Posted by ace --Previous Message--
on August 14, 2002, 2:41 am
: Can someone interpret for me the last verse of
: Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain":
: "When the train left the station,
: There was two lights on behind
: Well, the blue light was my blues,
: And the red light was my mind"
: I'm also puzzled by the last verse of Willie
: Brown's "Future Blues", which
: contains the lines "T for Texas, T
: for Tennessee" -- I understand this
: one may just be nonsense that sounds good.
: All opinions welcomed. TIA.
: John
:
:
Ninth interpretation-There's a lot of duality of images in this piece I think. A blue light(on inner-city trains anyways) indicates a train leaving. There is also the old term 'Blue Light Special', or 'Blue Plate Special'; to describe something cheap, or in short supply that goes quickly, or doesn't last long. The red light means'stop'; or,alternatly could refer to a 'Red-Light Area/District'which generally denotes a place of alternate culture/awareness. The blue light is his blues leaving;the red light is his mind stopped. One could take this a simple love song,and also be aware of the poetic ambiguity. Trains have a long history of symbolism, especially in the blues.It may depend on if you hear'vain'spelled with an a or an e. The word eye has other meanings, eg the 'eye'of a needle. Suitcase is an object,but is also something that holds hidden things, eg to 'suitcase'(smuggle)goods.Note the lyrical changes in versions by Clapton or the 'Stones..Just my opinion, thanx.
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