Green, Al - Back Up Train Lyrics






Back up the train
(Back up, train)
Turn it around
(Turn around)

I've got to take my baby
(Got to take my baby)
Oh, wherever I'm bound

I'm a lonely man
Just a lonely man
Need a helping hand
Yeah, yeah

Back up the train
(Back up, train)
Ease the pain
(Ease the pain)
Take me to my baby
(Take me to my baby)

I'm going insane
So, mister conductor
(Turn this train around)
All you gotta do now
(Turn this train around) ohh

Music in my hand
I'm a lonely man
Need a helding hand
Yeah, yeah

So back this train up
That all you gotta do now

I'll never forget the
Girl I left behind
Her tears, her kiss
Her face stay on my mind

I got to make her say
That she'll forgive me
I gotta get back, so, ohh

Baby, baby, baby, baby
I need, I need your
Loving right now, darling





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Green, Al Back Up Train Comments
  1. V.... B....

    Greg Patterson April 20 2019

  2. M.... S....

    My Jam And bring back so many Good memories

  3. t.... p....

    im only 40 my second time hearing i heard bout in his book but one day came on the radio few months on oldies station and my parents reminise about when it came.

  4. T.... N....

    Born in the year 96 . Love this song & beat is 🔥

  5. W.... T....

    Heard Al hated this song!

  6. S.... S....

    Rest on Peewee. This was your song.

  7. L.... P....

    sing it Rev. Al Green. let the church say Amen

  8. l.... l....

    My granddaddy loved THIS song and I do TOO "Rest in peace" dad. "2019"

  9. G.... S....

    I didn't appreciate being a carefree teen agers in a hurry to grow up

  10. L.... A....

    IT'S ALWAYS BEEN GREAT TO LISTEN TO THOSE "GOLDEN CLASSIC OLDIES, BUT GOLDIES"

    THANK YOU MR. AL GREEN

  11. J.... D....

    Shreveport La In The House And I This Song By Mr Al Green And Shout To Bossier La

  12. m.... b....

    AL 💖

  13. C.... S....

    Rose your comment breaks my old heart. Prayers for peace ma'am.

  14. S.... ....

    this is before he had his signature vocal style...

  15. B.... V....

    ♡♡♡♡

  16. C.... S....

    The song is awesome...but that ever so soulful falsetto at the very end just sends me to another place! This song should have been much longer. Are there any of you editing people out there who could work your magic and make an extended version of this?

  17. R.... G....

    JUST LISTEN---AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING:

  18. S.... J....

    June 2,2019 6:30 in the morn still sounds damn good!!!

  19. D.... ....

    music in my head
    im a loenly man
    need a helping hand yeah

  20. S.... H....

    Didn't know Al Green made this song. I like this song, sometimes I do feel lonely, but I know God will make a way out of no way. Kisses💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝💝

  21. J.... H....

    Back up Train, if only I could

  22. T.... 1....

    I was 7 when this came out.

  23. L.... H....

    I love the way it ends❤️ Baby baby baby baby I need I need a your love right now honey . Still give me chills🤗

  24. C.... L....

    At 25 sec 🎵🎶🎶🎵💕Dayum

  25. T.... H....

    I love this song so much.

  26. b.... w....

    I always love ❤️ back up train as a child and still do his style and the sound of his voice is melodious it touches your heart deep down

  27. t.... p....

    The music is hard on this

  28. W.... S....

    Ai. Talking. Shit

  29. M.... K....

    22 years now

  30. M.... K....

    To all railroad workers like me

  31. R.... H....

    When this came out, I was hooked at age 11. At age 14 my mom dropped my best friend and I off at the Convention Center; in downtown Ft.Worth to see Al Green. People were looking at us like we were out of place. We partied our little young butts off. My age put me in between my three brothers, so my mom would let me do things to get me out the house because I was always raising hell with them. I had to stand my ground. LOL Oh yeah I think I even wore an orange hot pants outfit.

  32. J.... D....

    I remember this song when it came out when I was in high school. Always had Al Green on my mind and wondered why we never heard any more songs from him, and then BAM just a few years later AL exploded!!!!!! So glad he came back.

