The Break-Up
"Train In Vain" By The Clash Is a Brilliant Break-Up Song
Introduction
The cover image was borrowed from this site
It's now 2023, and this is my first post of 2023, and I decided to pick a first album to play this year and chose "London Calling", the Clash's signature album which is full of incredible songs covering many styles complete with the Elvis Presley influenced typography on the cover of the album.
Compare the Elvis Presley album.
Train In Vain by The Clash
If I remember rightly, this was a hidden track on the original release of the album which I bought for £3.50 from WH Smiths in Liverpool when I worked there for Littlewoods. When I heard it I fell in love with the heartbreak of the lyrics, and this was by a major punk band, although The Clash were always more than punk, yes they were anti-establishment, but pro the ones that the establishment attacked. They were very political and in Joe Strummer and Mick Jones had two second-to-none songwriters and frontmen (though we lost Strummer twenty years ago in 2002, Jones is still with us and producing some amazing music which I will share with you in a Mick Jones feature sometime soon).
First of all, I thought I would share the complete lyrics with you and then go on to talk about them.
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Songwriters: Topper Headon / Mick Jones / Paul Simonon / Joe Strummer
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Say you stand by your man
Tell me something I don't understand
You said you love me and that's a fact
And then you left me, said you felt trapped
Well, some things you can explain away
But my heartache's in me 'til this day
You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way
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All the times when we were close
I'll remember these things the most
I see all my dreams come tumbling down
I can't be happy without you around
So alone I keep the wolves at bay
And there's only one thing that I can say
You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way
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You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me?
Did you stand by me?
No, not at all
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Now I got a job, but it don't pay
I need new clothes, I need somewhere to stay
But without all these things I can do
But without your love, I won't make it through
But you don't understand my point of view
I suppose there's nothing I can do
You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way
You didn't stand by me
No, not at all
You didn't stand by me
No way
💿 📀
You must explain why this must be
Did you lie when you spoke to me?
Did you stand by me?
Did you stand by me?
No, not at all
Did you stand by me?
No way
Did you stand by me?
No, not at all
Did you stand by me?
No way
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This is a song for any break-up, either lovers or friends or both. There is no reason given for the break-up and the party left behind feels cut adrift, not knowing what has happened and trying to move forward but every day they are still in that situation.
I recently read a meme that said "If you want someone to never forget you, wound them" and these lines really hit me when I first heard them in the eighties when a got the album and still ring true today.
You said you love me and that's a fact
And then you left me, said you felt trapped
Well, some things you can explain away
But my heartache's in me 'til this day
Conclusion
This is a stunning song, I sang it live twice, and it comes from an incredible album. Take a couple of minutes to read the lyrics and listen to the song. It may resonate with you as much as it does with me.
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Comments (4)
I hate breakups! Well written!
I've never taken the time to simply see these lyrics written down (I'm very visual) and they make so much of an impact. Lovely write up about a great song :)
I have to say that this song captures the anguish of unrequited love. The repeat of "No, not at all", "no way" demonstrates the way we emotionally revisit the feeling when someone leaves us without warning and for seemingly no reason. We were 100% vested in something we later find wasn't real. This song was masterfully written and thank you for this!
Thanks for the songs, kind of new to me, I will certainly check it out.
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