And over in the teacher’s home she waited by the phone
For calls which never rang, and people who never sang
Train man rambled dusty into town and made his daily round
Train man and he comes in the night
brings her no love but he’s right
Yes he’s right
Through fog and misty morning dew, she’d seen his oily face
and he had touched her heart, taken it apart
Though he never stopped to speak a word his voice was all she heard
Train man and he comes in the night
brings her no love but he’s right
Yes he’s right
Little girl you’re a pretty little girl
Won’t you come with me a while
Little girl in your frilly little world
Won’t you give me your sweet smile
If you come tonight bring someone
If you come tonight bring someone
Don’t come alone
If you come alone don’t come
Don’t come
Don’t come
Yes i know he’s right
Yes i know he’s right
oh I know he’s right
She held his hand and whispered soft
I love you train man
He just grumbled like engine as it rumbles
And said someday
Train man and he knows something’s wrong and he’s right
Oh yes he’s right
Exploring the Lonesome Journey of the ‘Train Man’
Bob Seger’s “Train Man” paints a poignant picture of longing and emotional distance. Through the perspective of a waiting woman and the enigmatic figure of the train man, the lyrics evoke a sense of anticipation and resigned understanding. The train man arrives nightly, delivering neither affection nor promises, yet his presence is marked by an unspoken truth—he is “right,” even if emotionally unavailable. The recurring motif of trains and travel highlights themes of impermanence and the ache of missed connections. Seger’s storytelling captures the bittersweet interplay between desire and reality, where love is hinted at but always just out of reach.
Song Credits
- Artist: Bob Seger
- Songwriter: Bob Seger