Train a Comin'
Encyclopedia
Train a Comin' is an acoustic studio album
by Steve Earle
. The album, Earle's first in five years, was released in 1995. In addition to Earle, it features Peter Rowan, Norman Blake
, Roy Huskey, and Emmylou Harris
. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
, and he essentially stopped touring by 1992 as his addiction worsened.
Most of the songs on the album are older material written when Earle was in his late teens and twenties, including "Hometown Blues," "Sometimes She Forgets
," Mercenary Song," "Ben McCulloch," "Nothin' Without You," and "Tom Ames' Prayer." "Goodbye" was written while Earle was in court-ordered rehab in the fall of 1994. In concerts, Earle introduces the song as the first song he wrote clean, and as a "ninth step in the key of C," referring to the step in which an addict seeks to make amends. According to the liner notes of the album, "Angel is the Devil" was one of only four songs written during his hiatus, which he refers to as his "vacation in the ghetto," and the mandolin line of "Mystery Train part II" was written in the early 1990's with the lyrics finished the day it was recorded. The album also includes an instrumental by Norman Blake
and three covers: Townes Van Zandt
's "Tecumseh Valley", the Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You
" and The Melodians
' reggae standard "Rivers of Babylon
."
Earle drew on established bluegrass and acoustic instrumentalists for the album, which was a departure from his earlier work with backing band the Dukes. He said to an interviewer at the time that he was seeking an older sound, and the album was recorded in just five days. "I was goin' for a sound where it sounded like old Opry stuff, where everybody stepped around the mike, which is real close to what we actually did. It ended up being even more of an organic record than I thought it was gonna be."
Earle co-produced the album with his friend William Alsobrook. Tension arose when the album was resequenced by Winter Harvest/Warner Brothers before release. Subsequent pressings of the album used Earle’s initial sequencing.
's Wrecking Ball
, which included a cover of Earle's "Goodbye" with him on guitar. USA Today
named the album the number one country album of the year.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
. The album, Earle's first in five years, was released in 1995. In addition to Earle, it features Peter Rowan, Norman Blake
Norman Blake (American musician)
Norman Blake is an instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 50 years Blake has played in a number of folk and Country groups...
, Roy Huskey, and Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album.
Background
Train a Comin was the first album recorded after Earle overcame his addiction to drugs in the fall of 1994, after being convicted for possession. Earle's last studio album had been the 1990 album The Hard WayThe Hard Way (Steve Earle album)
The Hard Way is a studio album by Steve Earle and The Dukes. The album was released in 1990.-Track listing:All songs written by Steve Earle unless otherwise noted.#"The Other Kind" - 5:09...
, and he essentially stopped touring by 1992 as his addiction worsened.
Most of the songs on the album are older material written when Earle was in his late teens and twenties, including "Hometown Blues," "Sometimes She Forgets
Sometimes She Forgets
"Sometimes She Forgets" is a song written by Steve Earle. Earle recorded it on his 1995 Train a Comin album.The highest charting version of the song was recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt, and was released in August 1995 as the lead-off single from his first greatest hits album Greatest...
," Mercenary Song," "Ben McCulloch," "Nothin' Without You," and "Tom Ames' Prayer." "Goodbye" was written while Earle was in court-ordered rehab in the fall of 1994. In concerts, Earle introduces the song as the first song he wrote clean, and as a "ninth step in the key of C," referring to the step in which an addict seeks to make amends. According to the liner notes of the album, "Angel is the Devil" was one of only four songs written during his hiatus, which he refers to as his "vacation in the ghetto," and the mandolin line of "Mystery Train part II" was written in the early 1990's with the lyrics finished the day it was recorded. The album also includes an instrumental by Norman Blake
Norman Blake (American musician)
Norman Blake is an instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 50 years Blake has played in a number of folk and Country groups...
and three covers: Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
's "Tecumseh Valley", the Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You
I'm Looking Through You
"I'm Looking Through You" is a Lennon–McCartney song, written mainly by Paul McCartney, that first appeared on The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul....
