Train Kept A-Rollin'
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Train Kept A-Rollin" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, and Lois Mann. Bradshaw first recorded the song in 1951, it was his best known recording. After a rock and roll version of the song was recorded and released by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio in 1956, numerous other such versions have been recorded since.
Contents |
[edit] The Yardbirds version
The Yardbirds helped make the song a garage-rock staple when they covered it on the 1965 album Having a Rave Up. The riff Jeff Beck used for their version of the song was later used in another song written by Beck and Keith Relf titled "Stroll On." "Stroll On" was used in the movie Blowup. The published sheet music for the Yardbirds' version is titled "Train Kept A Rollin' (Stroll On)", with credit given to Beck, Relf, Jimmy Page, Chris Dreja, and Jim McCarty. Despite the inclusion of "Stroll On" in the title, this sheet music appears to be the score for "Train Kept a Rollin'".
[edit] Led Zeppelin version
"Train Kept A-Rollin'" was the very first tune that Led Zeppelin ever played together in 1968. According to Jimmy Page the room "exploded" when they kicked it off, and they knew they had something. They subsequently played the song as their show opener on tour during 1968 and 1969, and revived it in their final tour "Over Europe" in 1980. A studio version was never recorded by Led Zeppelin, but during his solo Outrider sessions in 1988 Page did record a version similar to that performed by Led Zeppelin in 1980.
[edit] Dread Zeppelin
Reggae cover band Dread Zeppelin's version of the song on their album 5,000,000 is heavily derived from the Led Zeppelin version, but slower, with a combination reggae and harmonica blues backdrop, as well as imitation Elvis Presley vocals.
[edit] Shakin' Stevens and The Sunsets version
Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets officially released two versions of the song. The first, produced by Dave Edmunds, appeared on their 1970 debut album "A Legend". A re-recorded version appeared on their eponymous 1973 LP "Shakin' Stevens And The Sunsets". In addition, the band recorded a version for the BBC on June 15th 1970 which was broadcast on the programme "First Gear" on August 27th 1970.
[edit] Alex Chilton version
Alex Chilton (of the Box Tops and Big Star) covered the song on his 1980 album,'live in london'. He was backed by a pick up band of two members of the Soft Boys (Matthew Seligman & Morris Windsor) and one member of The Vibrators (Ian 'Knox' Carnochan) with little rehearsal time. The set it is taken from is on the second night of their tour.
[edit] Aerosmith version
| “Train Kept A-Rollin'” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Aerosmith from the album Get Your Wings |
|||||
| B-side | "Spaced" | ||||
| Released | 1974 | ||||
| Format | Record | ||||
| Recorded | 1974 | ||||
| Genre | Hard rock | ||||
| Length | 5:33 | ||||
| Label | Columbia Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann | ||||
| Producer | Jack Douglas | ||||
| Aerosmith singles chronology | |||||
|
|||||
Aerosmith covered the song on their 1974 album Get Your Wings. It was released as the second single from the album. The song has long been played on album-oriented rock and classic rock radio stations. Additionally, the song has long been an important staple in the band's live shows, often closing their shows. It is featured on three Aerosmith live compilations: Live! Bootleg (1978), Classics Live (1986), and Rockin' the Joint (2002). On the Rockin' the Joint version, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford can be heard doing a little bit of "The Star Spangled Banner" towards the end, as the concert performance was only four months after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Additionally, the band is known to play two different versions of the song, the regular version of the song, as well as a slowed-down version often called "Slow Train" in the setlists. On at least two occasions, lead singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry have performed the song with other artists; in 1992 with Guns N' Roses and in 1995 with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. In 2002, they performed the song live with the Japanese hard rock band B'z, whose lead singer's voice, Koshi Inaba, has been compared to Steven Tyler.
A cover of Aerosmith's version appears in the music video game Rock Band. A master recording will be in Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.
[edit] Hanoi Rocks version
Hanoi Rocks cut a live recording of the track on their 1985 live album All Those Wasted Years.
[edit] Motörhead version
Motörhead covered the song on their 1977 eponymous debut album.
[edit] Skid Row version
Skid Row covered the song on their 1990 video Oh Say Can You Scream.
[edit] Tragically Hip version
The Tragically Hip have performed a memorable live version of the song, which included a monologue by Gord Downie about his girlfriend writing his biography, and selling it for millions and millions of dollars.
[edit] Twisted Sister version
Twisted Sister cut a live recording of the song as a bonus track recorded in 1979 at Detroit, Portchester New York, on their 1995 live album Live at Hammersmith. This version includes a long feedback-soaked guitarsolo by Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
