Chris De Burgh - Spanish Train Lyrics






There's a Spanish train that runs between
Guadalquivir and old Saville,
And at dead of night the whistle blows,
and people hear she's running still...

And then they hush their children back to sleep,
Lock the doors, upstairs they creep,
For it is said that the souls of the dead
Fill that train ten thousand deep!!

Well a railwayman lay dying with his people by his side,
His family were crying, knelt in prayer before he died,
But above his bed just a-waiting for the dead,
Was the Devil with a twinkle in his eye,
"Well God's not around and look what I've found,
this one's mine!!"

Just then the Lord himself appeared in a blinding flash of light,
And shouted at the Devil, "Get thee hence to endless night!!"
But the Devil just grinned and said "I may have sinned,
But there's no need to push me around,
I got him first so you can do your worst,
He's going underground!!"

"But I think I'll give you one more chance"
said the Devil with a smile,
"So throw away that stupid lance,
It's really not your style",
"Joker is the name, Poker is the game,
we'll play right here on this bed,
And then we'll bet for the biggest stakes yet,
the souls of the dead!!"

And I said "Look out, Lord, He's going to win,
The sun is down and the night is riding in,
That train is dead on time, many souls are on the line,
Oh Lord, He's going to win!.."

Well the railwayman he cut the cards
And he dealt them each a hand of five,
And for the Lord he was praying hard
Or that train he'd have to drive...
Well the Devil he had three aces and a king,
And the Lord, he was running for a straight,
He had the queen and the knave and nine and ten of spades,
All he needed was the eight...

And then the Lord he called for one more card,
But he drew the diamond eight,
And the Devil said to the son of God,
"I believe you've got it straight,
So deal me one for the time has come
To see who'll be the king of this place,
But as he spoke, from beneath his cloak,
He slipped another ace...

Ten thousand souls was the opening bid,
And it soon went up to fifty-nine,
But the Lord didn't see what the Devil did,
And he said "that suits me fine",
"I'll raise you high to a hundred and five,
And forever put an end to your sins",
But the Devil let out a mighty shout, "My hand wins!!"

And I said "Lord, oh Lord, you let him win,
The sun is down and the night is riding in,
That train is dead on time, many souls are on the line,
Oh Lord, don't let him win..."

Well that Spanish train still runs between,
Guadalquivir and old Saville,
And at dead of night the whistle blows,
And people fear she's running still...
And far away in some recess
The Lord and the Devil are now playing chess,
The Devil still cheats and wins more souls,
And as for the Lord, well, he's just doing his best...

And I said "Lord, oh Lord, you've got to win,
The sun is down and the night is riding in,
That train is still on time, oh my soul is on the line,
Oh Lord, you've got to win..."





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Chris De Burgh Spanish Train Comments
  1. D.... M....

    Just another pure boy assume

  2. D.... M....

    He shut could sing

  3. K.... ....

    Beginning of 2020 and still loving this song 😍

  4. 8.... d....

    CHOM .fm 97.7

  5. K.... B....

    Hola, Bonjour, Yes there is alway someone listening LOL.

  6. K.... B....

    anything to say

  7. K.... B....

    Always Listening LOL

  8. J.... H....

    What nonsens is this?

  9. C.... C....

    This song scared me at night

  10. P.... S....

    I need to thank my dad for teaching me this

  11. s.... c....

    brillant

  12. D.... M....

    "Devil went down to Georgia"? "Tribute"?

  13. �.... ....

