MUSC-21600: The Art of Rock Music Prof. Freeze

Mystery Train (1953) Junior Parker

LISTEN FOR • 12-bar blues (some first phrases begin on IV) • R&B band conveys moving train • Relaxed vocals seem secondary to band’s train • Rural blues lyrics: image of train; spare and nonlinear, but clearly pessimistic

CREATION Songwriters Herman “Little Junior” Parker, Sam Phillips (lyrics, music) Label, Record Sun 192 Musicians electric guitar, acoustic bass, piano, drums, saxophone Producer Sam Phillips Recording Memphis Recording Service (Memphis, TN), 1953; mono

MUSIC Genre R&B Form Simple verse (12-bar blues) Key E minor Meter 4/4

LISTENING GUIDE Time Form Lyric Cue Listen For 0:00 Intro (2) • R&B begins train imitation. • Vocal imitation of train conductor. 0:05 Verse 1 (12) “Train I ride” • Starts on IV. • Blues phrasing (aab). • Heavy beats 1 and 3 (in contrast to rock and roll’s backbeat). • Electric guitar and piano emphasize off-beats. MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “Mystery Train” (Junior Parker, 1955)

Time Form Lyric Cue Listen For 0:38 Verse 2 (12) “Train, train” • As above, but with tenor saxophone imitates train whistle. • Tempo gradually increases. 1:08 Instr. Verse (12) • Electric guitar solo emphasizes blue notes. • Tempo subtly increases. 1:37 Verse 3 (12) “Train, train, comin’ down” • As in Verse 1. 2:06 Coda (5) • Vocal imitation of steam. • Causal ending as chugging rhythm comes to stop.

LYRICS Train I ride, sixteen coaches long Well, it's bringin' my baby 'cause she's mine, Train I ride, sixteen coaches long all mine Well, that long black train got my baby and She's mine, all mine gone Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend Train, train, comin' 'round the bend 'Round, 'round the bend Train, train, comin' 'round the bend Train, train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend Well, it took my baby, but it never will again 'Round, 'round the bend No, not again Well, it took my baby, but it never will again Train, train, comin' down, down the line Never will again Train, train, comin' down, down the line

SOURCES • https://www.musixmatch.com/de/songtext/Junior-Parker/Mystery-Train

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