I woke up with the song ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ in my head. I have no idea where it came from. And you gotta love Limewire cause as soon as I got to work (late cause I was out last night) I downloaded it and I am listening to it right now. And not only did I just download the song, I downloaded versions from 4 different artists, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Night and the Pips, and Ani Difranco and the Indigo Girls. It might be just the hangover talking but what a fucking song, the lyrics are the bomb and the music is solid. Those dudes in the background givin props to all the lyrics, it just blows my mind man.
I see the song as being about a guy who went to LA trying to make it in show biz, but he could not cut it so he gives up heads back home. His woman is singing about it, and this could so easily be about a man who quit the dream, or did not have what it takes to make it in the big world. But rather in the first line of the song, just the way she says ‘the man’ already solidifies that this guy is leaving but he is not running scared or anything. She does not sing about how she feels deserted by him or let down by the fact that he gave up, but rather she is ready to follow him to a place that is not hers at all, just to be with her man. Even though she sings about how he pawned his shit and sold his car, she still makes the man seem strong and proud. You just gotta listen to the tune to feel it so here are links to all 4 of the versions.
Ani Difranco & The Indigo Girls
Al Green (but not really Al Green)
Aretha Franklin (I suspect its Gladys Night)
The Ani Difranco version is more like a ballad, folk version of the song, although the Indogo Girls do add a soulfull element to it. Her acoustic guitar is awesome of course and it does make the song a bit more sentimental. It turns out the Al Green version is actually some chick singing acapella, and I don’t really like that version much. I think this song is meant to be sung by a woman so I guess it is better that there is no Al Green version. Both the Aretha Franklin and Gladys Night versions are awesome, although I think they are both Gladys Night. But the one tagged Aretha is better. The Pips crooning in back ground are just off the hook. Sometimes its like they are even mocking the poor guy. It’s not often you hear a female singer with male backup singers. The lyrics available online don’t include the lines the Pips say so I am adding them in below. It is just too wikid to disregard. I can just picture those cats wearing sharp shiny suits adding in on her lines. So go ahead and sing along!
L.A. proved too much for the man,(too much for the man, he couldn’t make it)
So he's leavin' the life he's come to know, (he said he’s goin’)
He said he's goin' back to find (goin’ back to find)
Ooh, what's left of his world,
The world he left behind
Not so long ago.
He's leaving, (leavin’)
On that midnight train to Georgia, (leavin’ on the midnight train)
Said he's goin' back (goin’ back to find)
To a simpler place and time. (whenever he takes that ride, guess who’s gonna be right by his side)
And I'll be with him (I know you will)
On that midnight train to Georgia, (leavin on that midnight traaaaaiiiin to Georgiaaaaa Wooohooo)
I'd rather live in his world (live in his world)
Than live without him in mine. (world, world, is his, his and hers alone)
He kept dreamin' (dreamin’)
That someday he'd be a star. (a sooper star, but he didn’t get far)
But he sure found out the hard way
That dreams don't always come true. (dreams don’t always come true, ah ah, no, ah ah)
So he pawned all his hopes (woo hoo hoo hoooo)
and he even sold his old car (woo hoo hoo hoooo)
Bought a one way ticket
To the life he once knew,
Oh yes he did,
He said he would
Be leavin (leavin’)
On that midnight train to Georgia, (leavin’ on that midnight train)
And he's goin' back (goin back to find)
To a simpler place and time. (whenever he takes that ride, guess who’s gonna be right by his side)
And I'll be with him (I know you will)
On that midnight train to Georgia, (leavin on that midnight traaaaaiiiin to Georgiaaaaa Wooohooo)
I'd rather live in his world (live in his world)
Than live without him in mine. (world, world, is his, his and hers alone)
Go, gonna board, gonna board,
Gonna board the midnight train.
Gotta go, gonna board
Gonna board
Gonna board the midnight train
(repeat, fade)
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