Tell Me :
Talk
"watch the men all working, working, yeah .... All Down the Line"
"All down the line, We're gonna bust another bottle,yeah"
"Oh, heard the wires a humming all down the line"
"We'll be watching out for trouble, yeah"
These lines all seem to describe a production line more than a train. What train passengers are responsible for watching out for trouble ?? I guess that it could be about a train,though.
1. Trains often go through the working section of towns besides they all have workers along the way keeping the lines clear, switching the rails, etc.
2. Busting bottles may refer to drinking a cold one, pretty common on trains which usually all had bar services. It could also refer to tossing a bottle out or under the train which was also pretty common practice.
3. Wires humming could refer to the telegraph and other electrical wires which almost always run down the train right of way.
4. Watching out for trouble is a common train theme too. Yeah, passengers aren't responsible for watching out for trouble but no doubt some did anyway. Not only trouble on the tracks but possibly trouble on the train.
I think Jagger started the song thinking about riding a train or train stations and just threw lyrics that fit in as needed. As a song it doesn't really need to be interpreted so literally anyway, and trains are a common theme in rock and blues and some Stones music as well. Mick and Keith even met in a train station, probably breaking bottles, watching out for trouble, watching men working and listening to the wires humming.
peace
lol yes... better example ;-)
Unless, it is sung by Pat Boone
"Support International Tourism,
Visit Matamoros, Mexico"
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-28 01:57 by carlosrr.
no matter how you look at it, it's not a deep song :-)
Yup!
"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"
yes. to me it is obviously about a train when taken literally. but of course it's not supposed to be taken literally.
Talk about your favorite band.
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All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
StonedRambler
()
Date: May 27, 2015 23:50
Always one of my favourites on exile and one of my favourite Songs to be played live. Hope they keep it in the setlist.
But what I always wanted to know:
What is this song about?
Is is about cocaine?
Honestly I don't understand anything about the lyrics.
I just don't get the point.
Could be because im German..
So can you explain me what means "All down the line"
and "We'll be watching out for Trouble yeah
and we'd better keep the motor running yeah"
?
But what I always wanted to know:
What is this song about?
Is is about cocaine?
Honestly I don't understand anything about the lyrics.
I just don't get the point.
Could be because im German..
So can you explain me what means "All down the line"
and "We'll be watching out for Trouble yeah
and we'd better keep the motor running yeah"
?
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
SharksWillCry
()
Date: May 27, 2015 23:58
Working on an assembly line, maybe? Kind of like Let it Rock but inside the factory instead of out in the railyard. I'm thinking a beer bottling plant.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-28 00:00 by SharksWillCry.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-28 00:00 by SharksWillCry.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Nikkei
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:00
And how about that "shot of salvation" huh
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Winning Ugly VXII
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:02
That's what it sounds like to me. Really,a manufacturing production line. "Hear the whistle blowing" / "Bust another bottle" sounds like a beverage production line.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Naturalust
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:09
Pretty clear to me this is about riding a train. Including the party in the service coach and the need for a girl to share your sleeper cabin. 
peace
peace
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
StonedRambler
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:10
You might be right.
That would really make sence to me.
Thank You!!
best line:
I need a shot of salvation baby, once in a while
That would really make sence to me.
Thank You!!
best line:
I need a shot of salvation baby, once in a while
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
StonedRambler
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:12
You also might be rightQuote
Naturalust
Pretty clear to me this is about riding a train. Including the party in the service coach and the need for a girl to share your sleeper cabin.
peace
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Winning Ugly VXII
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:30
Quote
StonedRamblerYou also might be rightQuote
Naturalust
Pretty clear to me this is about riding a train. Including the party in the service coach and the need for a girl to share your sleeper cabin.
peace
"watch the men all working, working, yeah .... All Down the Line"
"All down the line, We're gonna bust another bottle,yeah"
"Oh, heard the wires a humming all down the line"
"We'll be watching out for trouble, yeah"
These lines all seem to describe a production line more than a train. What train passengers are responsible for watching out for trouble ?? I guess that it could be about a train,though.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
triceratops
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:38
Its definitely about a railroad train. Mick embellished it a bit so its not just another train song
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
NICOS
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:41
It's not the first time Mick sings about trains............
__________________________
__________________________
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Winning Ugly VXII
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:43
Alright,but,what were his ideas which he used for embellishment ?? There could very well be more than 1 singular idea that was brought into play.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Naturalust
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:46
Quote
Winning Ugly VXIIQuote
StonedRamblerYou also might be rightQuote
Naturalust
Pretty clear to me this is about riding a train. Including the party in the service coach and the need for a girl to share your sleeper cabin.
peace
"watch the men all working, working, yeah .... All Down the Line"
"All down the line, We're gonna bust another bottle,yeah"
"Oh, heard the wires a humming all down the line"
"We'll be watching out for trouble, yeah"
These lines all seem to describe a production line more than a train. What train passengers are responsible for watching out for trouble ?? I guess that it could be about a train,though.
1. Trains often go through the working section of towns besides they all have workers along the way keeping the lines clear, switching the rails, etc.
2. Busting bottles may refer to drinking a cold one, pretty common on trains which usually all had bar services. It could also refer to tossing a bottle out or under the train which was also pretty common practice.
3. Wires humming could refer to the telegraph and other electrical wires which almost always run down the train right of way.
4. Watching out for trouble is a common train theme too. Yeah, passengers aren't responsible for watching out for trouble but no doubt some did anyway. Not only trouble on the tracks but possibly trouble on the train.
