Hank C. Burnette - "Mystery Train"

Nobody and I mean NOBODY has done this Junior Parker classic more justice than a certain Mama Presley's Boy from Tupelo, Miss. So why
even bother to give it a try then, you might add? Well, I've always been a fan of Scotty Moore's early guitar playing (really derived from a mix of
blues and Travis pickin', to be honest!) and have even dabbled in it myself in my own special way from time to time. And as I've always been
totally against any of the 'copy cat' tries and retries flourishing all over the place, especially these days (let's face it, rock'n roll and rockabilly music
nowadays has really nothin' to do with the real thing of the '50s, if you look upon it from a major scale of view, but is merely more or less based upon how well you're able to COPY the sounds and arrangements of days gone by, which eventually will more often than not get you nowhere fast!), instead of going for your own vibes and pointing at some originality in your music, whether it be cover stuff or your very own original material! I mean, what's the point in tryin' to cover the sounds of yesterday note for note when it's already been done so brilliantly in it's original form?? It sounds more like a trend to me than anything else - "Hey, why don't we go back in time and do some rock'n roll"? Yeah, sure, why don't we 90% out of a 100 make total fools of ourselves, to put it bluntly! One example that immediately springs to mind is if someone get the outragious idea of doin' a cover of "Jailhouse Rock"!! Talk about brain cells leaving the 'ship' by the truckload!! Elvis already did the FINAL and OUTMOST version, so why even bother thinking about it?! Now, don't get me wrong here...I have absolutely nothin' against people havin' fun playing and enjoying their favourite tunes and getting a kick out of doin' it, it would be completely foolish of me to deny that! And, believe it or not, I'm even VERY broadminded as far as different styles of music goes and certainly not trapped into thinking that there's only one type of music on this planet worth the name, which is..unfortunately..what 'some' people think! Oh, well...hip-hop, rap, techno, dance music, rave and what have you, may not exactly be my first consideration in music on a daily basis, if you get what I mean, but I certainly accept it and respect its performers, why shouldn't I?! When I grew up, rock'n roll was considered the 'devil's music', by the older generation and lowered into something almost comparable to what the cat dragged in, so there's really nothin' new under the sun if you look upon it from a broader angle!).
Anyway...before I totally lose the main subject line of this 'novel' (which I have a funny feeling I've already done, lol!), let's get back to the song in
question here and my intention behind even bothering to record it! With the cover/revival syndrom in the back of my head, I thought 'why not make
a distinctive cross of rock'n roll vs. country styles out of it'? A.k.a. a pretty laid back country type vocal on top of a drivin' rock'n roll beat, with a Scotty Moore type guitar riff thrown in for good measure! Hm...cool idea and certainly not a 'tone for tone' steal of Elvis' masterpiece and certainly not in the region of Junior Parker's rather tame SUN original, or even Vernon Taylor's quite decent offering (with the help of Bill Justis'
Orchestra) on the same label! So, that's the way my thoughts went and here's the result for you to either slaughter or praise (I'd prefer the last, if you don't mind, LOL!!!). Recorded way back in the late '70s (now, that's what I call a surprise, ha, ha!) in the space of my last proper studio surroundings, located in a pretty large room in the cellar of a regular apartment building, with the neighbors all cheering and hollering their guts out and the health department lurking 'round the corner!! Good grief, those were the days....

Category:

Music

Tags:

• hotrock109
• hank c. burnette
• legendary
• boogie
• rock'n roll
• rockabilly
• guitar instrus
• johnny
• dorsey
• rocky
• sweden
• roots music
• chet atkins
• scotty moore
• up-tempo

[sunrecords56]

To put this song in its proper light...the Original Version by junior Parker was Blues...the Flip side Love My baby was an Up Tempo Tune. at some Point in time in 1955 somebody combined the 2 and thus Elvis Presley's Version was Born. to do this song Justice, you must record Love My Baby.

[burnette44]

@sunrecords56 Hey. Junior Parker's Original was R&B and not straight Blues (and pretty lame at that as most of his efforts on SUN was, compared to Elvis, Hayden Thompson, etc.) & "Mystery Train" was a COMBINED effort of Elvis, Scotty Moore, Bill Black and Johnny Bernero (on drums) with no one else involved!! My old (and sadly missed) friend Sam Phillips did confirm this to me ages ago!! And, yes, I have recorded "Love My Baby" in 3 different versions that'll make the Original sound like..well..

[Ollischniepel]

Am i alone but it sonds like a song of Sleepy La Beef?

[burnette44]

@Ollischniepel Hey, dude! Please don't mix me up with the common copycat, impersonator, revival jive! Truth is, I don't sound like nobody else but myself!! Don't get me wrong, I like ole Sleepy (mainly from his early days on Dixie and Starday!) and if you find any resemblance between the two of us that's pure coincidental, believe me!! The ONLY version worth mentioning in my book of "Mystery Train" is Elvis' '55 KNOCKOUT SUN raver!! No need to step on holy ground, so I made it my own! Hank C...

[threepasco]

Thoroughly enjoyable - in its own class - there is no need of comparison >

i am only sorry that i did not listen to more of your work !

i shall be rectifying that as time goes by.

i love your stories that go with the songs.

Top Rating !!!

[burnette44]

Thanks a lot, Dave! Well, better late than never, ha, ha! I hope to be able to upload some new stuff soon! I've been totally occupied by other matters the last couple of months and I've just updated my entire computer set-up, which will take some time to go through! Cost me a fortune, but I had to have the best there is, so...And, before I run out of space...THANKS (as usual!) for the flattering comments! You should know by now that I treasure it immensely!!!! Stay wild, buddy!! Hank C...

[Freakster1970]

Does anyone know of a great version of Mystery train that has lots of train sounds in it? Heard it years ago and never been able to track it down.

[neilembo55]

Go Hank bro!!!!!

[JohnLeePedimore]

So,before auto-tune folks just used gobs of reverb?

[penn4644]

Love the UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 video, by the way!

[penn4644]

Crazy Man Crazy! I just discovered you, pal. Fantastic Rockabilly! I thought at first you were an American 1950s artist that I somehow missed. Keep up the fine work. I dig your Guitar Boogie Special as well. Thank you.

[magdalenito25]

this is life, man!

[magdalenito25]

2:42 those who have had the opportunity to travel by train ,greetings

and had the privilege of breathing with black train! hew haw

[sriiski]

Hank C. is the best thing ever came from Sweden.

[ronetteloverz]

Nice. Sounds like a good Elvis impersonator.