Electric Light Orchestra - Across The Border Lyrics






I've been workin' so hard, baby,
tryin' to get to you.
I'm gonna be there soon because

In the heat of the day many miles away
when the sun is beating down upon the main street
I'll be waiting here at the station,
I gotta move down the line.
They'll be dancin' and singin' and doin' their thing
and they'll be rockin' and rollin' until the day is done.
You know I got to make the deadline.

I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.

The Mardi Gras will be blowing strong
and the people dancing all across the city.
I'm leaving here tonight,
I gotta move down the line.
I'm gonna catch a ride on the nine-o-five,
I'm gonna ride the rail until we reach the morning,
maybe three or four hundred miles.

I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.

When the wind is blowing softly
through the streets of a little town and the music's playin
you're waiting somewhere over the horizon.

I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
If I don't get to the border then I'll write.





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Electric Light Orchestra Across The Border Comments
  1. S.... C....

    ☮😁👍☮

  2. F.... D....

    Van Dyke Parks, call your office.

  3. S.... 1....

    Herooooooooes and viiiiiiiiiiiiiilains just see what you've done noooooooow....

  4. �.... �....

    I can see the locomotive chugging down that track.

  5. j.... w....

    Blue vinyl played this to death in 1982 love it

  6. J.... H....

    Trump when he hears this song

    W A L L

  7. D.... S....

    Top ten songs Trump hates

  8. E.... L....

    The last 30 seconds of this song is the greatest outro in musical history.

  9. R.... H....

    Mariachi horns

  10. F.... G....

    Custom speed the video to 1.05x to 1.1x. Whichever you prefer, but the songs much better when you do it


    You're welcome

  11. K.... H....

    Music of EPIC PROPORTIONS!

  12. m.... ....

    Man what blatant copy of heroes and villains

  13. c.... t....

    awesome

  14. D.... H....

    Oh God this is BETTER than great whatever that is......what a bloody great album........

  15. 6.... ....

    Perhaps my fav. Elo song.

  16. G.... D....

    I just love the instrumentation in this album and during this era of ELO's music.

  17. S.... R....

    If you listen very carefully at the start, you will hear crackle from the vinyl sound effects record Lynne used for the train sound, probably from the BBC collection.

    S.... R....

    Yep, I hear it. Good ear.

  18. E.... L....

    Only Jeff Lynne can create an outro as fantastic as this.

  19. S.... ....

    This song always reminds me about Israel’s broken train system

  20. A.... C....

    They have illegally been crossing our border since before 1977.

  21. P.... K....

    Remember Kenny Everett going crazy over this album.

  22. G.... S....

    The Mariachi Horns @ 2:40! Superb!!!!

  23. J.... M....

    Suena como mariachi

    J.... M....

    La hizo el genio. Jeff eres grande

  24. D.... ....

    Anyone else notice that the chords to the coda (starting at 3:17) are the same as "10538 Overture?" C, Bb, A, Ab...

  25. m.... ....

    Pure GOLD!

  26. F.... V....

    ABSOLUTE FANTASTIC!

  27. L.... K....

    My first record album Christmas 1977

  28. G.... ....

    I still have this album on blue vinyls.

  29. p.... 6....

    The string section and orchestra parts in this song are just incredible. Headphones on. Dark room. Listen deep and 41 years on from buying OOTB I'm still blown away.

    p.... 6....

    This album is a true gem.

  30. K.... K....

    This is another example of ELO rocking with a sweet mix of strings and guitar. ELO at it's best!

  31. T.... P....

    Idk why but this would be good in a TF2 movie

  32. D.... F....

    this is unstoppable

  33. B.... ....

    I've known this song for years but only just noticed how the the strings come in more and more with each verse. There's so many layers to Jeff Lynne's music you could find something new for decades

    B.... ....

    1977- my first album at age 14 - AWESOME! I have always listened to it. Would have loved for Jeff to bring out a Mariachi band to play this when he blew it out at the Hollywood Bowl in November 2016.

    B.... ....

    Jeff loves that layering. He uses that technique on almost every song.

  34. G.... C....

    Does anyone think that the majority of the verses are a bit similar to the tune of the Way Life's Meant to Be? Or is it just me?

    G.... C....

    Not sure I see that. Possibly what you're hearing is the layering Lynne does with most of his songs; it's really obvious with this one and Way Life's Meant to Be.

    G.... C....

    Both songs are distinctly Latin in style.

    G.... C....

    You're very right. The rhythm of the voice line is very similar. Well spotted.

    G.... C....

    its just you.

  35. c.... ....

    One of my favourite tracks from the "Out Of The Blue" album

    c.... ....

