The Return of Friday Night Is Rockabilly Night 145

Imelda May has been doing the chat shows promoting a new song and presumably a new album too. A few years ago Imelda and her band played a few radio sessions and often included their take on The Johnny Burnette's Trio's The Train Kept A Rollin', one of the cornerstones of rockabilly. This one is from a BBC Radio London session and is blistering.

Considering this has been a short week, it's felt like a long week. Join me for a drink if you like.

The Train Kept A Rollin' (Live Session)

Trans Pennine Express

I don't know when these came out but at some point in the recentish past Justin Robertson remixed krauty-tech types Warm Digits and came up with two slices of Balearic house loveliness that will warm the cockles and make your fingers tap, particularly Trans Pennine Express. And you can't beat a track called Trans Pennine Express. Free download. Go get.

The Girl Who Waves At Trains

Ha! Another one- although this one is The Girl Who... rather than The Girl With...
Stephen Duffy's Lilac Time have get plenty of gems hidden in their back catalogue- this is one of them.

The Girl Who Waves At Trains

Train Heave On To Euston

I'm off to that London tomorrow for three days with some colleagues and a bunch of teenagers, which gives me an excuse to post one of my favourite, most evocative Smiths songs. Set on the platform at Manchester, Piccadilly, with the song's protagonist about to board the train leaving girlfriend and family behind grieving (and jealous), Morrissey up against one of Johnny Marr's riffiest guitar parts. This version is the Peel Session one. I've put something up for tomorrow morning; after that, see you Friday night.

London (Peel Session)

The Return Of Friday Night Is Rockabilly Night 32

'Train I ride sixteen coaches long

Well that long black train carries my baby home'

From Sun Records all the way back in 1953 this is Little Junior Parker and the original version of Mystery Train, co-written by Parker and Sam Phillips. Elvis' version came out two years later and helped invent modern music. I'm not sure Little Junior Parker's song is rockabilly, just early rock and roll, but it's Friday night, it's sheeting down outside and who's splitting hairs?

Mystery Train

Meet Iggy Pop And David Bowie

A hat-trick of German related posts, and a train related one too. In 2004 Kraftwerk toured. We saw them at The Apollo and it was stunning, not least the films that played with each song, the light up ties and the robots. This song is one of their best, Trans Europe Express, from the Maximum-Minimum live album that came out the year after the tour. A Kraftwerk live album seems a bit like a contradiction in terms doesn't it? This song was recorded at the romantic sounding Budapest Sportarena.

Trans Europe Express (Live)

Drug Train

The Cramps rode a totally different kind of train, though it did have a beautiful lux interior. Take care when boarding- 'you put one foot on, then you put the other foot on, then you put another foot on...'

Drug Train

Ska Train

Chik-chik, chik-chik.
Everyone on board, pick your seat, the train to skaville.
Chik-chik, chik-chik.

Beep-beep, beep-beep, the train to skaville.

Thanks to Davy H at The Ghost Of Electricity for the prompt.

02 Train to Skaville.wma#1#1

Cash Train

Arriving at Platform One tonight, in place of our scheduled Friday Night Is Rockabilly track, is the Orange Blossom Special which set off in 1965 and rattles along, whoop-whooping as it goes. I don't know if it's folk or country or rock 'n' roll or what- it's just a cracking Johnny Cash song. It also has one of the coolest album covers ever. Get it on vinyl to appreciate it fully.

01 Orange Blossom Special.wma#1#1

Indie Train

Third in the Bagging Area train series. Last week I picked up a Smiths 12" single, a German import with Yootha Joyce on the cover. The A-side was Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others- who thought in 1986, 'what the German indie market is crying out for is Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others as a single, that's the cross-over song'?. Seems a slightly strange choice. The two songs on the B-side were Frankly, Mr Shankly and The Draize Train. It's a lovely pressing, great clear sound. Yes, I've got the songs already. I don't know if it's worth anything, but it only cost me a couple of quid. This record buying lark is an affliction isn't it?

The Draize Train is one of only three Smiths instrumentals. For whatever reason, Morrissey couldn't, wouldn't or wasn't allowed to provide vocals to for it, and it's a bit difficult to imagine how he could've. The Draize Train is a funky little number, with some Johnny Marr rock guitars, a shuffling groove, quite un-Smithsy really. It also sounds a little dated which is unusual for a Smiths song but there you go. All aboard.

The Draize Train.mp3#2#2

Rockabilly Train

Elvis. He kissed a girl, and she liked it.

From riding the rasta train earlier this week to a short hop on the rockabilly train. Elvis' Mystery Train is the grandaddy song, one of the actual starting points for this thing we're all obsessed with. It's got many qualities that are impossible to pin down and I'm not even going to try, except to say if you haven't got this, get it now. We're going away for a week, not by train sadly. Back online on Saturday April the 16th I should think. Be good while I'm away. Don't make a mess and remember to feed the cat.

02 Mystery Train.wma

Rasta Train

Mystery train, sixteen coaches long, freedom train, long black train, there's a train a-coming you don't need a ticket you just get on board, train in vain, the train from Kansas City, take me to the station and put me on the train, driver 8, night train, midnight train to Georgia, trainspotting, modern life is rubbish. Rasta Train by Lee and Jimmy, produced by Lee Perry, deep 70s dub.

Lee Scratch Perry_16_Rasta Train.mp3