Down Bound Train

The song Down Bound Train was inspired by Chuck Berry's fire and brimstone religious upbringing.^[1] both his parents were staunch Baptists, and sang in the Antioch Church Choir, which rehearsed at his home.

It is a song about redemption and a warning against alcohol abuse. A man who has too much to drink falls asleep on a bar room floor and has a vivid dream about riding a train, which is driven by the Devil himself. When the man wakes up he renounces the demon drink.

"Down Bound Train" was released in December 1955 as the B Side of "No Money Down." The title is sometimes given as "The Down Bound Train" or "Downbound Train."

References

1. ↑ SongFacts article about Chuck Berry's song