    There's a Spanish train that runs between
    Guadalquivir and old Saville
    And at dead of night the whistle blows
    And people hear she's running still
    And then they hush their children back to sleep
    Lock the doors, upstairs they creep
    For it is said that the souls of the dead
    Fill that train ten thousand deep
    Well a railwayman lay dying with his people by his side
    His family were crying, knelt in prayer before he died
    But above his bed just a waiting for the dead
    Was the Devil with a twinkle in his eye
    Well God's not around and look what I've found, this one's mine
    Just then the Lord himself appeared in a blinding flash of light
    And shouted at the Devil, get thee hence to endless night
    But the Devil just grinned and said I may have sinned
    But there's no need to push me around
    I got him first so you can do your worst
    He's going underground
    But I think I'll give you one more chance
    Said the Devil with a smile
    So throw away that stupid lance
    It's really not your style
    Joker is the name, poker is the game
    We'll play right here on this bed
    And then we'll bet for the biggest stakes yet
    The souls of the dead
    And I said look out, Lord, He's going to win
    The sun is down and the night is riding in
    That train is dead on time, many souls are on the line
    Oh Lord, He's going to win
    Well the railwayman he cut the cards
    And he dealt them each a hand of five
    And for the Lord, he was praying hard
    Or that train he'd have to drive
    Well the Devil he had three aces and a king
    And the Lord, he was running for a straight
    He had the queen and the knave and nine and ten of spades
    All he needed was the eight
    And then the Lord he called for one more card
    But he drew the diamond eight
    And the Devil said to the son of God
    I believe you've got it straight
    So deal me one for the time has come
    To see who'll be the king of this place
    But as he spoke, from beneath his cloak
    He slipped another ace
    Ten thousand souls was the opening bid
    And it soon went up to fifty nine
    But the Lord didn't see what the Devil did
    And he said that suits me fine
    I'll raise you high to a hundred and five
    And forever put an end to your sins
    But the Devil let out a mighty shout, my hand wins
    And I said Lord, oh Lord, you let him win
    The sun is down and the night is riding in
    That train is dead on time, many souls are on the line
    Oh Lord, don't let him win
    Well that Spanish train still runs between
    Guadalquivir and old Saville
    And at dead of night the whistle blows
    And people fear she's running still
    And far away in some recess
    The Lord and the Devil are now playing chess
    The Devil still cheats and wins more souls
    And as for the Lord, well, he's just doing his best
    And I said Lord, oh Lord, you've got to win
    The sun is down and the night is riding in
    That train is still on time, oh my soul is on the line
    Oh Lord, you've got to win

  14. M.... B....

    Siritual battle summed up in one song.

  15. F.... N....

    Best song ever

  16. R.... E....

    One of my all time fave songs ever! The guitar parts are fantastic and the storytelling is wonderful. Doesn't matter if someone is religious or not, the moral of the story is the good guys don't always win because what makes them good also can hinder them when fighting the bad guy. But even after losing the good guy still does his best instead of cheating. No matter your take on the meaning though it's also just a kick ass song!

  17. S.... S....

    H E S L I P P E D A N O T H E R A C E !

  18. A.... B....

    Anyone else listening to this in 1942?

  19. M.... R....

    does anyone listening from Istanbul ??

  20. s.... m....

    Champ gesher ?

  21. Y.... ....

    😂 my friend is petrified of this song

  22. n.... q....

    Yo guys if you miss this kind of style, I am freakin gladly to introduce you to the artist Ren, check his "Jenny's Tale and Screech's Tale" you should not miss that!!! And yeah you're welcome 👌😉

  23. s.... g....

    this has forever been the eeriest song to play on Halloween ....lol...ranks #1 for scary songs

  24. C.... P....

    have loved this song for years

    C.... P....

    You should check Ren - Jenny's Tale and also Screech's Tale it's an awesome story telling song maybe you' ll like it

  25. W.... S....

    422 people who lost at poker

  26. J.... S....

    i love it. This song is so good its just phenomenal and im really happy that i found it again. Thats art more i have not to say than million thanks to Chris De Burgh. Nothing i know can beat this song and i know lots.

    Well, hes just doing his beeest .. and i say LORD, OH LORD YOUVE GOT TO WIN
    .. LOVE .

  27. L.... B....

    Never gets old x

  28. A.... ....

    This song scared the shit out of me as a kid.

  29. J.... Y....

    Still a brilliant song in 2019

  30. T.... G....

    Serdar Kuzuluoğlun dan gelenler?

  31. t.... ....

    Still a pure classic in 2019 👌

  32. C.... J....

    Another great one that was a TV series was don't pay the ferryman

  33. I.... ....

    anyone listening in 2019?

    I.... ....

    Check out jenny's tale and screech's tale guys 😉 that was also a freakin dope storytelling

    I.... ....

    @nel quizon il check that

    I.... ....

    Yess man!! We here!!

    I.... ....

    Sure! This is Timeless!

    I.... ....

    Just found out about this song.

  34. B.... M....

    Wow wonderful slide show ;p great job you

  35. C.... B....

    This song always sends a chill down my spine

  36. D.... K....

    Huuuuh!.... uahhh...chr,....chr...chr...

  37. N.... E....

    Spanish Trains Trip Report - Granada to Sevilla:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSPaUIYcqaA&t=25s

  38. M.... F....

    see that pic? I'll be banging her soon. oh,I'm 62.