  33. N.... N....

    I am loving this song. An older patient had a boombox at my job and he was playing this, and I knew it was a familiar voice. I know lots of Al Green songs, I'm 28 and used to listen with my Grandma but this was one I've never heard until today 10/11/2018 and I'm in love with it lol

    N.... N....

    Yes. This came out before his HI and Willie Green days. The story goes that Willie remembered him singing this song and reached out to him. The rest is history.

  34. C.... W....

    Linda Martin and I remember like yesterday she lived on lower Back Street me upper part .She would play Back up Train over and over .I love it and still do.

    C.... W....

    Sounds like my childhood in Oakland

  35. C.... W....

    Love this song ..

  36. M.... J....

    Brown liquor and a few tears😂 Sang ya song Al!!!!

  37. A.... R....

    i didn't know this song was related to vietnam, i know those brothers over sea were feeling lonley when they heard this song

  38. A.... R....

    it's amazing, i didn't know this song was related to vietnam wow, i know those brothers were feeling lonley when they heard this song over seas

  39. J.... T....

    2018 still luv u

  40. k.... k....

    when music meant something.

  41. V.... F....

    Rosy my deepest symphaty goes out to you hun God bless keep strong

  42. T.... W....

    Sang Boo

    T.... W....

    Temika Wharton

  43. D.... B....

    yes this song was out during the Vietnam war and I'm sure a lot of couples listen to this before the young man with head off to war unfortunately 50000 of those young men and women did not come back but their memory goes down in history and this song we'll also back up train Al Green

    D.... B....

    didn't know that, that's nice to know, i thought this song was about something else, my uncle was in vietnam, now that i know this it's bringing tears to my eyes i can imagine what these family's were going thru

  44. J.... T....

    this is my song luv it,🤗🤗🤗😍

  45. J.... D....

    also.i was a little girl.but I remember this.i found it on one of his CD

  46. L.... G....

    USA, usa

  47. i.... ....

    When I was a little girl, my older brother would get off work, shower, get dressed up like he was going out. But he would stand in the front room, look in the big mirror, sing this song. He is gone now, but the memories.

  48. M.... M....

    thanks AL.

  49. M.... M....

    good song.sometimes we miss something's or someone.good memories are to come by.

  50. G.... q....

    This was one of my dads favorite songs and when i was younger i swore i hated this music but ever since my dads passing ive found my self listening to music like this more and more often. Funny how life works

  51. S.... B....

    Was this before or after his lady slang grits on him?

    S.... B....

    IT WAS BEFORE THE HOT GRITS. LOL!! BACK UP THIS TRAIN, HIS FIRST ALBLUM CAME OUT IN 1967. I WAS 12YRS , IT WAS A HIT AND IT STILL SOUND GOOD TODAY. BRINGS BACK A LOT OF FUN, CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. JUST STARTED JR HIGH SCHOOL GOING TO PARTIES, BASKET BALL AND FOOTBALL GAMES.

  52. M.... a....

    Wow this is a great song!

