Thursday, August 22, 2013

Song of the Week: Johnny Burnette Trio - The Train Kept A-Rollin'/Honey Hush

Train Kept A-Rollin'
Honey Hush
You knew it was coming. The second published version of The Train Kept A-Rollin' comes from Tennessee. The Johnny Burnette Trio recorded their massive imagining of The Train Kept A-Rollin' at Bradley's Barn Studio outside of Nashville sometime during the summer of 1956. With the very important assistance of session guitarist Grady Martin on lead, The Johnny Burnette Trio laid down arguably the most rocket fueled song of the whole decade. Heck, ever!

From the opening notes of Grady Martin's distorted descending notes to Dorsey's bass slappin', Johnny's hillbilly hollerin' and Paul Burlison's rhythm, the listener is taken on a ride upon a runaway freight train barreling down a winding mountain track at 100mph. The Trio's version, released on Coral Records in October of 1956, does away with the cool demeanor of Bradshaw's recording, rewrites a number of the lyrics, and replaces the horns with a guitar attack that was 100% original in tone and attitude. It is probably best described as sounding like a schizophrenic badger on an all-night crack bender. This radically rewritten Train had left Bradshaw's station and was now on the nascent track towards becoming something much bigger.

We're also flipping our original copy of the 57 year old single over to give you the crispy goodness of the Flip-Side, their cover of Honey Hush.  
Full disclosure, we swiped this picture from the good folk at Roll Call Blog

Until next time, we'll see you On The Flip-Side!


12 comments:

  1. I think you still have Tiny playing.

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  2. One of the best ever. First heard on a crappy reissue in the 80s. Thanks for sharing both sides. Sounds glorious.

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  3. GREAT!!! 2 sider. I think this is the most influential version.

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    1. I don't know about that. The Yardbirds clearly went from this, but they are the ones I think who did "the most influential". Every cover of the song now is a version of their arrangement. Just my opinion.

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    2. well, they are both frickin' great. We can all agree on that. My favorite is...the last one to which I listened. And yes, Mr. E, that includes Scotty McKay.

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    3. well maybe not the Aerosmith version. That is not my fave, but I can stand it for sure.

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  4. Is it me or does it sound like the train was still moving a little thru Honey Hush?

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  5. P. Burlison playing the distortion licks..Live...in his seventies..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh9V2F6cxmU

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  6. Mr. P. Burlison is rockin' it, isn't he? And at times on one knee! Thank you for sharing Mr. D. Burlison.

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