    Good choice, I'm in agreement.

  36. T.... ....

    In the heat of the day many miles away
    When the sun is beating down upon the main street
    I'll be waiting here at the station,
    I gotta move down the line.
    They'll be dancin' and singin' and doin' their thing
    And they'll be rockin' and rollin' until the day is done.
    You know I got to make the deadline.
    I gotta get that southbound train tonight,
    If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
    The Mardi Gras will be blowing strong
    And the people dancing all across the city.
    I'm leaving here tonight,
    Gotta move down the line.
    I'm gonna catch a ride on the 9:05,
    I'm gonna ride the rails until we reach the morning,
    maybe three or four hundred miles.
    I gotta get that southbound train tonight,
    If I don't get to the border then I'll write.
    When the wind is blowing 
    Softly through the streets 
    Of a little town and the music's playin
    You're waiting somewhere over the horizon.
    I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
    If I don't get to the border then I'll write.

  37. R.... A....

    Esos años. 70s.

  38. M.... ....

    I was on Mafia 3 and suddenly I heard this song on the radio and I instantaneously recognized it and said wtf ?! That's ELO ! ^^

  39. T.... M....

    There are no words to describe the outro of this fantastic song.

    T.... M....

    Orgasmical.

  40. I.... ....

    Skip the adds. Get to the music.

  41. M.... P....

    ELO is very underrated and it deserves to be known by more people
    ive told and asked my mates "hey you listen to elo" "hey you heard elo before" and all of them have either said "whos that?" and "yeah i heard mr blue sky, tried listening to another song it was shit"
    kids these days

    M.... P....

    Well too much people knows E.L.O. but only Last train to london and Mr. Blue sky. Many people knows only the songs from Discovery or Xanadu and i think Discovery is a good album but i wish the people know all the past songs of them not just Discovery and Xanadu stuff.

    M.... P....

    @F. USA: Agreed. Most of their best material comes off the earlier albums.

  42. C.... R....

    Magnificent.

  43. R.... M....

    NASA should design a space station that looks exactly like this.

    R.... M....

    Hell yeah. That really needs to happen

    R.... M....

    Jeff Lynne would be the pilot.

  44. A.... C....

    The best Elo has to offer

  45. K.... S....

    The last time they sing that "aahooo" at 3:12 they change the chord slightly to sound like a train whistle. Just brilliant.

    K.... S....

    Jeff Lynne is one very clever and talented dude,as he has proved countless times.and a lovely bloke too.

  46. R.... ....

    smoked too much cush off this song

  47. G.... B....

    3:19 "You know our government very well" ??

    G.... B....

    Stirling Greene You know I love you baby, oohhhhh (not you, I'm saying the lyrics)

    G.... B....

    Stirling Greene joelho

    G.... B....

    Your profile pic goes perfectly with your comment, haha

  48. B.... H....

    This song has the same melody as The Beach boys Heroes and Villains.

    B.... H....

    Brandon Haygood I just noticed that now ! Wow !

    B.... H....

    Surely Jeff Lynne was never influenced by The Beach Boys. I mean, did he ever use stacked vocal harmonies?

    B.... H....

    it was influenced by Caifanes - La Celula Que Explota, you should listen the solo is the same!

    B.... H....

    "Is This The Way Life's Meant To Be" also by ELO sounds quite similar to Heroes and Villains as well.

    B.... H....

    Yes, sounds like it, but Jeff uses it as a lead into a powerful refrain that wasn't in the Beach Boys song. Brian Wilson's song just stops and the momentum is gone.. But I guess he had some other ideas about the song. Jeff was more of a Beatles guy after all..

  49. C.... B....

    So many songs on this album could have been released as singles: Across the Border, Night in the City, Steppin Out, and Big Wheels. This album is and always will be EPIC.

    C.... B....

    It’s their best ever album. Its peak.

    C.... B....

    Brandon Haygood Jungle is a B side.

    C.... B....

    @64214Jose A New World Record and Discovery are both just as phenomenal imo

    C.... B....

    Turn to stone, sweet talkin woman, and Mr. blue sky as well.

    C.... B....

    @Brandon Haygood and Birmingham Blues

  50. D.... N....

    Fuck, that ending is bloody brilliant.

    D.... N....

    Did you know that the ending was actually mixed with a real CO.2 fire extinguisher.

    D.... N....

    Stephen Borrett whhhhaaaattttt???!!! That’s like the crazy sound fx for the first Star Wars.

