TRAIN KEPT A-ROLLIN'

"'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

The Yardbirds

Led Zeppelin version

Dread Zeppelin

Aerosmith version

Hanoi Rocks version

Motörhead version

Tragically Hip version

The Yardbirds

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'".

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 ''Outrider'' sessions in 1988 Page did record a version similar to that performed by Led Zeppelin in 1980.

Dread Zeppelin

The Dread Zeppelin version of the song on 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.

Aerosmith version

Aerosmith covered the song on their 1974 album ''Get Your Wings''. It was released as the second single from the album. The guitar work, however, is not by Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry. Producer Jack Douglas brought in Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, who are best known for their work on Lou Reed's Rock n Roll Animal, to supply the guitar parts. [1] 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'' (2005). 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.

Hanoi Rocks version

Hanoi Rocks cut a live recording of the track on their 1985 live album All Those Wasted Years.

Motörhead version

Motörhead covered the song on their 1977 eponymous debut album

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.