Procol Harum - Whisky Train

[regmark]

Thank you for posting these. I was there, at Harum concerts not on necessarily on whiskey train, so many times. Some of the best music of the era. Trower rules, and re the cowbell/drumming--they often played rock and roll in these weird (jazz) time signatures like 5/4 and 11/4. Far out! As for the Home album, true, Whiskey Train is only flat out rocker, but it's certainly not the only GOOD song.

[Snookynibbles]

Adequate cow bell.



[MegaYoshitsune]

That guitar riff reminds me of that that kazoo-type-thing riff on Crosstown Traffic by Hendrix

[dasbigboy]

@MegaYoshitsune Robin Trower was often maligned as being a Hendrix wannbee. A pretty good goal that I think he made. Check out Bridge of Sighs by Trower.

[theserendipityii]

I seem to remember the liner notes saying this was intended to be country until Mr. Trower got hold of it.

[MrKirkenstein]

IMO the only good song on that album.

[Mac10Mackey]

more cow bell !

[thunderbird72290]

great rock song, bass sound is huge !

[putoncabron]

Love that rocking cbell

[imthedorf1964]

Hard to believe this is the same band that was famous for Whiter Shade Of Pale.

And I love the cowbell.

[edgarandron]

@imthedorf1964 It isn't quite the same band that recorded "A Whiter Shade of Pale". Robin Trower and B.J. Wilson replaced two guys named Ray Royer and Bobby Harrison soon after the song became a hit.

[mjsmcd]

this song is a musica pelvic thrust

[UNLIMITEDMACKEY]

it has cow bell, YES !!!!!

[TheCyclone1100]

@UNLIMITEDMACKEY yes and why not !!!!

[frankdialogue]

This song illustrates the definition of a RIFF...Procol was blessed with a series of excellent guitarists, but Robin Trower was the original and the best...I had all the original vinyls, and HOME was a favorite, beautiful songs, great musicianship...'Whiskey Train' is an all timer killer...

I was quite sad to read an interview with him sometime in the 80s where he stated that his manager during his post- Procol heyday stole almost everything he earned..

[imthedorf1964]

@frankdialogue Just how many guitarists did PH have other than Trower?

[ffchatter]

@imthedorf1964 dave ball for a year and mick grabham for the next 7 or so

[69bchn]

Wow this is the first time I heard this and I really like it

[putoncabron]

my get sober song

[MrThermalGuy]

@putoncabron my get wasted song xD

[psychkoala]

KILLER TUNE !

[jdpicher]

This really proves a point...that todays music just dosen't hold up to the classic rock of yesterday! I am an old coot but I am proud I was around when the golden age of rock was happening...

[NYChica23]

@jdpicher Lucky you...I wish I was around in that time period ♥♥

[hermitcrabbot]

The REALLY underrated performer is B.J. Wilson. What a drummer! A syncopated

maniac....

[Tedisntakidanymore]

Procol Harum was such a great band. Really smart music by brilliant musicians. They were so much more than Robin Trower. I saw them during my junior year abroad at Balliol. They blew everyone away.

[jimmiemclovin]

I GOT A FEVA...AND THERE'S ONLY ONE PRESCRIPTION!! MORE--(I can't say it...I'm sorry!!  I want to...aaaaahhh!!)

[Mac10Mackey]

just the right amount of cow bell.

[walsh4president]

robin trower, one of the best!!!

[hhhaller]

more cowbell!!!!

[jimmiemclovin]

Procol Harum channeling "Mountain." Love it!!

[michaudd61]

i want more cowbells!!!!!

[tealeaf56]

Hands down, the best Procol Harum song.

I knew of their AM hits, but when I got this album, this song just blew me away. Still does.

[jf99151]

Hell yeah.

[somekindonut]

Check out B.J. Wilson's cowbell on POWER FAILURE

[pajogu]

ALL day all I DO IS SmokE WEED!!

[ksquitt1]

@pajogu - Not me- I'm in training!!!! I take afternoons off..

[WATCHDOGG420]

you can really tell that Robin Trower wrote this song compared to Procol harum's normal material

[MrKirkenstein]

robin trower was the only good thing in procul harem.

this early glimpse.....showed what was to come.

[dcconsi]

ship wrecked malabar

[mrkidskid]

robin trower, alvin lee or joe walsh. every day,

[BadNewzBlues]

Most underrated "RIFF" of all time!!

[wiesBadisch]

WOW!

[bullfrog1954]

Heard Mountain cover this song at Woodstock in 1994. Great!

[spacepatrolman]

@bullfrog1954 There is an off the record of leslie west doing that in here but no live

[bullfrog1954]

@spacepatrolman I do have a video of Mountain-with Leslie West-covering this song at Woodstock but unfortunately it's a VHS tape with just parts of the song (I had to make the camcorder battery last all day!). If anyone's interested I'll be glad to post. On a sort-of related note: I do have Mountain doing Mississippi Queen in its entirety from that day. Anyone interested? Also-does anybody recall Robin Trower's Bridge Of Sighs album from the early 70s? Great!

