Mess of Blues

The singer is deeply upset because someone he loves is away and cannot return. At first, he feels lonely and overwhelmed: he cannot sleep or eat, and each day seems dull. His sadness then shifts toward action. He decides to pull himself together and take a train, hoping that a change of place will help him escape his misery.

“Blues” means both a style of music and a feeling of sadness; a “mess of blues” suggests that his sorrow feels tangled and hard to manage. Calling a day “blue” similarly means that it feels unhappy or gloomy. The teardrop rolling down his face is a direct image of grief, while the train represents a possible way to leave his present situation behind.

The song balances vulnerability with determination. The singer openly admits that he is crying, but says that crying in love is nothing to be ashamed of. His plan to travel may mean he hopes to reunite with the absent person, or simply to get away from the loneliness. The lyrics do not say whether the journey will solve anything, so the ending feels hopeful but uncertain.