Hi Dopers. I’m trying to identify a song that I used to hear a lot in the early-to-mid 1980s on Chicago’s WXRT radio station. Details are vague, but maybe they’ll be enough for someone to remember.
It’s an uptempo rocker with kind of a rockabilly vibe to it, a little like Johnny Burnette. The lyrics repeat “This train…” with a pause, or something similar like “Big train…” and I remember hearing “…carries iron…” and “…carries steel.” I think the singer stretches out “This train…” at a few points without any other accompanment than the drums. Male singer, maybe with others in the chorus, and he sounds a little like the guy in Depeche Mode.
I don’t think this was on the radio but Big Train From Memphis by John Fogerty fits a lot of this. 1985. “Big train” stretched out with a pause, rockabilly.
mikecurtis: No, that’s not it. One hell of a rockin’ tune, though!
motu: Nope, not the one I’m looking for.
casdave: That’s not it, either. I should have mentioned that I came across that one early on when searching for “this train,” and none of the versions I listened to are close enough for this song I’m looking for to be a version of that. The beat’s kind of similar, but that’s all.
Have you tried contacting WXRT? I just had a quick look at their website, and it’s like nothing’s changed since 1984, other than dropping the daily featured artist. (Remember getting those cards every month?)
Terri Hemmert, Marty Lennartz, Frank E (With A Period) Lee, and Johnny Mars are still there. Someone should be able to recognize that song.
madsircool: The Blasters! That’s really close but I’m certain it’s not it (could be another song of theirs, though). I’m glad you suggested that because I came across one of their songs a few weeks ago and thought it sounded close, and then I forgot the name of the group! So thanks, but that’s not it.
gotpasswords: That’s a good idea, but the website’s not accessible from where I am (Europe). Early on, I searched for “wxrt eighties playlist,” which turned up several years of their Saturday Morning Flashback program, but I couldn’t access the pages. There are some identically titled YouTube channels that I have been able to access (Flashbacks from 1982 to 1986), but nothing I’ve seen or heard fits the bill.
gotpasswords: Thanks for the tip. That’d probably go somewhere if I remembered more about the song or could provide better clues.
Wheelz: Those aren’t it, but I appreciate the suggestions. Can’t remember any more words, although I probably could have described what I do remember a little better in my first post. As I recall, it sounds like a recording made in the 80s, so there’s reverb, it’s more pop-rock than rockabilly and at least once the words “this train” (or something similar) are sustained (“This traaaaaaain…”), after which point the singer kind of whoops and hollers and then sings something about “iron” and “steel.”
mikecurtis: No, that’s not it. But thanks for your input!
I want to thank you all for trying to “scratch my itch.” I knew you’d give it a shot! As you can imagine, I’d rather not just call up WXRT and sing what I can remember of the song. They must get that a lot, and I don’t have enough to go on. I recall hearing the song alongside “Tenderness” by General Public, “Red Red Wine” by UB40 and others that were in rotation at the time.
As I mentioned above, the sound of The Blasters is pretty close to what I remember, so I think I’ll have to go over their recordings. I’ll let you know if I find it!
Wheelz: Nah, that ain’t it, either. Nice tune, though! There’s more reverb in the mix (think Thompson Twins and most everything else from that time).
I do appreciate the help as it’s been in the back of my brain for weeks now (and it’s a good song, as I recall). I’m starting to suspect that I’ve misheard “this train” and that it might be by The Blasters. I’ll have to see if I can listen to their recordings or at least have a look at the track titles.
