Pat Monahan said Train’s hit “Drops of Jupiter” was inspired by a dream about his late mother during a difficult period marked by grief, relationship problems and tension within the band. He believes the song’s emotional origins helped it connect with listeners dealing with loss, while its success established for him how healing music can be.

Monahan recalled that Columbia Records president Donnie Ienner immediately predicted the demo could be Song of the Year; the 2001 track later received five Grammy nominations and won Best Rock Song and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s). Twenty-five years on, Train are preparing to release Mad Dog in the Fog, an album about Monahan’s move from Pennsylvania to San Francisco, featuring rock songs and ballads about long-distance relationships, love, air travel and his son.