I think Downbound Train is one of the most unheralded songs on Bruce’s massive – hit album Born in the USA (BITUSA), yet due to its unassuming melancholic appeal it’s one of the songs from the album I now prefer to revisit. In other words it hasn’t worn out at all to my musical senses, on the contrary, my appreciation of it has only risen over the years. Downbound Train was of course one of the 70 songs Bruce had to choose from for BITUSA. This album is so big that every song has its own Wikipage – That’s when you know you have hit the ball out of the park as a singer-songwriter ;-P
Downbound Train is considered the most depressing song on the album; ok lets have that – I consider the lyrics as some of his finest as far as building upon his blue collar image. It’s a great example of Springsteen’s lucidity as a songwriter. “Last night I heard your voice..” and ‘Now I work down at the car wash/where all it ever does is rain.’ And we are right there picturing him go through all this. The song tells the story of a man whose life is mired in decline after he gets laid off. It’s a about the harsh realities and choices of life: job and love, and the pursuit of happiness in simple things. Also, this song has an acoustic solo version that was originally part of what would later become the Nebraska album.
It’s interesting how musical tastes can change over time, since upon first hearing the record my favourite songs were perhaps Glory Days, I’m Goin‘ Down, Darlington County, Dancing in the Dark and My Hometown. Now I look forward most to hearing the live version of Born in the USA (from Live Amnesty International), I’m Going Down and today’s featured track Downbound Train. Also, I probably enjoy hearing more songs from his maligned 1992 double release albums Human Touch / Lucky Town (especially the latter) than I do just about any other record release by him. Observers in fact analysed Downbound Train with naturalistic imagery lacing the song throughout in an approach that Springsteen would return to heavily in his Dylan – Series of Dreams – influenced early 1990s.
In addition I like to hear his previously unreleased songs including County Fair, Loose Change and Happy.
The following includes extracts from the Wikipedia reference below:
The song was recorded on May 6, 1982 at the Power Station at the end of the “Electric Nebraska” sessions. Like several other Born in the U.S.A. songs, including “Working on the Highway” and the title track, a solo acoustic version of “Downbound Train” was originally recorded on the demo that eventually became the Nebraska album.
Though it was not one of the seven singles released from the album, the song nevertheless gained some album-oriented rock radio airplay and was featured fairly regularly on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour. It has been performed sporadically in tours since. Overall, the song has been played in concert about 130 times through 2008.
[Verse 1]
I had a job, I had a girl
I had something going, mister, in this world
I got laid off down at the lumberyard
Our love went bad, times got hard
Now I work down at the car wash
Where all it ever does is rain
Don’t you feel like you’re a rider
On a downbound train?
[Verse 2]
She just said “Joe, I gotta go
We had it once, we ain’t got it anymore”
She packed her bags, left me behind
She bought a ticket on the Central Line
Nights as I sleep, I hear that whistle whining
I feel her kiss in the misty rain
And I feel like I’m a rider
On a downbound train
[Verse 3]
Last night, I heard your voice
You were crying, crying, you were so alone
You said your love had never died
You were waiting for me at home
Put on my jacket, I ran through the woods
I ran till I thought my chest would explode
There in a clearing beyond the highway
In the moonlight, our wedding house shone
I rushed through the yard, I burst through the front door
My head pounding hard, up the stairs I climbed
The room was dark, our bed was empty
Then I heard that long whistle whine
And I dropped to my knees, hung my head, and cried
Now I swing a sledgehammer on a railroad gang
Knocking down them cross ties, working in the rain
Now don’t it feel like you’re a rider on a downbound train?
Reference:
1. Downbound Train – Wikipedia
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
Love this song. And my favorite rendition of BITUSA is from the “Live In New York City” CD/DVD; just Bruce and his guitar. Powerful.
I’m afraid, I couldn’t get into the acoustic BITUSA version. But thanks for mentioning it here, all the same. Cheers.
“Born in the U.S.A” was the album that brought Bruce Springsteen on my radar screen. While I subsequently explored his ’70s albums and ended up generally preferring them, “Born in the U.S.A.” will always have a special place in my heart. “Downbound Train” was not the reason I got the album at the time, but it’s a great song that holds up better than some of the other tracks on the album I used to love like “Dancing In the Dark.”
I was listening again to various versions of ‘Downbound Train’ with my son yesterday and it was his first listen and he was more than suitably impressed.
I forgot to mention how much I loved the bridge in this. Bruce is a killer ‘bridge’ writer which I’ve mention in other posts. Normally the bridges are a time filler, but not with Bruce’s songs. His bridges often exceed (in listening enjoyment) the chorus.