)
Wonderful.
You made think about my own song :-)

You know, being a non-native speaker (although I am pretty fluent in English) I'm always concerned about what my songs actually convey to the listener. I don't know exactly how words "feel" to an English mother tongue. I just don't know. I'm always concerned about that, cause I don't have full control of it, no matter how fluent I am.
But then again, this is true for everything we do and say, even in our own language.
The subjective interepretation of songs (and everything else, really) is, by definition, subjective.
Songs belong to the listeners.
And that's really a magic thing.
So, it was wonderfully surprising to read how different is your interpretation of the song (and the feelings that it conveyed to you) from my own.

So, if you're interested, when I wrote this song I thought that steam trains could be a metaphor for history. History as it happens, history that sometimes goes where we want it to go, and sometimes it doesn't. History that keeps going, keeps running, over and with everybody and everything. History that sometimes seem pretedermined by the powerful (as if it was running on "tracks" that we don't control) but, in the end, it always feeds on the "blood", on the "will" of the powerless, whom are never truly really powerless. History that, nonetheless, does give us meaning - or, at least, we try to (and have to) find meaning and purpose in it, because that's what can give us some sense of "not living in vain", in the end. Even though maybe, just maybe, it's really just a running train and we are mere passengers. We just don't know. But we better live like this wasn't the case.
And the "cinematic finale" is mostly an expression of hope. Hope that, in the end, history will take us in a good place - that we will take ourselves in a good place.

But, again, songs belong to the listeners. I truly believe it. My own reading of my own song it's just that, just a reading. It's not the "true" meaning. Songs have a life of their own, independent from the writer.

Finally, to answer your question about the finale, I used no BIAB in this song. The finale is just a bunch of tracks with several midi strings parts played individually with a midi keyboard, and then edited of course (violins, basses, horns, cellos and violas, if I remember correctly, but I can be more precise if you want).

Thank you again!

Thanks for the wonderful journey. Best ride I've had that I haven't paid for.
Rob

Wow, I really really enjoyed this! It reminds me of a slightly more poppy, stripped down version of Arcade Fire. I really liked how delicate the ukulele is in this - and matched with that pulsing drum beat, it just has a pleasant and easy-on-the-ears groove that instantly had my foot tapping. It has a sense of wonder and nostalgia to it that I can't explain. Also, when the piano came in, it really takes it to the next level.

Brilliant song; you did an amazing job. You should be proud of this! Thanks for sharing

Jon

Inventive work with a nice mix of instruments and a good build up.
Really nice work.

Peter

I really like the arrangement, very simple song but really brought to alive by introducing new instruments at the right moments. Magical.

Janne

Dear "Jon Thomas":

As you stated, "Songs belong to the listeners" and "songs have a life of their own, independent from the writer." I agree with you, fully.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the way you expounded on the theme of history as the engine that powered your lyrics. It adds a great deal of ideological subtext to your song, which is rare in songwriting, in my opinion, at least.

After decades of listening to Don McClean's "Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie", I still cannot figure out precisely what the song is "about", but that's what continues to make it such a compelling listening experience, so, you're in good company, sir!

LOREN

This is EXCELLENT!!! The musical feel is infectious, the lyrics are intriguing, and the vocal could not be better (although I might add a little verb). Beautiful build in the arrangement. GREAT STUFF!!! Come back soon! Take care. Greg

Jon Thomas,



I found this musical journey incredible. The way that you've been able to control and develop mood and motion is truly outstanding. Your writing and your arranging are in a class of their own and I mean that as one of the best compliments that I can think of sitting here at 1:50 am in Melbourne.

I agree with Loren when he says...


What an ending!

It seems that your musical skills are fast becoming legendary on here.

I really, really enjoyed listening to this.

Regards,
Noel

Having come from years of bluegrass music bands we performed many train songs. It's nice to hear a new one! And particularly one that is metaphorical regarding the train.

The arrangement and backing well supports your engaging vocal performance and the lyric.

Well done!

J&B

EDIT: Hey, we're back for another listen and Janice wanted to mention how much she liked your vocal.

Love this Jon.

Gorgeous lyrics, just sublime. Excellent music, melody and internal harmonics.

Love the arrangement and delivery. Gave me goose bumps.

Well done.

Pretty much perfection.

What an absolutely excellent production.

This speaks volumes all the way through. You've created a complex and meaningful song from simplicity itself.

This is spectacular. Nothing less.

What can I say, THANK YOU guys.
You are WAY too generous.
I'm thinking about releasing a sort of digital album with my "ukulele songs". I have a bunch (a lot, something like 40 or so to chose from). I've been procrastinating this for many years now. I've been really uncertain about whether these songs have any merit. Your kind words make me think that maybe I should finally do it. I guess I should post a few more songs here to see your reaction ... so far so good I guess :-)
Not all of them feature BIAB though, but many do. Maybe I'll post the ones that do.
Thanks again
J.

Love the music and the lyrical concept comparing a Steam Train to history. Really nice to listen to. Great Job!!

Jon,

An excellent listen. Grabs you from the beginning and never lets go.

Excellent mix. Beautiful vocal - really well recorded (and processed).

Nice arrangement. The "little touches" are well placed (and paced) throughout. All the parts are nicely played. Especially like the piano...

Quality music.

floyd

Cool tume. The light accompaniment of the drums and mandolin really alows the vocals to shine.