  53. M.... P....

    THE FAMU SWIMMING TEAM OF THE SONG OF AL GREEN'S TITLE & TIME RECORDING OF "BACK UP TRAIN" GAVE US A SENCE OF (OVER CONFIDENCE )TO: WE ARE A GROUP OF. OF WHAT ARE WE GOING THERE FOR(THEY ARE GOING TO LOSE, WE ARE SURE TO WIN !) TO TOM! (THE BUS DRIVER) WE'D SAY ) TURN THIS BUS AROUND; THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE. BACK THIS "TRAIN" (THE BUS'S NAME). WHEN WE ARRIVED ON THERE CAMPUS, TOM WOULD RIDE THROUGH THE SET AND BLOW A LONG SOUND OF THE BUS HORN TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR ARRIVALS TO COMPETING EVENTS(SWIMMING THAT DAY & BASKETBALL THAT NIGHT WITH AN AFTERWARDS DANCE PARTY) ARE SOON TO START.
    SO ALL STUDENTS, INTERESTED IN GREETING THERE (SIAC) ATHLETE'S, FIT TO PROMOTE; THE " MAY THE BEST MAN WIN ATTITUDE OF ASSURANCE" RALLYING TO PROMOTE TALENTS THAT MAY LEAD TO FORTUNE &/OR FAME OPPORTUNITIES. FOR: THE YOUNG & RESTLESS, ALL MY CHILDREN, THE EDGE OF DREAM COME TRUE OR A NIGHTMARE FOR THE HOST'S COMPETITION!
    WELL, IT CAN (COULD HAVE BEEN) BE INDESCRIBABLY DELICIOUS! IN OTHER WORDS, A PICTURE CAN SAY MORE THAN A THOUSAND WORDS, AND YET NOT UNLIKE, THE, TELL A VISION (TV) CAN BE THE BIGGEST LIE!!!
    ALTHOUGH TIMES OF THE AGES, IN ALL FAIRNESS, (SEGREGATION) DID CAUSE THE STEPPING STONE TO BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THE HOPE IN EVEN A GREATER FAITH TO TRY AND PROMOTE A NEW WAY TO PREPARE FOR THE NEW GENERATIONS TO APPREACIATE (AFFIRM THE PRESENT OPPORTUNITY TO GO BEYOND THE WALLS OF TRADITION). EVEN UPHOLDING THE ASSIGNED BECON OF LIGHT TITLE & NAMES, LABELED AS AGRICULTURE(FARMING) & MECHANICAL(MATHEMATICS) TO NOW A SCIENCE OF PARALLEL IN SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT TO BE: HEAD, HEART, HAND & FIELD LEADERSHIP TO ACHIEVING ABOVE & BEYOND THE INVISIBLE TRUTH THAT IS NO LONGER IN THE DARK FOR SO LONG,
    (1)KNOWN TO SELF, KNOWN TO OTHERS, (2)KNOWN TO SELF, HIDDEN TO OTHERS; (3)KNOWN TO OTHERS, HIDDEN TO SELF,
    (4)HIDDEN TO HIDDEN TO SELF; HIDDEN TO OTHERS.

    IMAGES: DO TELL(TO CHILDREN, STORIES)(TO MEN & WOMEN ADULTS, LIES) ALSO.
    CAST NOT YOUR CARE, UPON THE "THINGS" (OF THE WORLD) THEY ARE, TEMPORARY, (NOT REAL) BUT, LOOK TO(SEEK) YE THE SIGHT, TO SEE; THE VISIBLE ONLY; FROM,(WITHIN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN) ( YOUR EYE(S) THAT IS:( NOT OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY, LOOKING INTO YOUR BODY), BUT WITHIN THE TEMPLE "HOUSE"(LOOKING OUTWARD TO; "HIM"!
    BEHOLD:(SEE), "NOW" FAITH (BELIEVE) IS ( IT EXIST'S) THE SUBSTANCE (REAL EMPOWERMENT) OF THINGS( NOT MADE OF WORLDLY MATTER/MATERIALIZED/FLESH & BLOOD)
    HOPE( NOT YET HAVE/YET CONTINUE IN BELIEF) FOR(IN YOUR BEHALF/RESERVE) AND THE EVIDENCE(PROOF/WITNESSED/REAL/ RECORD/ LEDGER & TRUTH) OF THINGS NOT (YET) SEEN (TRUE/CERTIFIED/VARIFIED/HANDLING/ FORTIFICATION/IN ORDER( FORMATION),THAT THE FATHER "WILL" VISIT/ COME TO ONE, THAT BELONG'S TO HIM! (THE TEMPLE OF GOD "HOUSE") THAT HE BUILT FOR THEM THAT BELONGS TO HIM, "BE HOLD"(SEE)HIM WHEN HE FOUND YOU, IN THE SEATED POSITION, OF ATHORITY, IN THE HE "WILL" COME TO SUP(FEED)GIVE EXTERNAL KNOWLEDGE OF DOCTRINE, OF THE TRUTH ABOUT WHO YOU "WILL", AGREE (SHARE/EAT/SUP/ RECEIVED IS, GOOD FOOD(SPIRIT & TRUTH),(SEE)( RECEIVED SIGHT/ OBSERVED) REVELATION( REVEALED HIMSELF, TO THEM, THAT BELONGS TO HIM). SMILE( PEACE THAT SURPASSES "ALL UNDERSTANDING". EVEN "IN EARTH" AS IT IS; IN HEAVEN".