  51. D.... ....

    Said this in another link, but here it goes again.
    Bought this album as the little shit dane i am in London in 1977 on a holliday
    and loved it crazily ever since and will obviously never get tired of it.
    40 F***** years, and stil not tired of it...Que pasa??

    D.... ....

    The Dogs Bollocks!!

    D.... ....

    Okay, I get it. I approved this comment.

    D.... ....

    its like putting on a very comfortable,old pair of jeans that you always loved and knowing right away why you love them so much.
    Same applies to ELO,Jeff Lynne is a music God.

  52. P.... R....

    Lyrics

    I've been workin' so hard, baby,
    tryin' to get to you.
    I'm gonna be there soon because

    In the heat of the day many miles away
    when the sun is beating down upon the main street
    I'll be waiting here at the station,
    I gotta move down the line.
    They'll be dancin' and singin' and doin' their thing
    and they'll be rockin' and rollin' until the day is done.
    You know I got to make the deadline.

    I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
    If I don't get to the border then I'll write.

    The Mardi Gras will be blowing strong
    and the people dancing all across the city.
    I'm leaving here tonight,
    I gotta move down the line.
    I'm gonna catch a ride on the nine-o-five,
    I'm gonna ride the rail until we reach the morning,
    maybe three or four hundred miles.

    I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
    If I don't get to the border then I'll write.

    When the wind is blowing softly
    through the streets of a little town and the music's playin
    you're waiting somewhere over the horizon.

    I gotta get that southbound train tonight, ooh.
    If I don't get to the border then I'll write.

    P.... R....

    uwu awoo

  53. [.... ....

    'Across the Border' a song about illegal mexicans

    [.... ....

    LOL! 😂

    [.... ....

    Yes, not illegal immigrants from Mexico. Just Mexicans that are outright banned.

    [.... ....

    This isn’t true, he would of said northbound train then. Don’t make beautiful music into something it isn’t!

  54. c.... ....

    Does this remind anybody of fallout new vagas

    c.... ....

    What part of this song makes you think of New Vegas?

    c.... ....

    curryman1212 yup

  55. D.... B....

    Just seen Jeff Lynne at the O2 in London. He didnt play this but opened with Tightrope from A New World Record which was one of the best openers I have ever seen. Genius.

    D.... B....

    Maybe so maybe not, 1977 2nd concert of your Tarrant County Convention Center Ft Worth Texas, space ship, lasers and yes Genius of Jeff Lynne......

  56. J.... J....

    This remind anyone of Bat out of Hell?

    J.... J....

    vincent hewlett, Lol.

  57. S.... o....

    Brum Mariachi......E.L.O's great lost single.

  58. C.... R....

    that outtro is the closest you will get to a musical orgasm.

    C.... R....

    Agreed.

  59. b.... j....

    the songs I like by ELO are across the boarder, Birmingham blues and here is the news. great sound quality to

    b.... j....

    +brian jesic its BORDER.you know,the line that separates two countries.

    b.... j....

    across the "boarder" hahaha.didnt pay his rent?

  60. k.... c....

    I would love to see Jeff Lynne write a symphony.

    k.... c....

    Jeff Is tHE lIVING embodiment of a SYMPHONY !! They are THE TOP BAND! of all times....!!

    k.... c....

    Yeah even The Beatles, Have to take back seat...!

    k.... c....

    Out of the blue is NOT a symphony.
    Eldorado, a much better LP, was a symphony.

    k.... c....

    Check out Eldorado - that was Jeff Lynne's symphony.

    k.... c....

    YESSSSSSSSS!!!!

  61. H.... R....

    Masterpiece

  62. J.... M....

    I remember ELO well this album came out when I was at the age to start buying them in fact this was one of the first albums I bought.

    J.... M....

    James Mackinlay I was 13 and it was my first album and I was sooooo happy

  63. L.... M....

    Mozart, Schubert, Verdi, Chopin, Jeff Lynne..................................

    L.... M....

    David Gilmour too, they all make "classic rock" looks like some very apropriated words to use

    L.... M....

    Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters were in awe of Jeff Lynne and used a lot of his techniques in their own start in music

    L.... M....

    Lynne Musicalgenius you have dedication

    L.... M....

    Steve Shepherd - I've searched high & low & have found 0 evidence that Waters & Gilmour were "in awe" of Jeff Lynne. Pink Floyd were in business well before ELO & they're music is completely different.

  64. D.... T....

    the beach boys: Heroes and Villains

    D.... T....

    +Dongly Trusis YES I heard that today and it reminded me of this and now here I am

    D.... T....

    Which song did he do that with Across the Universe?

    D.... T....

    Mister Kingdom off of Eldorado.

    D.... T....

    C U Next Tuesday