Spanish Train

There's a Spanish train that runs between
Gualdaqivir and old Seville.
And at dead of night the whistle blows,
And people hear,
she’s running still.

And then they hush their children back to sleep,
lock the doors, upstairs they creep.
For it is said that the souls of the dead,
fill that train -
ten thousand deep!!

Well a railway man lay dying, 
with his people by his side.
His family were crying, 
knelt praying before he died.

But above his bed
just a-waiting for the dead,
was the Devil with a twinkle in his eye.
“Well God’s not around,
and look what I've found,
This one's mine!!"

Just then the Lord Himself appeared
in a blinding flash of light.
And shouted at the devil,
”Get the hence to the endless night!!"

But the devil just grinned,
and said, " I may be sinned,
but there’s no need to push me around.

I got him first
so you can do your worst,
He’s going underground!”

“But I think I'll give you one more chance,"
said the devil with a smile.
“So throw away that stupid lance,
It’s really not your style."

“Joker is the name, Poker is the game,
we’ll play right here on this bed!
And then we'll bet for the biggest stakes yet;
The souls of the dead!”

And I said,
"Look out, Lord, He’s going to win,
The sun is down and the night is riding in.
That train is dead on time, 
many souls are on the line,
Oh, Lord he's going to win!"

Well the railway man cut the cards,
and he dealt them each a hand of five.
And for the Lord was praying hard,
for that train he'd had to drive…

Well, the devil had three aces and king.
And the Lord, 
He was running for a straight.
He had a queen and the knave 
and a nine and ten of spades,
All He need was the eight…

And the Lord called for more card,
But He drew the diamond eight,
And the devil said the Son of God,
“I believe you’ve got it straight".

So deal me one, 
for the time has come to see,
who will be the king of this place.

But as he spoke, form beneath his cloak,
He slipped an other ace…

Ten thousand souls was the opening bid,
And soon went to on fifty-nine.
But the Lord didn't see what the devil did,
And He said, " that suits me fine."

“I’ll raise you high, to hundred and five, 
and forever put an end to your sins!"

But the devil let out a mighty shout,
"My hand wins!"

And I said, "Lord, oh Lord, you let him win,
The sun is down and the night is riding in.
That train is dead on time, 
many souls are on the line,
Oh Lord don't let him win…”

Well that Spanish train still runs between,
Guadalquivir and old Seville,
and at the dead of night the whistle blows,
and people fear, 
she’s running still…

And far away in some recess,
The Lord and devil are now playing chess.
The devil still cheats and wins more souls,
And as for the Lord, 
well, 
He’s just doing his best….

And I said,
"Lord, oh Lord, you’ve got to win,
The sun is down and the night is riding in.
That train is still on time, 
oh my soul is on the line...
Oh Lord, you’ve got to win…”

Chris de Burgh
Spanish Train and Other Stories, 1975