Josh Turner’s “Long Black Train”

Josh Turner has taken the world of Country Music by storm. In his young career he has already turned out several smash hits and built a fan base that rivals those of many seasoned Country veterans thanks to his friendly, down-home personality and an amazing voice the likes of which comes along about once in a generation.
 
Josh’s first big hit was the Country-Gospel tune “Long Black Train”, a strikingly beautiful song with a captivating melody and a powerful message that seems to resonate very well with Christians and non-Christians alike, especially given the state of the world in which we live today. In a nutshell, the lyrics explain that the ways of the devil are very enticing, but following him instead of the Lord will have serious consequences down the road.
 
But it also offers the message that God is a loving God, and if we repent of our sins and make the decision to follow Him instead of satan, we’ll be much better off, and much happier in the end.
 
The only line in “Long Black Train” that I take issue with is the one stating that the only destination for the devil’s train is “the middle of nowhere”. Quite to the contrary, satan’s train surely does have a destination, and everyone who succumbs to his enticements and climbs aboard will some day find themselves in the pits of a fiery hell, never to escape the eternal misery and shame.
 
That being said, I don’t think Mr. Turner had any ill intentions for including that regrettable line in the song. The overall message is a good one, and given its immense popularity and radio play, perhaps some people will be drawn to Christ by it who otherwise would not have been. And that is a very good thing.