[spacepatrolman]

@bullfrog1954 I have something from bridge of sighs on a warner brothers compilation procal harum used to live in new york state i met them in a diner .

[bullfrog1954]

@spacepatrolman When did Procol Harum live in New York State? That's very interesting! How were they to meet? I looked them up on Wik but nothing on them living in New York, unless they were staying there for an upcoming gig. Still-this makes me want to get out and dust off my original vinyl of their 1st album! It came with a rare poster of the front cover. Prefer the original Conquistador as opposed to the overproduced live version.

[spacepatrolman]

@bullfrog1954 procol harum was originaly a group called the paramours that did r&b their manager said they were good musicians but they were financial idiots they didnt know that rock stars have to file income tax returns and pay hotel bills and they were sued in 1969 they were liveing in new york state I had some friends in a local rock group that performed in the granit hotel neil; sedaka was in the other room after we went to woodstock we went to the tamarack lodge to see procol harum

[cutsbothways]

Still love this song. Nice to rediscover these old gems, thanks You Tube. Gonna cover this one with the band.

[ricrefrat]

you're gunna want that cowbell in there....

[gwxk]

Hardly any keyboards except a little smattering of piano toward the end. Robin Trower probably heard how good this sounded and started thinking about starting his own power trio.

[ricrefrat]

@gwxk glad he did!!

[chunter5100]

Saw them do this live with the original band, Trower, BJ Wilson, ...etc...it ..it just was ...well...words fail me....just the guitar alone..and then BJ Wilson...what can I say?

[LoneTinaja]

I was in college when "Whisky Train" was released

& I thought it was fantastic. Bands immediately began

to cover it. It was 1 of the most popular songs to

dance to - Hippies, Freaks, ROTC cadets, frat boys,

sorority girls & everybody else at the joints.

[glimmer2158]

Home and Broken Barricades are my favorite Procul Harum albums.

[spacepatrolman]

@glimmer2158 yea me too the only one i dont have by them is live with the edmunton symphony which should be the easiest to find because it was the only one to be a gold album but they are all scratched up worn out.

[dvd1man]

8 more days til the Harum in Harrisburg. Can't wait for that Whisky Train to arrive!

[arhatyellow]

Cowbell my ass. Can anyone say : Robin Trower - he wails all through this. Plus, the words are by the everpresent and universally eclectic and genius, Keith Reid. What a poet; although believe me after loving Procol Harum for 35+ yers I can appreciate everyone's musical contribution here. Won't hear this one on FM radio - unless it's on my show. How about "Draw your own Conclusions"? Peace Brothers

[altstrasse]

Played this when I was 13 at the country club. The cowbell beat was difficult for a drummer to do while maintaining double bass drum underlay. Heavy duty song today they'd just put in a track. These guys cooked live, too. Guitar signature melody has been ripped off quite a lot. This same era-- check out Tin House and Floyd Radford. We were all kids playing this stuff.

[JimBozeman1956]

Robin Trower does a fine job here.

[PhiDeck]

Did anyone notice any similarity between Whisky Train and CIA Man?

The latter, by The Fugs, plays during the closing credits of the Coen brothers' film "Burn After Reading" (2008).

Although "CIA Man" appears as a bonus track on the CD release of "The Fugs First Album", it was not on the original vinyl release of 1965/1966. Does anyone know when The Fugs recorded "CIA Man"?

[motownkid56]

@PhiDeck  Virgin Fugs..1967

[mackb909]

@motownkid56 and PhiDeck: Tuli Kupferberg R.I.P. 1923-2010. Co-founder (with Ed Sanders)- after he was past 40!- of one of the most revolutionary bands in rock history.

[CaptainDuke71]

puff is still around

[CaptainDuke71]

get a haircut my lovely gun bunny

[CaptainDuke71]

oh yes  i was there

[Djucky85]

great song, never forget =D

[funkster007]

I always wondered if Robin was still using the Les Paul during this period. Sounds thick enough. But damn what a smokin tune. He definitely was moving on with his own sound at this point.

[edsphoto]

Wow! Bought it at Sam The Record Man in Toronto as soon as it was released in Canada. I still love it. Great theme and musicianship.

thank the gods for spell check;)

[marko0127]

robin trower on the geetar

[5tarlet]

RIP BJ xx

[stringbender11672]

didnt this come out before zz top??? almost kinda sounds like somethin off Tejas

[bnfox]

@stringbender11672 -good point.

[klmullins65]

Is it me, or is this slightly faster than it's supposed to be?

[standingbeark]

yes , this is vintage robin trower...he was just on his way to take that sound to another level. 

