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'Cars and Trains' is the 4th song on George Michael's fourth and final album Patience. Co-written by George and Jon Douglas, it's a cautionary tale about not selling oneself short in life to where it leads to self-destruction. It mentions three people: The mother of the narrator, a gay man named Johnny, and a young mother. Each person has their problems; his mother keeps finding herself in abusive relationships after the passing of her husband, Johnny is a sex and drug addict with HIV/AIDS, and the young woman is an addict and teen mom.
The 'cars and trains' in question are the ways people sabotage & harm themselves in face of hardship.
It begins with the words 'Hello you've reached the afterlife message center. The god you are trying to reach is not available to take your call' as to indicate these people having given up trying to save themselves from where they'll eventually end up, an early grave. It ends with a plea from the narrator for Mary, Jesus, and the Patron Saints to send guidance to these people.
Michael and Douglas have stated that it's inspired by their lives while writing the album in 2002 and everything that happened around that time to them and those they loved.
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