Train in Vain Analysis

Andrew Morse Shifting from a break up to remembering his relationship in "Train in Vain" the Clash utilizes a personal point of view, subtle narrative, and essential characterization to portray an accusatory tone. Train in vain is about a break-up between the speaker and his partner. The person that would have the most knowledge about that event would be someone how was involved, so the song comes from the point of view of the person betrayed in this relationship. The subject matter of the song becomes more real this way but the song is also in the second person so it is directed to the person that broke the speakers heart. This helps the song to achieve the accusatory tone because being directed to a specific person makes the song almost like a conversation between the two with one person telling the other what they did wrong. The song contains a deep narrative or a very concise one depending on how it is looked at. Some listeners may think the song is repetitive but it could also narrate the events the speaker went through after they split up. The song shows the harshness of the speakers heartbreak and how his life deprecated without his partner. The speaker says "I see all my dreams come tumbling down / I won't be happy without you around" which shows he is hurt but when he says "Now I got a job / But it don't pay / I need new clothes / I need somewhere to stay / But without all these things I can do / But without your love I won't make it through." Now the speaker has reached an all time low and has had downward spiral and is almost pleading his partner to return to him. It displays how things have just kept getting worse for him. For a relatively short song "Train in Vain" contains a deep characterization of the speaker and a minimal characterization of his former partner. The characterization of the speaker shifts in the song. At the beginning he seems to be angry and accusing the other person. As the song goes on he reveals how much he needed the person and how much he relied on them. In the first verse of the song he says "You said you love me and that's a fact / Then you left me, said you felt trapped" It is obvious that he is upset but he comes across as more angry then sad. Later in the song he says "But without all these things I can do / But without your love I won't make it through" showing how much he relied on them and how it is their fault he is sad contributing to the accusatory tone of the song. Train in Vain is a great song by the Clash. With a quick glance it may appear a simple and repetitive song. However it is full of emotion and one can really get a sense of the feelings and the tone that was intended to come across even though the music itself doesn't appear angry or slow and sand. Also like every piece of art or literature the song tells a story with a common subject matter that many can relate to and can understand the feeling associated with the song.