    SHALL PASS AWAY! BUT HIS WORD( SPIRIT LIVINGWATER PERSON) SHALL FOREVER BE:(AN ACTION; DO'ER !!!
    ____________________

  54. J.... B....

    U Rock Mr, Green💯love U 2 life⚘

  55. L.... G....

    Dragon natural speaking

  56. G.... D....

    This song takes me back to my days.  Great song!

  57. E.... S....

    Great classic....

  58. L.... B....

    I HAD A LOVE TOO I WANTED TO BACK THAT TRAIN UP TOO HE WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HE, NO ONE CAN TAKE IT WAY .BUT ITWAS THEN WE ARE NOT THE SAME BUT BETTER AND ,I THANK GOD FOR THOSE SPECIAL DAYS IN MY HEART

  59. L.... B....

    AMY D.HARRELL,SWEETIE I MISS U LIKE CRAY !BEST FRIEND I EVEN HAD!!!!!!!!! RIP IN JESUS !!!!!!!!YOUR UNCLE FROM DOWN {BERTIE CO.I LOVE THAT PLACE SO MUCH I NEVER HAVE A HOME WITH LOVE LIKE THAT }!HOME GAVE ME THAT 8 T.TAPE I LOVE THIS SO AND I THINK OF U WHEN I HEAR .MY HEART IS SO HEAVY ,BUT AM OK IT JUST HEN HAVE SOME ONE U LOVE MAK SURE U BE WITH THEM ALL TIME U CAN ,U NEVER WHEN GOD WILL AND THEY ARE .LOVE THE HELL OUT OF THEM .YOU E TOGETHER WHEN U YOUNG THINGS HAPPEN U GET OLDER AND U DONT SEE EACH LIKE U DID ,PLEAS NOT DO THAT!!!

  60. R.... B....

    great artist

  61. J.... B....

    I've felt the deep warmth of my favorite loves in this song since it first hit the charts. It's one of my all-time favorite of my teen days of Betty, Amelia, Barbara and Kathy.

  62. A.... R....

    opening up, did he say crane, or train ?????

  63. R.... B....

    I just needed to hear some Al Green. I was 12 yrs old when I first heard this song. Been a Al Green fan ever since

  64. L.... G....

    old jukebox

  65. S.... ....

    AL SANG THAT TO ME BEFORE IT BECAME FAMOUS. ..I WAS 12 YRS OLD,AT MOTHER BATES HOUSE .

  66. j.... s....

    love anything by al green, he's the man

  67. L.... G....

    Lucille Green 1984 -1999 R&B

  68. D.... M....

    Talk about your humble beginnings.  Some time after getting thrown out of the house for listening to a Jackie Wilson record, young Al Green(e) and his Soul Mates goes into a tiny recording studio set up by two of his group members and releases a deep soul gem called "Back Up Train" and almost gets his first top 40 hit.  It would take roughly three years and "Tired of Being Alone" to find out just how important this record really is.  Something different and special was happening even then that extended the era of Soul music into the 1970's.

  69. L.... G....

    Lucille Green rockymountain4646@gmail Granny&BoBo Lucille Green 6925@comCast net use us a

  70. M.... S....

    that's right back it up

  71. p.... r....

    Love it, Love it, Love it. No one does it better than Mr. Al Green. Thank you for do much LOVE. Peace be with you.

  72. J.... M....

    LOVE THIS.

  73. t.... ....

    Simple. Too the point. Beautiful.

  74. i.... ....

    Thinkyouknowmusic on Twitter brought me here.

  75. J.... ....

    I love a song that makes you feel the words and instruments

  76. j.... w....

