Freight Train by Alan Jackson: Music Analysis Week 4 #2
The song that I have chosen is Freight Train by Alan Jackson. This song is a fairly recent song and was released on March 30, 2010, in the United States. While the song itself was not written by Alan Jackson, but rather by Fred Eaglesmith, it was composed by Alan Jackson and produced by Keith Stegall. This is a very upbeat song that encourages people to dance and sing with its upbeat tempo and lyrics. Freight Train is 4:39 in length with 121 bpm. While this song is on Alan Jackson's album, it was originally written and released in 1998 by Fred Eaglesmith.
The lyrics of this song hold a message that can be interpreted in many different ways. I personally believe that the song is about something that is much deeper than just an upbeat song. While the voice inflection sounds like a more upbeat song, the lyrics themselves talk about a devastating heartbreak and about how he falls behind in life, and sounds like he just wants to talk to someone about what he is going through. This song used the train analogy to talk about his life and how he is feeling at this particular time right after a breakup or losing someone he loves.
The melody is good throughout this song and was the thing that drove me to like this song so much. The guitar, drum, and lyrics all complement each other and help the song move along nicely. This is the reason that many people often do line dances to this song. The drums keep a steady beat and the guitar plays the same chords over and over, this helps the listeners stay attentive throughout the song. The song and album reached #2 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums and #7 on the US Billboard 200 in 2010 (Billboard). Overall, the melody has no big leaps, which makes the melody sound better, in my opinion. Having a good, consistent
The tempo of this song is fairly quick and helps people stay attentive throughout it. According to SongBMP, Freight Train is “a positive song by Alan Jackson with a tempo of 121 BPM.” This is roughly twice the speed of a resting heart rate so it encourages people to move and dance when this song comes on. A song having a faster tempo has been shown to encourage faster movement of people and this is why even though the song is about a sensitive subject, it seems like it is an upbeat and positive song. With that being said, the faster tempo leads to the song having a more catchy upbeat correlation, unlike if it was just based off of the lyrics themselves.
The timbre in this song comes from a variety of instruments. The main instruments I listened to are the guitar and drums as they help move the song along and are definitely the most predominant parts of this song, arguably more than the lyrics themselves. The fiddle comes in and out throughout the song to elevate when Alan is singing especially in verse 3 “And give me a little sand / And every time I slip behind / Even further back/ I wish some switch man would come out of fog / And change my track. (1:52-2:03).
The chords of Freight Train consist of, again, the guitar. The guitar plays repeating chords over and over and it becomes predictable throughout the song. Alan Jackson relies on the E minor chord, the C chord, and the D chord over and over. While these three chords are strummed and not always repeated in the same patterns, all of the notes played throughout this song come from these three chords.
“BPM and Key for Freight Train by Alan Jackson: Tempo for Freight Train: SONGBPM.” SongBPM, songbpm.com/@alan-jackson/freight-train. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
“Alan Jackson: Biography, Music & News.” Billboard, www.billboard.com/artist/alan-jackson/chart-history/. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Hey Porter, I have never heard this song before, but I like it! I really enjoy the fiddle in the song and agree that it elevates the vocals in the song. I love the mixed emotions that it gives, with the upbeat music but the sad lyrics. It allows the song to be applied for multiple situations, whether you are dancing to the music or going through a tough heartbreak. Another song with similar mixed emotions that I would recommend is "Little talks" my "Of Monsters and Men". It is a very upbeat song but the lyrics are about a women who is losing her memory and wants to be with her husband who passed away.
ReplyDeletelike how you pointed out the contrast between the upbeat tempo and the deeper meaning in the lyrics. It's interesting how the faster tempo and bright melody mask the emotional weight of heartbreak, which adds a layer of complexity to the song. I also noticed the fiddle’s role, as it helps emphasize emotional moments, complementing the lyrics beautifully. One thing I’d add is the vocal delivery—Alan Jackson’s voice has a warm, sincere quality that brings even more depth to the song’s emotional undertones. You could explore how his vocal tone impacts the overall feel of the song. Great analysis!
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