[MrFredfarkle]

Listening to Robin Trower coax such expressiveness and bite out of his guitar is always a marvel, even more so when given the superb rhythmic foundation of Gary Brooker’s spirited piano and drummer BJ Wilson’s dexterous cowbell accents upon which to build his scalding tone and vibrato.

[ega95jch]

@MrFredfarkle When talking about great drummers, Wilson never seems to figure. Why?

[logansGT]

@ega95jch - Why did Wilson never seem to figure when talkin' bout great drummers?....not enough cowbell :o)

[ricrefrat]

you're gunna want that cowbell in there!

[tomv93]

I went to see them the other night (backing up jethro tull) they were great but

didn't play whisky train, one of there best songs but they did simple sister

which kicked ass. check out still the'll be more.A great video

[Doobie1975]

I've discovered this song on the Classic Rock station from Music Choice back in around late 2001-early 2002

[LegZoff]

This is nice and crispy...Trower and Wilson tear it up

[BONOBOS48]

Early pre- solo Robin Trower

[zenmeadow]

thought i knew procol harum, but don't recall ever hearing this one. love it.

[wolfgar50]

i'd call this {100 proof}.

[niffelhem000]

i dont care what anyone says... Robin Trower is a fuckin great guitarist. and i'd rather listen to him than any heavy metal guitarist any day.

[spacepatrolman]

@niffelhem000 ginger baker said he really doent like heavy metal because it doesnt have any elements of jazz and blues

[90lonewolf90]

@niffelhem000 well to be fair, Procal Harum is far from heavy metal so it all ends up with personal preference rather than skill, but agreed that he is a great guitarist.

[joethepainter90]

Hey does anyone know who is doing the vocals here it kinda sounds like lonsome Dave

[ega95jch]

@joethepainter90 It's Gary Brooker, Procol's one and only singer - still doing it today.

[martita761]

Played the crap outta this cut on KEXL, San Antonio. Yes...those

WERE the days, my friend...

[pottc1]

He was awesome even before Bridge of Sighs, my man Robin Trower throwin down on that guitar with the most kick ass drum accompany ever heard

[tfness]

Saw 'em play this at the Eastown Theater in Detroit in '71. Trower played a LP junior and pluged straight into a Hiwatt stack. NO FX whatsoever. Incredible player!

[ImmortalDestructor]

Lame, he uses an evaluation copy.

[bmwbmwus]

Kickass stuff.

[thelioninwinter88]

Credence was from a little town at the end of the BAART line called El Cerrito in the East Bay-(S.F.).But I digress..Pretty sure R.T.was still using a Les Paul here before he got so deep into the whole Hendrix influence and you can really hear the difference.Too bad he split w/Procol or whatever happened.I love his breakthrough work on this and Broken Barricades...The whole band was sooo tasty!

[sirdoug3]

@thelioninwinter88 - actually, Creedence, John Fogarty & his bro anyway, were from Downey, So. CA. - not S.F. - they moved up there.

[lucifer73]

This song is best heard at maximum volume. Love RT's tone here. ( I heard SRV&DT do a version of this that was absolutely brutal)

[SupernalOne]

I saw PH at American University in Washington DC about 1970, in January I think - an after-dark show, too damn cold - the stage had hot air blowers to keep the band warm but up in the crowd we were freezing - I remember this song, but it was a little hard to enjoy it as we hadn't brought any brandy

[mj99a]

i saw them at the fillmore east spring 1970!! they kicked serious ass. they featured the "home" album. they played whiskey train, and whaling stories from home, a salty dog, the devil came from kansas, shine on brightly and more killer.

[putoncabron]

this whole song is so fucking rocking, man. listen to all the instruments and that ass kicking guitar rock!

[Waszma]

Robin Fucking Trower man! And Wilson is a great drummer, but Trower got himself a better one with Reg Isadore a few years later.

[Alquit4]

@Waszma Sorry Reg was good but BJ was the man. I know as I saw them both many times.

[mow1717]

underated robin trower

[jdpicher]

Ya gotta love this song! It just kicks serious ass!!! This is what its all about!!!

[hankjunior]

ROBIN TROWER !

[0kitty0lover0]

nice but dave steffen band has a great version

[morpheus1x]

always thought PH was covering southern rock style with this one...

[stockliskirep]

@morpheus1x southern rock wasnt even around when they did this song! Robin Trower didnt need to cover anybodys style !

[Alexandertg1955]

Did you forget The Allman Brothers? They were around in 1970 LOL I agree about Trower though

[ZenWolf777]

@stockliskirep Southern rock wasn't around yet? What do you call The Allman Brothers Band and Creedence Clearwater Revival?

[stockliskirep]

@ZenWolf777 Trower had his sound down, years before the Allman bros were around! All great bands but years apart This song came out in 67-69 I think Plus he doesnt sound like them at all! But the good news is  they got back together the last few years ! Robin Trower Rocks ! Peace!

