Soul Train Line (Zydeco Bayou Blues)
Intro (Spoken)
Eh, cher...
Y'all gather 'round now.
My grand-père used to say,
"Down in Louisiana, every train ain't carrying people...
Some of 'em carrying souls."
Verse 1
Late one night on Bayou Teche,
Moon hanging low and red,
Spanish moss on the cypress trees,
Just like my grand-père said.
He told me, "Cher, fais attention,
When the whip-poor-wills start to cry,
Some roads bring a man back home,
Some roads let his spirit fly."
Pre-Chorus
I had Delta blues in my pocket,
Nothing but dreams and old worn shoes,
Looking for a little lagniappe blessing,
Trying to shake these bayou blues.
Chorus
Hey, don't ride that Soul Train line!
No, cher, don't ride that Soul Train line!
She rolling through the swamp tonight,
And she leave your soul behind.
You can have money, you can have fame,
Everybody shouting your name,
But once that Spirit Train come calling,
Boy, you never be the same!
(Accordion break: Héy ya ya, héy ya ya!)
Verse 2
At the crossroads stood a stranger,
No footprints in the muddy ground,
Dressed sharper than a river gambler,
Talking soft without a sound.
He said, "Garçon, sign right here,
A little blood and you'll be known,
From Opelousas to New Orleans,
The whole world singing your songs."
Call & Response
Lead: Where that train rolling, cher?
Crowd: Down the bayou line!
Lead: What she taking, cher?
Crowd: Your spirit every time!
Lead: Can you come back home?
Crowd: No, not this time!
Chorus
Hey, don't ride that Soul Train line!
No, cher, don't ride that Soul Train line!
Ain't no fais-do-do forever,
When the spirits call your name.
You can dance till the morning sunlight,
Two-step through the pouring rain,
But don't you sign that dotted paper,
On that old Soul Train!
Verse 3
Old Maw-Maw by the cookfire told us,
"Child, don't bargain after dark.
The bayou keeps what it is given,
And every flame leaves a mark."
Accordion crying in the distance,
Fiddle singing soft and low,
While the old folks passed down stories
Only Louisiana people know.
Bridge
Then the hounds began to holler,
And the wind moved through the cane,
I heard my grand-père whisper,
"Don't you board that ghostly train.
Money come and money go, cher,
But your family name remain.
Keep your feet upon this good earth,
And let the spirits ride their train."
Final Chorus
Hey, don't ride that Soul Train line!
No, cher, don't ride that Soul Train line!
One-way ticket through the cypress,
Underneath that moonlight shine.
Keep your soul and keep your people,
Let the good Lord lead the way,
And let that old Spirit Train keep rolling,
Far away from here today!
Outro (Spoken)
Eh bien, cher...
If you hear an accordion after midnight,
And nobody around is playing...
Keep walking home.
The bayou remembers everything.
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