Train Track Walls- Lyrics from Outcasts, Rebels, Hobos and Bards

Inspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Reimagined it being written as by Tom Waits piano piece.

(Verse 1)

In the whiskey-soaked alleyways where shadows dance,

A bard of the night, with a voice like happenstance.

Hawker, the poet, in a world so surreal,

A carnival of misfits, where every scar tells a tale.

(Chorus)

Through the smoke-filled echoes, where the neon lights flicker,

He stumbles like a prophet, a ragged Wall Whisperer.

In the backstreets of his mind, where the notes entwine,

A rusty symphony, an ode to the fractured line.

(Verse 2)

The Wall stands tall, a monument of pain,

Each brick a memory, etched in acid rain.

A Pink Floydian reverie, a canvas of despair,

Hawk’s lyrics paint the cracks, the solace that’s not there.

(Pre-Chorus)

Cigarette smoke swirls, as he leans on a lamppost,

A streetlamp prophet, where the street signs are lost.

The Wall’s foundation shakes, as the troubadour croons,

A gravelly lament, beneath the haunting moons.

(Chorus)

Through the smoky echoes, where the neon lights flicker,

He stumbles like a prophet, a ragged Wall Whisperer.

In the backstreets of his mind, where the notes entwine,

A rusty symphony, an ode to the fractured line.

(Bridge)

The Wall crumbles, with sore fingered piano moans,

A howling saxophone in the twilight zones.

Whiskey rivers flowing, like tears down the drain,

A carnival of loners, where only the broken remain.

(Verse 3)

On this rusty carousel, the horses are worn,

In the mirror maze, reflections are torn.

A drunkard’s ballad, a graffiti on the Wall,

A hobo’s requiem, where the shadows crawl.

(Pre-Chorus)

Cigarette smoke swirls, as he leans on a lamppost,

A streetlamp prophet, where the street signs are lost.

The Wall’s foundation shakes, as the troubadour croons,

A gravelly lament, beneath the haunting moons.

(Chorus)

Through the choked echoes, where the neon lights flicker,

He stumbles like a prophet, a ragged Wall Whisperer.

In the backstreets of his mind, where the notes entwine,

A rusty symphony, an ode to the fractured line.

(Outro)

And as the night surrenders, to the dawn’s embrace,

The hobo disappears, leaving no trace.

A melody lingers, in the cracks of the Wall,

A requiem for the misfits, in the troubadour’s drawl.

Artist Statement:

“Train Track Walls” draws inspiration from Pink Floyd’s iconic album “The Wall” while adopting the distinctive style of Tom Waits, characterized by its gritty lyricism and melancholic piano accompaniment.

Structure:

The song follows a traditional verse-chorus structure, interspersed with a bridge and an outro. Each verse presents vivid imagery of a desolate urban landscape, while the chorus serves as a refrain, emphasizing the protagonist’s role as a “Wall Whisperer.” The bridge provides a moment of musical departure, marked by the inclusion of a saxophone and a shift in the lyrical focus towards the decay of the wall and the transient nature of existence. The outro brings closure to the narrative, leaving behind a lingering melody that echoes the troubadour’s lament.

Lyrical Themes:

“Train Track Walls” explores themes of alienation, disillusionment, and the search for solace amidst urban decay. The lyrics evoke imagery of whiskey-soaked speakeasies, shadowy figures, and a crumbling wall symbolizing the collective pain and memories of the dispossessed. The troubadour, or “Hawk,” serves as a storyteller navigating this bleak landscape, his gravelly voice painting a vivid portrait of a world on the fringes of society. The recurring motif of cigarette smoke and neon lights adds to the atmosphere of desolation, while the metaphor of the wall as a canvas of despair underscores the theme of emotional isolation and fragmentation.

Musical Elements:

The musical arrangement of “Train Track Walls” complements its lyrical content, with a somber piano melody providing the primary harmonic framework. The piano’s melancholic chords and dissonant intervals evoke a sense of longing and introspection, echoing the troubadour’s journey through the labyrinthine streets of his mind. The addition of a saxophone in the bridge section adds depth and texture to the arrangement, its mournful wails mirroring the protagonist’s existential anguish. The use of unconventional instrumentation, such as differently-filled whiskey bottles and train sounds, further enhances the song’s atmospheric quality, immersing the listener in the haunting world depicted in the lyrics.