[chunter5100]

I saw this live in Santa Monica in 1970...BJ Wilson is probably one of the best drummers ever in rock and roll....and the guitar just caps it...wow....what a song...

[maida1982a]

all praise to BJ!

[chunter5100]

My favorite Procol Harum song...

[plangentmusic]

BJ WILSON

[floridashorti]

3 more nights til the Trower concert in Fort Lauderdale.....

[twinoak170]

Mikey thats funny.

[psychkoala]

Spoke with Robin briefly after a show he did in Tulsa a few months ago, and mentioned that I really like WHISKY TRAIN. In other words, I was hinting that he should play it in concert. ; )

He looked at me like I was an annoyance and brushed me off... lol.

That's allright, Robin, but please do wise up:

WHISKY TRAIN RULES !

-- and your fans still want to hear you play it !

[spacepatrolman]

Thats a good idea  would like to hear him do that if he wont maybee kim simmonds will .

[psychkoala]

That would be great. ; )

Saw Kim Simmonds (with the then current line up of Savoy Brown) at Sunset Grill back around '87 or so.

He was so good that my jaw nearly dropped to the floor. His records don't do him justice.

[spacepatrolman]

Whisky train sounds sort of like crossroads doesnt it, maybee eric clapton would like to do it.

[mikey60077]

I got a FEVER...

and the ONLY prescription...

is MORE COWBELL !!!!

[tonfan]

wow! I remember seeing them play this live 1970 Fillmore West....Ten feet from the stage;brilliant show-rushed out and bought the lp.....

[spacepatrolman]

When I went to the fillmore east they were playing earlier material then at the capitol theater in port chester new york they played this .

[TheMitzjob]

'Home' was Procol Harum's darkest album...full of death and maggots and then amid all blood and guts, this song shows up...

[pjt30]

This is about the only song that they let Robin cut loose on in Procol Harum!

Leslie West does a killer version of this song!

[jeffthrow6892]

Not entirely true, check out "Simple Sister" & "Long Gone Geek", although neither of those are quite as raw & rocking as this one!!

[pjt30]

Yes, he plays some amazing solos on several Procol tunes, but this is one of Robin's own songs and strays away from the Procol Harem sound!

[psychkoala]

OK, I guess it was '70, since HOME came out in '70.

Carry on.

BTW, Robin is on tour now in the States.

[psychkoala]

KILLER Track ! !

Been listening to it since, what ?

1969 ?

Or '70 ?

It never gets old.

Wish Robin would play this live !

[joh3]

Mention PH and you get "Oh yeah, the Whiter Shade guys." There was so much more to this fantastic line up it boggles the mind. HOME being one of the best stand out efforts ever. Why don't we see/hear any more of their stuff on YT? Copyright concerns? PROCOL HARUM, SHINE ON BRIGHTLY, SALTY DOG, HOME...cmon guys give it a chance. I would love some answers to my questions so please contact me. In hopes of "Still there'll Be More", yours truly, a devoted fan. Pass this on please.

[floridashorti]

And Broken Barricades, I want some of that one, too! RT in Fort Lauderdale 18 Oct, I am THERE.

[kickinbackinOC]

Robin put enough rythym in this one song, to make at least six modern songs! Its "too good"!

[frankty67]

Great writing.You nailed it in a few words what it would take me paragraphs to explain.You would be a great rock writer .Thanks! --I mean the tone on Robins guitar on this song played loud ,shakes my teeth (and brain) loose.This is the kind of stuff the phrase Heavy Metal was originally coined for.

[kickinbackinOC]

Thanks for the positive comment! Damn good song....!

[frankty67]

yeah he put enough rhythm in this song to make 10 modern so called hard rock songs.Hell it makes my teeth hurt,the freakin' tone of that guitar is unreal.

[frankty67]

great early Robin Trower riffing 1970.I think Lenny Kravitz used a variation of this riff on 'are you gonna go my way'.Or is it just my imagination??

[kickinbackinOC]

Ha! Never noticed that 'till you said so! Good ear!

[LostMyBoner]

I AM gonna ride that Whisky Train!

[Mznblu247]

Robin Trower!

[solidturd666]

i got a fever.. and the only cure is more cowbell!!!!.

[nospooner]

The Cowbell on this is a thing of legend.

[albertop952]

Strange:no organ, no piano.

[cttxlv]

I agree, more cowbell. Loved this song in high school

[johndege]

Thanks for posting this. Love it and had the cassette in college in 1972.

[martymcmillen]

Robin riffing:)

[Omgitszztop]

Awsome vintage Procol Harum era Trower.

I think it could of used a little more cowbell.

[uncledevo]

ARRGGGG the 8 track ate my tape!

[frankty67]

fuckin' A killer riff!!!