Love Train | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
| C | D9 | F | Fmaj7/G |
Chorus 1
| C | D9 |
People all over the world (everybody). Join in (join).
| F | Fmaj7/G |
Start a love train, love train.
| C | D9 |
People all over the world (all the world, now). Join in (love ride).
| F | Fmaj7/G |
Start a love train (love ride), love train.
Verse 1
| G | G6 G | F | F6 F |
The next stop that we make will be England.
| G | G6 G | F | F6 F |
Tell all the folks in Russia, and China, too.
| G | G6 G | Am7 | G/A Am7 |
Don’t you know that it’s time to get on board.
| Dm7 | Dm7 | G G/F | G/E G/D |
And let this train keep on riding, riding on through. Well, well.
Chorus 2
People all over the world (you don’t need no money) Join in (come on).
Start a love train, love train (don’t need no ticket, come on).
People all over the world (join in, ride this train) Join in (ride this train, y’all).
Start a love train (come on, train), love train.
Verse 2
All of you brothers over in Africa.
Tell all the folks in Egypt, and Israel, too.
Please don’t miss this train at the station.
‘Cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you. Well.
Chorus 3
People all over the world (sisters and brothers). Join in (join, come on).
Start a love train (ride this train, y’all), love train (come on).
People all over the world (don’t need no tickets). Join in (come on, ride).
Start a love train, love train.
Middle 8
| Eb Ebmaj7 | Eb6 Eb | C C6 | Cmaj7 C |
Ride, let it ride.
| Eb Ebmaj7 | Eb6 Eb | Dm7/G | G7 |
Let it ride. Let it ride. People, ain’t no war.
Chorus 4 (x3)
People all over the world (on this train). Join in (ride the train).
Start a love train, love train (ride the train, y’all).
People all over the world (come on). Join in (you can ride or stand, yeah).
Start a love train, love train (makin’ love).
People all over the world (’round the world, y’all). Join in (come on).
Start a love train, love train.
Outro
||: C | D9 | F | Fmaj7/G :||
||: People all over the world. Join in. Start a love train, love train. :||
Understanding Love Train’s Chord Changes: A Guitarist’s Guide
In the key of C, Love Train features some clever chord changes. Let’s break it down, starting with the intro/chorus.
| C (I) | D9 (IIx) | F (IV) | Fmaj7/G (V) |
In this progression, C is chord I, D9 is the IIx chord, F is IV, and Fmaj7/G is chord V. We could refer to the last chord as G13, but I prefer the sound of a small Fmaj7 on the guitar. Notably, the D chord’s major 3rd is the only note outside the key of C. The IV – V movement at the end is a common progression.
Next, let’s look at the verse, which features one of my favourite chord progressions. It moves beautifully, and the six chords are perfectly chosen. Here’s the first part:
||: G (V) | G6 G | F (IV) | F6 F :||
This progression moves between IV and V, with 6th extensions. We then vary it by replacing F with Am.
The A11 doesn’t have a 3rd, so we’re still staying within the key. I prefer calling it a G/A, even though it’s technically the same chord, because it makes it clearer that it’s not an A major chord.
Here’s the middle part of the verse:
| G (V) | G6 G | Am7 (VI) G/A (V/9 | Am7 |
Finally, the last line shifts to a Dm7 (II) chord, similar to the D9 from the chorus. The final bar features a V chord with a descending bass line:
| Dm7 (II) | Dm7 | G (V) G/F | G/E G/D |
The last section to explore is the middle 8, which introduces modal interchange. Up until this point, we’ve been in C major (Ionian), but the middle 8 starts on Eb, as if we were in C minor (Aeolian).
| Eb Ebmaj7 | Eb6 Eb | C C6 | Cmaj7 C |
| Eb Ebmaj7 | Eb6 Eb | Dm7/G | G7 |
The descending extensions on the Eb chord lead back to C, where we ascend from the 5th, 6th, maj7, and root—a clever progression. After returning to Eb, we finish with a II – V in C (Dm7 – G7).
If you’d like TAB for how I would play this classic wedding tune, check out my TAB lesson here: Love Train – Guitar Lesson + TAB.
Having worked through the lesson, don’t forget to use this chord chart when you head to the wedding gig and witness the Love Train in action!
Love Train Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Love Train chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iRealPro, here’s a link to that file: Love Train chord chart iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key which is useful if you want other instruments to play with you.
Love Train: The Ultimate Wedding Gig Closer!
Released in 1972 by The O’Jays on their Back Stabbers album, the song reached #1 in the U.S. and sold over 1 million copies. It became their biggest hit and is also regarded as the starting point of the Disco movement.
If you’re ever tasked with suggesting a song for a soul band to play at a wedding where crowd participation is key, Love Train is the answer!
Not only is it a regular in the working band’s repertoire, but it has also been covered by The Supremes, Hall & Oates, The Rolling Stones, and even Tommy Lee!
As far as songs go to close a Motown/Soul night, Love Train is just as iconic as Proud Mary, Valerie, or Signed, Sealed, Delivered.
If you want to play guitar in a Soul/Motown band, you must learn the chords to Love Train!
Love Train Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Love Train (The O’Jays) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
- All Night Long
- Build Me Up Buttercup
- December 1963, (Oh What A Night!)
- Hooked On A Feeling
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)