Never Marry A Railroad Man – English Lyrics

• By: Shocking Blue

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the cautionary yet catchy world of Shocking Blue's "Never Marry a Railroad Man." This psychedelic rock classic offers a unique opportunity to explore English vocabulary related to relationships, warnings, and emotions, all wrapped in Mariska Veres's distinctive vocals and the band's captivating sound. You can learn about expressing advice and describing the challenges of long-distance or emotionally distant relationships, making it a compelling piece for language learners.

[English]

Have you been broken hearted once or twice?

If it's yes, how did you feel at his first lies?

If it's no you need this good advice

Never marry a Railroad man

He loves you every now and then

His heart is at his new train

No, no, no!

Don't fall in love with a Railroad man

If you do forget him if you can

You're better off without him

Aaah...!

Have you ever been restless in your bed?

And so lonely that your eyes became wet

Let me tell you then one thing

Mmm...

Mmm...

Mmm...

No, no, no!

Never marry a Railroad man

He loves you every now and then

His heart is at his new train

No, no, no!

Don't fall in love with a Railroad man

If you do forget him if you can

You're better off without him

No, no, no!

No, no, no!

No, no, no!

No, no, no!

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ B1	adjective - having been damaged or fractured
hearted /ˈhɑːrtɪd/ B2	adjective - having a heart of a specified kind (often in compounds)
lies /laɪz/ B1	noun - false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive verb - to speak falsely with deliberate intent to deceive
advice /ədˈvaɪs/ B1	noun - guidance or recommendations concerning prudent future action
marry /ˈmæri/ A2	verb - to join in marriage
Railroad /ˈreɪlroʊd/ B1	noun - a track or set of tracks made of steel rails along which passenger and freight trains run.
loves /lʌvz/ A1	verb - feel deep affection for (someone).
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - a hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system by rhythmic contraction and dilation.
train /treɪn/ A1	noun - a series of railway carriages or wagons moved as a unit by a locomotive or by integral motors.
fall /fɔːl/ A2	verb - to lose balance and collapse. verb - to lose status; to descend.
forget /fərˈɡet/ A2	verb - fail to remember.
better /ˈbetər/ A2	adjective - of a higher standard, or more suitable, pleasing, or effective than other things or people.
restless /ˈrestləs/ B2	adjective - unable to stay still or quiet because you are bored or worried.
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company.
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organ of sight in humans and animals.
wet /wet/ A1	adjective - covered or saturated with water or another liquid.

Key Grammar Structures

• Have you been broken hearted once or twice?

  ➔ Present Perfect Passive

  ➔ The phrase "have been broken hearted" uses the present perfect passive to indicate an experience or state that started in the past and continues or has relevance now.

• His heart is at his new train

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase indicating location or focus

  ➔ The phrase "at his new train" uses a preposition "at" to show focus or physical location related to "his new train".

• If you do forget him if you can

  ➔ Second Conditional with modal verb "can"

  ➔ The phrase "if you do forget him if you can" is a second conditional expressing an unreal or hypothetical situation, with "can" indicating ability or possibility.

• You're better off without him

  ➔ Comparative expression using "better off"

  ➔ The phrase "You're better off without him" uses the comparative form "better off" to suggest that the situation is more desirable or beneficial when not involving "him".

• No, no, no!

  ➔ Exclamative expression for emphasis

  ➔ The repeated "No, no, no!" is an exclamative for emphasis, conveying strong disagreement or rejection.