Song Information
Title: Freight Train
Artist: Aaron Watson
Album: The Underdog
Songwriter(s): Aaron Watson
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Genre: Texas Country / Americana
Label: Big Label Records
Duration: 3 minutes 49 seconds
“Freight Train” is one of the standout tracks from The Underdog, the album that made history when Aaron Watson became the first independent male artist to debut at No.1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart with a self-released and self-written record. The song embodies Watson’s signature style — a fusion of raw Texas grit and heartfelt lyrics, rooted deeply in traditional country storytelling.
Song Meaning and Storyline
In “Freight Train”, Aaron Watson uses the metaphor of a relentless, roaring train to symbolize a man’s inner fire — his drive to pursue dreams, overcome heartbreak, and chase redemption. The song opens with pounding drums and steel guitar riffs that evoke the image of a train racing through the open plains. Through the verses, Watson reflects on resilience and determination: the kind of spirit that refuses to slow down, even in the face of loss or failure.
The lyrics describe a character who’s been “run off the rails” before but keeps pushing forward, fueled by pain and purpose. It’s about carrying emotional weight — grief, guilt, and longing — yet finding strength in motion, in not staying still. As he barrels down the track of life, he’s not looking back, just pressing onward toward a destiny still unwritten.
Explaining the Core Message
At first listen, “Freight Train” might seem like a straightforward anthem of perseverance — but beneath the surface lies a deeper emotional context. The man in the song is not just persistent — he’s haunted. His constant motion is not just ambition, but avoidance. The train doesn’t stop because the silence is unbearable. Stillness means facing regrets, missed chances, and the people he’s left behind.
This duality — strength through momentum and fragility in pause — is what makes “Freight Train” powerful. Watson taps into a very human experience: how we often bury our deepest wounds beneath our hardest work. By comparing the character to a train — something powerful yet bound to a track, unable to choose its path — the song also quietly questions whether we’re really free when we don’t stop to heal.
It’s a subtle but meaningful commentary on modern masculinity, especially in country culture — where being “tough” often means pushing pain aside. “Freight Train” challenges that image by suggesting that the greatest strength might lie in facing what we’re running from.
Watch the Song Video
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivpfMF1v8H4
Lyrics – Freight Train
Well I ain’t ever been the kind to back down
Or to turn and run when things get rough
I keep my feet on the ground, my ears to the wind
And my heart on the things I love
I’m a freight train rollin’ down the track
Got a fire in my soul and I ain’t lookin’ back
I’m a freight train, I was born to ride
If you’re coming with me, better hold on tight
I’ve been broken, I’ve been bruised
But I’m still standin’ and I’ve paid my dues
The smoke is risin’, the wheels still spin
Ain’t no stoppin’ once I begin
I’m a freight train rollin’ down the line
No destination but I’m feelin’ fine
I’m a freight train, thunder in my wake
You can feel me comin’ when the whole world shakes
(Instrumental Interlude)
I’ve seen sunsets through the desert wind
Chased redemption, chased my sin
There’s a rhythm in my bones
A beat that’s callin’ me back home
I’m a freight train, iron in my blood
Rollin’ through the heartland, through the flood
I’m a freight train, can’t be denied
This life is a journey and I’m along for the ride