" and The Melodians
The Melodians
The Melodians were a reggae band formed in the Greenwich Town area of Kingston, Jamaica in 1965, by Tony Brevett , Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton...
' reggae standard "Rivers of Babylon
Rivers of Babylon
"Rivers of Babylon" is a rastafarian song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The Melodians' original versions of the song appeared in the sound track to the 1972 movie The Harder They Come and the 1999 Nicolas Cage movie...
."
Earle drew on established bluegrass and acoustic instrumentalists for the album, which was a departure from his earlier work with backing band the Dukes. He said to an interviewer at the time that he was seeking an older sound, and the album was recorded in just five days. "I was goin' for a sound where it sounded like old Opry stuff, where everybody stepped around the mike, which is real close to what we actually did. It ended up being even more of an organic record than I thought it was gonna be."
Earle co-produced the album with his friend William Alsobrook. Tension arose when the album was resequenced by Winter Harvest/Warner Brothers before release. Subsequent pressings of the album used Earle’s initial sequencing.
Reception
The album was well received by critics. The album was nominated for a 1996 Grammy in the "Best Contemporary Folk" category, losing out to Emmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
's Wrecking Ball
Wrecking Ball (Emmylou Harris album)
Wrecking Ball is a 1995 album by Emmylou Harris in which she moves away from the traditional acoustic sound for which she had become known, to team up with rock producer Daniel Lanois and engineer Mark Howard...
, which included a cover of Earle's "Goodbye" with him on guitar. USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
named the album the number one country album of the year.
Track listing
All songs written by Steve Earle unless otherwise noted. Listing reflects Earle's sequencing of the record.- "Mystery Train, Pt. 2" - 2:31
- "Hometown Blues" - 2:41
- "Sometimes She ForgetsSometimes She Forgets"Sometimes She Forgets" is a song written by Steve Earle. Earle recorded it on his 1995 Train a Comin album.The highest charting version of the song was recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt, and was released in August 1995 as the lead-off single from his first greatest hits album Greatest...
" - 3:01 - "Mercenary Song" - 2:39
- "Goodbye" - 4:57
- "Tom Ames' Prayer" - 3:02
- "Nothin' Without You" - 3:02
- "Angel Is the Devil" - 2:12
- "I'm Looking Through YouI'm Looking Through You"I'm Looking Through You" is a Lennon–McCartney song, written mainly by Paul McCartney, that first appeared on The Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul....
" - 2:28 (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) - "Northern Winds" - 1:40 (Norman BlakeNorman Blake (American musician)Norman Blake is an instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 50 years Blake has played in a number of folk and Country groups...
) - "Ben McCulloch" - 4:10
- "Rivers of BabylonRivers of Babylon"Rivers of Babylon" is a rastafarian song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The Melodians' original versions of the song appeared in the sound track to the 1972 movie The Harder They Come and the 1999 Nicolas Cage movie...
" - 3:30 (Brent Dowe, Trevor McNaughton, Frank FarianFrank FarianFrank Farian , is a German record producer and songwriter. He started out as a trained cook before moving into the music industry...
, George Reyam] - "Tecumseh Valley" - 4:28 (Townes Van ZandtTownes Van ZandtJohn Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
)
Personnel
- Steve Earle: guitar, high string guitar, 12 string guitar, harmonica, mandolin, vocals
- Peter Rowan: mandolin, mandola, gut string guitars, vocals
- Norman BlakeNorman Blake (American musician)Norman Blake is an instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 50 years Blake has played in a number of folk and Country groups...
: Hawaiian guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, guitar - Roy Huskey, Jr.Roy Huskey, Jr.Roy Milton Huskey was a prominent American upright bass player in country music from Nashville, Tennessee. Huskey performed alongside musicians such as Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, George Jones, Steve Earle, Doc Watson and many others...
: acoustic bass (and inspiration on "I'm Looking Through You") - Emmylou HarrisEmmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
: vocals on "Nothin' Without You" and "The Rivers of Babylon"