  39. A.... M....

    Anybody else think "the devil went down to Georgia " ripped this off?

    A.... M....

    @Knicksboncho its not the exact lyrics but the plot and structure.

    A.... M....

    @A Man Neither are similar.

    A.... M....

    @A Man Vassar Clements originally wrote the basic melody an octave lower in a tune called "Lonesome Fiddle Blues", which released on Clements' self-titled 1975 album on which Charlie Daniels played guitar. The Charlie Daniels Band moved it up an octave and put words to it. Spanish Train and Other Stories was also released in 1975, so there's no way it could have been copied.

    A.... M....

    @Knicksboncho very insightful but I still think they're similar, but thanks.

    A.... M....

    You can think whatever you want. You said you thought DWDTG ripped this song off but you were demonstrably wrong.

  40. B.... ....

    When I was little I always wanted to listen to this in the car so my dad would have to keep rewinding the tape :)

  41. E.... K....

    Amazing lyrics. De Burgh was a genius with this song.

    E.... K....

    People still listen to songs. Tks a lot for loving him and his wonderful music and lyrics

  42. A.... C....

    The game of chess is over and because of todays technology the World Wide Web the devil was caught in his web of lies and cheating and Our Lord GOD has won, check out QAnon.pub and follow Joe M on Twitter and enjoy the show.

    A.... C....

    Quiet Ann.

    A.... C....

    @Knicksboncho ???

    A.... C....

    Ann Coghlan The devil still lives. Hail Satan, Ann.

    A.... C....

    @Knicksboncho lol fuck satan God always wins, I guess you're part of the 6%, what's your problem done too much satanic shit to repent? Good luck.

  43. G.... P....

    Amazing!

  44. G.... T....

    If someone wrote this today they’d probably 1v1 each other on Fortnite

  45. C.... J....

    This is like 1 of the best songs ever my mum told me about this it soo good 😘👍👌❤❤
    listen to it savage we all in the game

  46. H.... B....

    I came here to see this video of an amazing song I just heard on StingRay!.. It is powerful and I believe he captured an anointing on this tune!..Surrender to God's gift of his sacrifice! that is his son Jesus the Christ!.

  47. M.... M....

    The Devil just grinned and said I might have sinned But.....

  48. a.... v....

    fantastic song from my youth,not exactly biblically accurate(cant see the Devil talking to God in anything other than very careful respect) but a song i loved as a kid nonetheless

    a.... v....

    Then you need to check things out more carefully.

  49. e.... r....

    This song is so good, it doesnt need slideshow, but not bad

  50. C.... ....

    I have been an avid Chris De Burgh fan since '74 and have had the pleasure of going to his concerts three times over the years! My favorites will always be Old Friend, The Painter and Patricia the Stripper! Underrated storytelling musician for sure! I've been leaving comments to some of the young people who do 'reaction' videos to check him out, but so far none have... They don't know what they're missing! I clean house to Patricia! I have a very clean, sexy home..haha!

  51. E.... t....

    I love it

  52. L.... D....

    Yes mate lied the slide show . My older brother and sister used tae play it . I loved it then and still do now .

  53. C.... W....

    Believe me or not ... i was playing with my dad listening to this song and I jokingly said “i need an ace to win” and it was my turn to take from the deck and right as it says it the song “he slipped another ace” i pulled an ace 😬😬😬another time i was listening to this by myself i what messing bout w some cards and i pulled out and ace and was thinking “funny” but i did it again and pulled another so i went to tell my dad and i was demonstrating what i did and i pulled out another ace without even meaning to , so i freaked out and chucked them on the floor and they all landed fsce down on the floor apart from all 4 aces 😬😬😬😬😬☹️☹️

  54. S.... ....

    God in this song is a bit of a wimp. The big man needs to rediscover some old testament fire and SMITE!

  55. P.... G....

    1986. A platoon mate of mine introduced me to Chris de Burgh, I - very wrongly - thought this was the best music ever. I had 10 or 12 of his albums (probably more) and spent many hours irritating half my platoon with (the acquired taste of) Chris de Burgh. But I still often revisit his music, with inevitable fondness.

  56. �.... �....

    It's a shame cause non of those roles I got to play!I only shuffle the cards!

  57. m.... ....

    I see you've got it straight

  58. A.... D....

    Beutyful

  59. C.... X....

    My friends and I use to go to my friends house every Halloween and his dad use go sing this song every night with just one single candle lighting in the room and we use to be soooo scared

  60. W.... P....

    We all must choose in our hearts for ourselves.

