Carry My Woman Away
Desperation's Pursuit: A Ballad of Love, Loss, and Vengeance
Lyrics
Train pulled in the other night and she didn't hesitate
Expressing surprise and disappointment that the woman left without hesitation when the train arrived.
Boarding pass clutched in her hand and bound for the western states
Describing the woman holding a boarding pass and heading to the western states, indicating her departure.
Why'd that girl forsake me when her love was all I knew
Questioning why the woman abandoned the speaker when he thought her love was all he knew.
That's just what those women do boys said
Referring to the common belief or stereotype that women sometimes forsake their partners.
That's just what those women do
Reiterating the idea that the woman's actions are in line with the perceived behavior of women.
So I rode out the next night with my rifle and my shells
Narrating the speaker's decision to pursue the train with a rifle and ammunition.
Set my sights on that engineer that drove that beast from hell
Targeting the train engineer for judgment, possibly blaming him for the woman's departure.
He may not be guilty but I'll judge him just the same
Acknowledging the potential innocence of the engineer but expressing a desire to judge him anyway.
For riding that steel beast through my plains, lord
Blaming the engineer for traversing the speaker's territory with the train.
For riding that steel beast through my plains
Reiterating the resentment towards the engineer for crossing the speaker's land with the train.
Don't you carry my woman away sweet lord oh no
Pleading with the lord not to let the woman be taken away.
Don't you carry my woman away
Repeating the plea to prevent the woman from being carried away.
I made it through Missouri but I had stop for rest
Narrating the speaker's journey through Missouri and the need to stop for rest.
I thought I'd catch em in Denver but that driver pushed on past
Expressing frustration as the train driver pushes on past Denver, making it challenging for the speaker to catch up.
I'll track him down and kill him if it's the last thing that I do
Declaring the speaker's intention to track down and kill the train engineer for the troubles caused.
For what that tin box put me through oh lord
Attributing the speaker's hardships to the train ("tin box") and expressing resentment towards it.
For what that tin box put me through
Reiterating the negative impact of the train on the speaker's life and emotions.
Don't you carry my woman away sweet lord oh no
Repeating the plea to the lord not to allow the woman to be carried away.
Don't you carry my woman away
Emphasizing the speaker's desperation to prevent the woman from being taken away.
Well I've rode a thousand miles
Expressing the speaker's determination to endure a significant distance in pursuit of the train.
And I'll ride a million more
Affirming the speaker's commitment to pursue the engineer regardless of the distance.
Just to put that engineer down in his grave
Stating the extreme lengths the speaker is willing to go to, including causing harm to the engineer.
And curse that woman as a whore
Expressing disdain and condemnation for the woman by using a derogatory term ("whore").
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