I think Jagger started the song thinking about riding a train or train stations and just threw lyrics that fit in as needed. As a song it doesn't really need to be interpreted so literally anyway, and trains are a common theme in rock and blues and some Stones music as well. Mick and Keith even met in a train station, probably breaking bottles, watching out for trouble, watching men working and listening to the wires humming.
peace
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Winning Ugly VXII
()
Date: May 28, 2015 00:59
Maybe. It's just still more of a stretch to apply those lines to a train. Things that might happen versus things that one would see immediately,almost right away on a production line. I have just never heard of anyone throwing bottles under a train. I don't even know how you would be able to pull that off from inside of a train. Both drinking AND watching out for trouble at the same time doesn't seem realistic. One or the other,perhaps. I could be wrong.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
mitchrambler
()
Date: May 28, 2015 01:12
kind of like Alabama singing 40 hr week for a living.,just to send it on down the line,detroit auto workers let me thank you for your time u work a 40 hr week for a living...just to send it on down the line.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Turner68
()
Date: May 28, 2015 01:15
the title and first line of the first verse refer to a train, but as with most subjects, the rolling stones are using metaphors. e.g., start me up is not about race car driver.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Rockman
()
Date: May 28, 2015 01:25
start me up is not about race car driver.
And King Bee ain't an advertisement for a honey farm...
ROCKMAN
And King Bee ain't an advertisement for a honey farm...
ROCKMAN
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Turner68
()
Date: May 28, 2015 01:26
Quote
Rockman
start me up is not about race car driver.
And King Bee ain't an advertisement for a honey farm...
lol yes... better example ;-)
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
onlystones
()
Date: May 28, 2015 01:52
I know this is obscure. I sometimes think its about racing. Bust another bottle of Nitros Oxide. On Ladies and Gentlemen if you put on the captions, The song lyrics begin "hear the big blocks humming" Maybe a nitros induced Big Block Chevy 454.
I try to experience all of the music and performances in everyway possible on every format possible.
I know I'm weird. That is OK because I like me. But...
I love the Stones
I try to experience all of the music and performances in everyway possible on every format possible.
I know I'm weird. That is OK because I like me. But...
I love the Stones
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
carlosrr
()
Date: May 28, 2015 01:54
Quote
Rockman
start me up is not about race car driver.
And King Bee ain't an advertisement for a honey farm...
Unless, it is sung by Pat Boone
"Support International Tourism,
Visit Matamoros, Mexico"
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-28 01:57 by carlosrr.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
StonedRambler
()
Date: May 28, 2015 11:40
I had breakfast with a friend of mine this morning. I showed him the lyrics of ADTL and asked him what he would think this song is about.
He looked at the lyrics and said he thinks it's about soldiers.
Actually many lines fit to his theory. But the first one's not really..
That it's about a an assembly line makes still most sence to me.
He looked at the lyrics and said he thinks it's about soldiers.
Actually many lines fit to his theory. But the first one's not really..
That it's about a an assembly line makes still most sence to me.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Turner68
()
Date: May 28, 2015 11:46
Quote
StonedRambler
I had breakfast with a friend of mine this morning. I showed him the lyrics of ADTL and asked him what he would think this song is about.
He looked at the lyrics and said he thinks it's about soldiers.
Actually many lines fit to his theory. But the first one's not really..
That it's about a an assembly line makes still most sence to me.
no matter how you look at it, it's not a deep song :-)
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
slewan
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:23
Although I'm not a native speaker I always thought that "all down the line" is a metaphor for "all life long" (note the difference/relation between "all down the line" and "won't you be my baby for a while"
and thinking of all the topics mentioned in the song (women sighing, children crying, men working, whistle blowing (maybe not train, but factory whistle!?)) the lyrics remind of lots of traditional blues songs
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-28 12:27 by slewan.
and thinking of all the topics mentioned in the song (women sighing, children crying, men working, whistle blowing (maybe not train, but factory whistle!?)) the lyrics remind of lots of traditional blues songs
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015-05-28 12:27 by slewan.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Mathijs
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:28
I always thought of it as a 'being on the road'song, as in a touring band being on the road, going from one place to the other, gig to gig, while partying and having fun, and trying to keep out of trouble. They toured partially by train in 1970 and 1971, so I always thought that made sense.
Mathijs
Mathijs
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
DandelionPowderman
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:32
But do trains run on diesel? 
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Turner68
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:34
Quote
DandelionPowderman
But do trains run on diesel?
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Deltics
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:40
Quote
DandelionPowderman
But do trains run on diesel?
Yup!
"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Nikkei
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:42
Hasn't anyone picked up on the fact that a whistle is blown as the train leaves the platform?
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
Turner68
()
Date: May 28, 2015 12:44
Quote
Nikkei
Hasn't anyone picked up on the fact that a whistle is blown as the train leaves the platform?
yes. to me it is obviously about a train when taken literally. but of course it's not supposed to be taken literally.
Re: All Down The Line - Song Meaning
Posted by:
marcovandereijk
()
Date: May 28, 2015 13:13
So how do we call the job of the person who is blowing the whistle then?
It's a good question about the meaning of these lyrics. A suspect a lot of metaphores
are involved, but I can't point them out.
The "Won't you be my little baby" line is a nice reference to the Ronettes song, but
adding "for a while" to it makes it clear what the real intentions are. I like that.
(I used this line in my utterly disgusting youth a lot, but I am no Mick Jagger as it
never had the desired results).
Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away
It's a good question about the meaning of these lyrics. A suspect a lot of metaphores
are involved, but I can't point them out.
The "Won't you be my little baby" line is a nice reference to the Ronettes song, but
adding "for a while" to it makes it clear what the real intentions are. I like that.
(I used this line in my utterly disgusting youth a lot, but I am no Mick Jagger as it
never had the desired results).
Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away
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