    W.... P....

    @Laura _chocolate Nice doggie it the window :)

    W.... P....

    @Laura _chocolate Love Em too. :)

    W.... P....

    @William Peddle thx her name is poppy

  61. l.... ....

    bollocks

  62. E.... M....

    How do you cheat at chess?

  63. Y.... K....

    I have heard that song for the first time back in 1986, when I started senior high school in Germany. Our English teacher brought us some songs with lyrics like a quiz to fill in the missing word. I will never forget that. To this day I love the english language so much and this song is always with me on my phone.

  64. T.... S....

    The best one

  65. T.... B....

    Chris De Best

  66. F.... B....

    Roy orbisin trawelling willburyz
    Tom Jeff Dylan starr the best

    F.... B....

    You mean Harrison..

  67. B.... T....

    By what he meant in the song that god is loosing because he can't cheat and lie to people to join him like the devil is doing ,and it seems that your a victim by being atheists. we are all victims in this game called life (just a theory and the point of view spread by this song)

  68. H.... S....

    Love this song

  69. C.... D....

    As child i played this tune wheni i was playing castlevaina 4 final battle it fitted perfectly

  70. R.... S....

    😣😣😣

  71. p.... ....

    Fuck i love this song

  72. A.... M....

    I HEARD THIS SONG BY A TEACHER AT SCHOOL, TO LISTEN TO IT AS AN ADULT, BRINGS ALOT OF MEMORIES BK LOL The song is beautiful as its sang, like a story.
    GOOD VS EVIL

  73. A.... B....

    Still such an amazing song!

  74. L.... Z....

    My house burnt down and took my wife and my house was rebuilt and ever since that day my house has always had words and I believe my wife’s sole is still there

  75. S.... A....

    My hand wins 😂😂😂😂 ❤️ it

  76. T.... I....

    Wow this is something else!! Sublime

  77. L.... B....

    The Truth... it's just a song...but the "Truth" is the devil is My footstool.... It was a battle over the souls..but Yeshua was Victorious!

  78. T.... 1....

    My 13 year old daughter often plays this awesome track,I was her age when it came out!After its release it was banned in South Africa promptly and then released as "Lonely Sky"without this song!Imagine if the authorities had listened closer to Patricia the Stripper!!😂

  79. M.... W....

    love this many thanks

  80. E.... O....

    Oh Chris! What went wrong?! So many brilliant tunes and albums between 1974 and 1984, then you instantly killed off your credibility as an artist with just one song in 1986...

    E.... O....

    Not a fan of "The Lady In Red" I take it?

    E.... O....

    No, I hated it! lol Even so, I did like some of his songs after it, such as Missing You and Separate Tables, but the spark seemed to have disappeared from his music after he released "The Lady In Red"

  81. E.... A....

    Great work... congratulations!

  82. P.... G....

    Oh, I love this song so much! My first concert ever. Ottawa, Ontario. Saw him twice. Had all of his albums!

    P.... G....

    Paula G Whyte
    I saw him in Montreal few months ago , it was awesome 😎

  83. M.... M....

    This is my favourite song I’ve loved it for a few years now and I’m only 13

  84. H.... S....

    It good thank you

  85. R.... C....

    Excelente musica,letra, tudo bom...especialmente o video supercreativo.

  86. r.... n....

    The feeling when you re-find this song 👌🏽

  87. J.... S....

    Classic song saved my life

  88. G.... A....

    Perhaps my favourite of all CdB's story songs... I learned this off by heart as a kid.

  89. A.... W....

    Love the slide show.

  90. R.... S....

    Lord, don't let him win ...amen.

  91. L.... A....

    He'd be amazing in theatrical. Same with Larry Gowan, Dennis Deyoung, Freddie Mercury (RIP)... Too many to name.

  92. E.... M....

    I remember Anne Nightingale playing this on Sunday afternoons back at the end of the 70's. Although this guy went too far down the Daniel O'Donnell route later on early stuff like this and Patricia the Stripper were brilliant. Loved this. Found it and listened to it for the first time in 35 years.

  93. Y.... H....

    Oh lord , dont let him win

  94. S.... A....

    Amazing. Love it. Lord and devil playing chess!

  95. P.... ....

    Whelp I guess I found a new favorite song and artist.
    If I could draw I'd do animatics for all his story songs