"Spanish Train"
By
Chris de Burgh
Album:
"Spanish Train And Other Stories"
- 1975
There's a Spanish
train that runs between , Guadalquivir and old Saville, And at dead
of night the whistle blows, and people hear she's running still...
And then they hush their children back to sleep, Lock the doors,
upstairs they creep, For it is said that the souls of the dead , Fill
that train ten thousand deep!!
Well a railwayman lay dying with his people by his side, His family
were crying, knelt in prayer before he died, But above his bed just
a-waiting for the dead, Was the Devil with a twinkle in his eye, "Well
God's not around and look what I've found, this one's mine!!"
Just then the Lord himself appeared in a blinding flash of light, And
shouted at the Devil, "Get thee hence to endless night!!" . But the
Devil just grinned and said "I may have sinned, But there's no need to
push me around, I got him first so you can do your worst, He's going
underground!!"
"But I think I'll give you one more chance" said the Devil with a
smile, "So throw away that stupid lance, It's really not your style",
"Joker is the name,
Poker is the game,
we'll play
right here on this bed, And then we'll bet for the biggest stakes yet,
the souls of the dead!!"
And I said "Look out, Lord, He's going to win, The sun is down and the
night is riding in, That train is dead on time,
many souls are on the
line, Oh Lord,
He's going to win!.."
Well the railwayman he cut the cards And he dealt them each a hand of
five, And for the Lord he was praying hard Or that train he'd have to
drive...Well the Devil he had three aces and a king, And the Lord, he
was running for a straight, He had the queen and the knave and nine
and ten of spades, All he needed was the eight...
And then the Lord he called for one more card, But he drew the diamond
eight, And the Devil said to the son of God, "I believe you've got it
straight, So deal me one for the time has come To see who'll be the
king of this place, But as he spoke, from beneath his cloak, He
slipped another ace...
Ten thousand souls was the opening bid,And it soon went up to
fifty-nine, But the Lord didn't see what the Devil did, And he said
"that suits me fine", "I'll raise you high to a hundred and five, And
forever put an end to your sins", But the Devil let out a mighty
shout, "My hand wins!!"
And I said "Lord, oh Lord, you let him win, The sun is down and the
night is riding in, That train is dead on time,
many souls are on the
line, Oh Lord,
don't let him win..."
Well that Spanish train still runs between, Guadalquivir and old
Saville, And at dead of night the whistle blows, And people fear she's
running still...And far away in some recess , The Lord and the Devil
are now playing
chess,
The Devil still cheats and wins more souls, And as for the Lord, well,
he's just doing
his best...
And I said "Lord, oh Lord, you've got to win, The sun is down and the
night is riding in, That train is still on time, oh
my soul is on the line,
Oh Lord, you've got to win..."