    Al you make it sound like we in that train!!! :-) :-) :-)

  77. J.... W....

    Do you know how long I am searching for this song? Thank You Very Much!!!

    J.... W....

    ur welcome . This song means a lot to me .

  78. P.... T....

    ALWAYZ LOVED THIS SONG AS A CHILD MY GRANDMA WOULD PLAY ALGREEN…..

  79. R.... P....

    Al Green, such an original.....no one even attempts to duplicate this mans sound. Just love all of his music since first hearing him in the early seventies!

    R.... P....

    o'jay family reunion

  80. a.... ....

    First Al Green song I ever heard. Takes me back to another time and place. Simply love this classic....

    a.... ....

    Yes jump on this train let go on memory lane

  81. F.... C....

    wow.auto fill make you seem illiterate

  82. F.... C....

    I meant...my mom. Dam not fill

  83. R.... H....

    love this song

  84. 1.... ....

    This was when they were saying who is Al Green?

  85. s.... e....

    this is real music and i wish the artist would get back to making this type of music!

  86. T.... T....

    al green had me hooked since the first time i heard his music.....

  87. o.... c....

    I love you Dad, we all miss you. We all hate we lost you. See you when we get there. Here's your jam just for you...RIP Oscar Campos

    o.... c....

    +oscar campos ya pops never left don't believe the lies my man, my pops just died feb 20th and i still feel his presence

    o.... c....

    I feel ya pain I lost my pops in 2015 not a day go by I don't thank about my pops we had good and bad time's one thing for sure blues help us through the problems I love him for it now I'm still bumping blues

  88. S.... ....

    This is the first song I heard when I moved to California. Then and there, I knew California would be a sweet ride!!!!

    S.... ....

    SuperCoolmack
    I'm glad it was everything you thought it would be, and then some ✌

    S.... ....

    SuperCoolmack stfu

    S.... ....

    SuperCoolmack 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬👿🤷🏽‍♀️👿🤷🏽‍♀️👿🚮🚮

    S.... ....

    Still does it for me: May 04, 2019!!!!

  89. D.... P....

    This was his FINAL tribute to me in a letter...."Back up Train"....he wanted to get back to me "his baby" before death claimed his luscious, beautifully-soulful life.  Lord knows I STILL love and miss him and will until my dying day.  =27 October 2015=

  90. E.... O....

    Words cannot explain.

    E.... O....

    Amen, highschool dances !!!

    E.... O....

    I love this song. Thank YOU
    Al Green.

  91. D.... D....

    This was the first song I ever owned. I bought it at a white elephant sale in the second grade. I was 7years old. Im fifty four now and I still LOVE this song.

    D.... D....

    Still loving this song

    D.... D....

    purely amazing story ma'am 😊

  92. R.... M....

    I played this song when my one and only true love went to fight in the nam war. No he didn't come back alive but this song will always b our song. I wish it would have backed up.

    R.... M....

    i thank him for his service to our country and thank god for all the ones like him. one love.

    R.... M....

    Rose Murphy wow I felt the pain in my heart

    R.... M....

    I lost my dad in that senseless war I was six years old I feel ur pain Ms Rose

    R.... M....

    @Herman Green Welcome home Brother.

    R.... M....

    Rose Murphy. May your loved one rest in peace and may your heart live in peace.

  93. F.... B....

    In Memory  of my brother Robert Briones

  94. l.... ....

    This song makes me feel so good. It don't come no better than this. Wow. A masterpiece then, now and forever.

  95. D.... D....

    THE FIRST SONG I LEARNED---THANKS "DENTMAN"...LOVE YA-OLD MAN...R.I.P. DAVID "DENTMAN" DENTON

  96. g.... ....

    As a poor little girl in Grand Rapids Michigan I would go to a restaurant on Division street when I could just to put money in the juke box and play this song. I thought I was the only one in the world that knew this song because it was in his early days. 48 years later, I still love it.

    g.... ....

    Lucille Green

    g.... ....

    gondodeb. just read the book...Now i see why all the early promoters wanted him to sing that a lot.DOPE!!