Train Kept A-Rollin'

by

Aerosmith

Album: Get Your Wings      Released: 1974

Get the Ringtone  Get Song @ Amazon
Get the Sheet Music

Send "Train Kept A-Rollin'" Ringtone to your Cell

View Lyrics

Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This is a cover of a song popularized by The Yardbirds in the mid-1960s when Jimmy Page was their primary guitarist. The song started out as a Big Band tune originally recorded by Tiny Bradshaw's Big Band in 1951.

Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin jammed on this together when lead singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry inducted Led Zeppelin into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. They also played "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Bring It On Home." Jimmy Page is the guitarist for Led Zeppelin.

This can also be found on Aersomith's album Live Bootleg as a medley with "Strangers in the Night" from a 1978 performance in Detroit.

Bob Ezrin, who was the executive producer on Get Your Wings, brought in session guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter to perform the dueling solos on this song. They also played on "Same Old Song And Dance."

At some of their shows, Aerosmith plays a slow version of this song known as "Slow Train." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France, for above 2)

Send "Train Kept A-Rollin'" Ringtone to your Cell

Comments:

As with other songs, the band's guitarist weren't always up to speed to do their own solos. Whether it be drugs or lack of creative ability, hired guns were sometimes necessary to make the music more appealing to the masses, so to speak. Listen to the band live and it becomes apparent who did and didn't write the riffs. That said, I still love them.
- Randy C., Yonkers, NY

The song was originally done by Tiny Bradshaw. BUT the version that both Foghat and Aerosmith are covering is the definitive version done by the Johnny Burnette Trio, one of the first (and many say best) Rockabilly bands- in 1956. Session guitarist Grady Martin was the first to distort the guitar, some say it may be the first Rock and Roll record to use distortion. The reason Foghat's version of Honey Hush sounds like Train is because The Rock and Roll Trio also did Honey Hush on their album. I suggest those who never heard either version, do a google search on this much underrated and influential Rockabilly Band. The Rock and Roll trios version of both songs is THE definitive version of both songs, way ahead of it's time for 1956
- paul, new York, NY

Peter Griffin from Quahog, Rhode Island...That's funny. And you are correct about Led Zeppelin's first "jam" together. 'Hammer of the Gods' confirms this fact.
- Craig Lee, Valdosta, GA

For Stefanie. The song Baby, Please Don't Go was recorded in 1935 by Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers and you can find it in Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol.4 (Revenant 2000) Ernesto, Mexicali, Mexico
- Ernesto, Mexicali, Mexico

I love these guys. This is an awesome song. My friends know that I'm truly obsessed with them and made a song about it. B/C I accidently revealed I had the hots fro rock stars. SO The song parodies 'Stacies Mom'. It goes a little like this... Liv's dad has got it goin' on, Liv's dad has got it goin' on. He's all Melissa wants and she's waited for so long. Matthew can't you see, your just not the guy for her. She knows it might be wrong, but Melissa's in love Steven Tyler!! I love it! Just for the record Matthew is a guy who had a crush on me. And you know who Liv is.
- Melissa, lorton, VA

This was actually Led Zeppelin's first song together.
- Peter Griffin, Quahog, RI

This tune certainly kicks butt!! Aerosmith is a classic band who know how to write really good tunes.
- Frank, Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Foghat did a song 'Honey Hush' that sounded VERY MUCH like this song.
- Lester, New York City, NY

while we're on the subject. The entire live @#$& like a suicide ep by guns in roses was recorded in a studio with overdubbed crowd noise
- ted, Winter Park, FL

The Aerosmith version IS alot better.
- Gordon, Lake Havasu City, AZ

This aint no Yardbirds tune, although many consider that the definitive version. It was originally written and performed by Tiny Bradshaw's Big Band in the 1950's. Its pretty much a standard, covered in just about every decade by everybody and their grandfather. Great song!
- Malicious Matt, Squatney, Ireland

The Yardbird's version was alot better.
- Mike, Winnipeg, Canada

Although it's not an original, nobody does this song like Aerosmith. It's so incredible. When I saw them live from the third row, this was one of the last songs they played and the highlight of the show.
- Gordon, Lake Havasu City, AZ

No Johnny. There's an old blues song called "Baby Please Don't Go" that has been performed by blues artists lie John Lee Hooker and by rock artists too such as Them. Them is a group that Van Morrison was in. I know that song was recorded in 1935, but who recorded it? I can't remember.
- Stefanie, Rock Hill, SC

This isn't a Yardbirds cover, it's a Tiny Bradshaw cover. The Yardbirds covered it in 1965, while Jeff Beck was their lead guitarist. Jimmy Page replaced Paul Samwell-Smith on bass the year after.
- Warrinder, A Town, Canada

They always perfom this live. Seen them 20 times now :) This is usually an encore & it rocks every single time!!!!!
- Susan, Waveland, MS

By baby please don't go do you mean D'yer Mak'er, because that was a popular Led Zeppelin song that had the phrase baby please don't go in it.
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

It sounds different on "Toys in the Attic" because its not on "TITA"
- rob, vancouver, Canada

It's crazy how this song sounds totally different on the Toys in the Attic from the You gotta move dvd.
- Donni, somewhere, WA

The Second section kicks a**!!!!
- Ben, NYC, MS

The song was introduced by r&b bandleader Tiny Bradshaw on the King label and later recorded as rockabilly by Johnny Burnette's Rock and Roll Trio on Coral, which is likely where the Yerdbirds discovered it. Ed S, Nashville, TN
- Ed, Nashville, TN

Although, the song sounds live on the album... It is Not... the band wanted to do a live version for the album Get Your Wings because the song always killed live... But, Producer Jack Douglas talked them out of it... Instead they recorded it in the studio and overdubbed concert sounds taken from George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh... Elton John also threw fake live concert sounds on to his studio recording of Bennie and the Jets...
- Brian, Grand Forks, ND

Send "Train Kept A-Rollin'" Ringtone to your Cell