☝️ Key Points
- The song is about a place where sinners can be cleansed of their sins.
- It emphasizes that there is hope and care for those who have lost faith and hope.
- Even the worst sinners are welcome, like Judas Iscariot and John Wilkes Booth.
- The lyrics highlight that it is never too late to ask for forgiveness and that there is still hope.
- It is a song about remorse, forgiveness, and the search for redemption.
Interpretation
In the lyrics of the song 'Down There by the Train' by
Johnny Cash, it is about a place where the train passes slowly. In this place, the sinner can be cleansed of their sins. There is a river nearby where willows and dogwoods grow.
The lyrics describe how one can hear the train's whistle and the ringing of the bell, from the halls of heaven to the gates of hell. There is room for the forsaken, as long as they arrive in time. They are cleansed of all sins and crimes.
It is also mentioned that there is a golden moon shining through the mist, and that the listener's name can be on that list. There is no revenge, no retaliation. Judas Iscariot and John Wilkes Booth are mentioned to show that even the worst sinners are accepted.
The text emphasizes that there is hope and care for those who have lost faith and hope. Even shame and whores, as well as the soldier who pierced the side of the Lord, are welcome.
Johnny Cash also talks about his own mistakes and how he has never asked for forgiveness or prayed. He has never really cared about others. He has left those who loved him and continued to cause trouble. But he invites all those who have gone the same way to join him down there by the train where the train passes slowly.
The lyrics convey the message that it is never too late to ask for forgiveness and that there is still hope, even for those who have taken the wrong path. It is a song about repentance, forgiveness, and the search for redemption.