I've been trying to find out what the symbolism of the last line of the chorus could be ("The people keep coming and the train done gone"), but googling hasn't got me anywhere, and none of the mudcat threads on the subject have either.

All I have found so far is that trains symbolised freedom and a way out for slaves. That doesn't explain why the author(s) of the song would want to say that the train done gone - surely the carol can't saying that it's too late to get to freedom, we've already missed the train? Does anyone have any idea what the authors could have meant to convey by those lyrics?

Dave