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WHY IS IT ONLY EMPTY TRAINS THAT RUN ON TIME?

from The Cagneys Play Pop​-​Punk EP by Jimi Cagney Experience

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about

This blistering number used to open our set and was our obligatory “political” number, expressing disbelief that the policies of Margaret Thatcher (the empty trains as I saw them), being returned at the ballot box (i.e. running on time) while drawing a parallel to Mussolini’s main triumph being that all the trains ran to schedule. Fascists. There’s nothing as smart as a sixth former, eh?

The song was originally written hastily at a party held at the end of a drama course that I attended with fellow band member Clare in 1985 – the same course where I met the girl in YOU & YOURSELF….

I think I just took the seven or so chords in the key of D to work with and the tune just fell into place. The original lyrics were all about the week we’d just had and the song was performed by me and a lad called Dave Sharp (not the Alarm guitarist, sadly). Afterwards, I kept the tune and the chords and re-wrote the lyrics.

lyrics

...EMPTY TRAINS... - lyrics
-----------------------

I saw you reach your goal with your promises of nothing
Promises I must admit you kept
Mouths that preached “reality” and minds that kept on dreaming
Of an empire on which the sun never sets

Oh, I understand how you got here (no-one’s thinking)
I find it all hard to believe


I’ll never know, I’ll never know
Never understand how it is so
The facts seem so illogical to me
I’ll never find no matter how I try
Why’s it only empty trains that run on time?
I guess I’ll never ever believe


You make the best for your kind and make em lots of money
While everybody else has to make do
Your immoral morality brought our cities to their knees
And that’s where you intend to keep us too

Oh, I understand how you got here (no-one’s thinking)…

I’ll never know, I’ll never know…

You favor the strong of the weak and the haves over the have-nots
South over the north a great divide
Rich over poor and white over black
I hate you and that’s the reason why…

Oh, I understand how you got here (no-one’s thinking)…
Take care to hate and hate to care (no-one’s sharing)
Gullible sheep with sight impaired (no-one’s looking)

I’ll never know, I’ll never know…

I guess I’ll never ever believe
I think I’ll never ever believe
I know I’ll never ever believe


 

credits

from The Cagneys Play Pop​-​Punk EP, released June 28, 2015

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Jimi Cagney Experience Montclair, New Jersey

All words, music and instruments written, sung and played by Neal. Apologies for the singing...

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