Train Kept A-Rollin'
Words & Music:
Tiny Bradshaw, Lois Mann
& Howie Kay (1951)
Tabbed by: Bryan Holden
Timy Bradshaw and Johnny
Burnette did this tune its first recorded honors in the 1950s. There are so many terrific covers of
this 1951 classic: The Yardbirds
& Aerosmith (tabeed below) are the most famous; but you can also find
versions by Led Zeppelin, Twisted Sister, Tragically Hip, Shakin' Stevens &
The Sunsets, Hanoi Rocks, Motšrhead and many others. You can actually trace the development of "hip
slang" over the years by its lyrics.
This was fully transcribed in an early issue of Guitar School as
a great lesson in Joe Perry's use of hammer-ons & pull-offs. It is a basic blues in E [E5 - A5 - B5], although the "official" key is G.
This is also fully transcribed in the November 2008 issue of Guitar World.
Intro:
e:----------------------------|
B:--15~~~-----------12--------|
G:--14b(16r15.5b14)---12---9--|
D:----------------------12^9--| [2x]
A:----------------------------|
E:----------------------------|
Song
Riff:
E5
A5
E5
e:--------------------|--------|--------------------|-----------------|
B:--------------------|--------|--------------------|-----------------|
G:--------------------|-Play---|--------------------|-----------------|
D:-5--5-5-5-5--5-5---5^-Twice--^-7--7-7-7-7--7-7--7\|-5--5-5-5-5--5-5\|
A:-5--5-5-5-5--5-5---5|--------|-7--7-7-7-7--7-7--7\|-5--5-5-5-5--5-5\|
E:-3--0-0-3-3--0-3---0|--------|-5--0-0-5-5--0-5--0\|-3--0-0-3-3--0-3\|
A5
B5
A5 E5 B5
e:----------------------------|-------------|
B:----------------------------|-------------|
G:----------------------------|-Repeat-from-|
D:-7-7--7--7-9--99-9\7---5--4-|----Start----|
A:-7-7--7--7-9--99-9\7---5--4-|-------------|
E:-5-5--5--5^0--77-0\5---3--2-|-------------|
Interlude:
e:-------|--------------------------------------------|
B:-------|--------------------------------------------|
G:-------|--------------------------------------------|
D:-2-----|----------5-------------2-2------------2-2--| [6x]
A:-2-----|-----5-----^7^5---------2-2------------2-2--|
E:-0~~~--|-5^7--^7-------^7^5\3~--0-0--0--2--3~~-0-0--|
. .
. .
E A B
Chord Progression
e:-----5--7-------------------------------|---------|
B:-----5--7-------------------------------|-Back-to-|
G:-----6--8-------------------------------|-Riff-1--|
D:-----7--9-------------------------------|--Over---|
A:-----7--9-------------------------------|--Solo---|
E:--0--5\-7--7-8-9-10~~-10-11-12-13-15~~~-|---------|
[Song Riff - quarter
note=102]
Well, on a train, I met a
dame,
She was rather handsome, but
kind of looked the same.
She was pretty, from New York
City. I'm walkin' down that old
fair lane.
I'm in heat, I'm in love, but
I just couldn't tell her so
CHORUS:
I said, train kept a-rollin'
all night long.
Train kept a-rollin' all night
long.
Train kept a-rollin' all night
long.
Train kept a-rollin' all night
long.
With a "Heave!", and
a "Ho!"
But, I just couldn't tell her
so, no, no, no... [to instrumental]
Well, get along, sweet little
woman get along.
On your way, get along, sweet
little woman get along; on your way.
I'm in heat, I'm in love, but
I just couldn't tell her so, no, no, no.
INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE &
SOLO: [lead to uptempo by the
end - now play Song Riff much faster & tighter over the rest of the
song. Quarter note=198]
VERSE 1 REPRISE:
CHORUS:
INSTRUMENTAL SOLO:
CHORUS:
INSTRUMENTAL INTERLUDE &
SOLO:
Well, we made a stop in
Albuquerque.
She must of thought I was a
real cool jerk.
Got on the train, and lookin'
handsome.
[n.c.]
Looked so good, gee, I
couldn't let it go!
[Song Riff resumes]
Ooooo, but I just couldn't
tell her so.
CHORUS:
OUTRO: [still quarter note=198]
E Esus4
E E7#9 E5 G5 A E
[free solo over last chord and out]