☝️ Key Points
- The song tells the story of a dying train conductor and the devil who claims his soul.
- A game is played between the Lord and the devil for the souls of the deceased, where the devil ultimately wins.
- The Spanish train, supposedly populated by the souls of the dead, still runs and spreads fear among people.
- The song contains religious and metaphysical motifs and addresses the struggle between good and evil, as well as the question of the fate of souls after death.
- It is also mentioned that the devil cheats at chess and continues to win more souls.
Interpretation
The song "Spanish Train" by
Chris De Burgh tells the story of a train driver who is dying. It is mentioned that there is a train that travels between Guadalquivir and old Seville. People are afraid of this train because it is said to be populated by the souls of the dead.
In the song, the devil appears at the bedside of the dying train driver and claims that he will get his soul. But then the Lord himself appears and asks the devil to accompany him to hell. However, the devil just grins and says that he got the train driver first and that he is going underground.
The devil offers the Lord another chance and suggests that they play for the souls of the dead. They play poker for the highest stakes - the souls of the departed. In the end, the devil wins the game and keeps the souls for himself.
The song ends with the realization that the Spanish train is still running and people are still afraid of it. It is also mentioned that the Lord and the devil now play chess and the devil still cheats and wins more souls.
The song "Spanish Train" by Chris De Burgh contains religious and metaphysical motifs. It addresses the struggle between good and evil, the belief in a higher being, and the question of the fate of souls after death. It also deals with the human fear of the unknown and death.