Post Description

Johnny Burnette - The Train Kept A-Rollin


If ever there were an act that deserved more than it got, it was Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio. These three young men -- Johnny and his brother Dorsey and guitarist extraordinaire Paul Burlison -- were the authentic rockabilly article, hailing, like Elvis Presley, from Memphis proper. They were rawer than Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis put together and at their best more exciting to listen to. And while Burnette went on to write hits for Ricky Nelson and score a few of his own, it's the Rock 'n' Roll Trio sides -- none of which ever charted -- for which he is most remembered. The nine CDs here include theearliest Burnette material issued as the Rhythm Rangers in 1955 on the Von label from Corinth, MS, and sounds like the last gasp of the hillbilly boogie shack shaking music issued throughout the late '40s and early '50s. What happened to transition the Rhythm Rangers to become the Rock 'n' Roll Trio is unknown other than the overnight success of Elvis. The two bands contained exactly the same personnel (although an earlier Rhythm Rangers included Scotty Moore as well, Elvis' famed guitarist). All of the Coral singles as well as outtakes are here, as are their Imperial sides by the Burnette Brothers, those obscure Dorsey solo singles on Cee-Jam and Surf, and Johnny's solo sides on Freedom (such as "Gumbo" and "Me and the Bear"), Liberty, Vee-Jay, Chancellor, Reprise, Capitol, Sahara, and Magic Lamp. All 163 sides are featured here in great remastered sound and painstakingly annotated in the true obsessive Bear Family tradition. There is a hardback 166-page book loaded with photos and record sleeves from all over the world and a full detailed biography by Colin Escott that discusses not only the lives and travails of bandmembers but the recordings sessions as well. The story and sounds chart the evolution of the rockabilly sound into Johnny's successes as a crooner and pop singer as well as a successful songwriter who was on his way to another breakthrough creatively when he was killed in a boating accident. While many may find the slicker pop material superfluous, it is exceptionally well-crafted and deserves a righteous hearing, not in spite of the rockabilly wildness that the Rock 'n' Roll Trio put down but because of it. This is one of the finest sets the Bear Family label has ever assembled; it is a labor of love to be sure, but it is also a work of art. 
Tracks

Disc 1        Title Composer Time
  1  Rock Billy Boogie Burnette, Burnette, Hawkins, Mortimer 2:34
  2  Please Don't Leave Me Domino 2:38
  3  Rock Therapy Subotsky 2:16
  4  Lonesome Train (On a Lonesome Track) Moore, Subotsky 2:04
  5  Sweet Love on My Mind Walker 2:30
  6  My Love, You're a Stranger Walker 2:43
  7  Your Baby Blue Eyes Burlison, Burnette, Burnette. 2:12

  8  I Love You So Jerome 2:22
  9  The Train Kept A-Rollin' Bradshaw, Kay, Mann 2:17
  10  All by Myself Bartholomew, Domino 2:07
  11  Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee McGhee, Williams 2:14
  12  Blues Stay Away from Me Delmore, Delmore, Glover, Raney 2:15
  13  Honey Hush Turner 2:04
  14  Lonesome Tears in My Eyes Burlison, Burnette, Burnette. 2:08

  15  I Just Found Out Burlison, Burnette, Mortimer 2:21
  16  Chains of Love Nugetre 2:37
  17  Please Don't Leave Me Domino 2:17
  18Lonesome Train (On a Lonesome Track) Moore, Subotsky 2:12
  19  I Love You So Jerome 2:17
  20  If You Want It Enough Grayson, Howard 2:11
  21  Butterfingers Garson, Kaye 2:14
  22  Eager Beaver Baby Clayton, Katz, Roberts 2:03
  23  Touch Me Burnette, Hyde, Smith 2:26
  24  Tear It Up Burlison, Burnette, Burnette 1:55
  25  Oh Baby Babe Burlison, Burnette, Burnette. 2:24

  26  You're Undecided [2]   2:01
  27  Midnight Train Burlison, Burnette, Burnette. 2:19

  28  Shattered Dreams Motola 2:31
  29  You're Undecided [1]   2:26
  30  Go Along Mule  2:08
  31  Tear It Up Burlison, Burnette, Burnette 1:40
  32  Oh Baby Babe Burlison, Burnette, Burnette. 2:22



Disc 2        Title Composer Time
  1  Warm Love  1:56
  2  Boppin' Rosalie  2:01
  3  Do Baby Do  1:48
  4  My Honey Burnette, Burnette 2:00
  5  I'm Restless  2:15
  6  Kiss Me Burnette 2:33
  7  Kiss Me Burnette 2:18
  8  Gumbo  2:04
  9  Me and the Bear Burnette 2:26
  10  I'll Never Love Again [1]   2:21
  11  I'll Never Love Again [2]   2:26
  12  Sweet Baby Doll Malkin, Rustigan 2:35
  13  Waitin' at the Station [1]   1:30
  14  Waitin' at the Station [2]   1:08
  15  Green Grass of Texas  2:19
  16  Bloody River  1:54
  17  Ol' Reb  2:34
  18  Rockin' Johnny Home  2:18
  19  I'll Always Be in Love With You  2:40
  20  Settin' the Woods on Fire Nelson, Rose 2:04
  21  Kentucky Waltz  2:12
  22  Ballad of the One Eyed Jacks  3:46
  23  Your Cheatin' on Me  2:23
  24  Blue School Days Sochran 2:43
  25  Just Keep on Going  2:18
  26  Just a Memory  2:30
  27  It's the After That Hurts You  2:33
  28  Patrick Henry  2:05
  29  Don't Do It Burnette 2:43
  30  Cincinnati Fireball McFarland, Schroeder 2:45
  31  Your Cheatin' on Me [False Start]   0:51
  32  Your Cheatin' on Me [Take 1 With Overdub]   2:24


Disc 3        Title Composer Time
  1  Dreamin' Devorzon, Ellis 2:19
  2  I Want to Be With You Always  1:41
  3  My Special Angel  3:02
  4  Finders Keepers  2:15
  5  I Really Don't Want to Know  2:04
  6  Lovesick Blues  2:02
  7  Please Help Me I'm Falling Blair, Robertson 2:21
  8  Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me  1:51
  9  Love Me Leiber, Stoller 2:46
  10  Kaw Liga  2:15
  11  Love Kept a Rollin'  2:32
  12  That's All I Care  2:12
  13  Some Enchanted Evening Hammerstein, Rodgers 2:46
  14  You're Sixteen Sherman 1:58
  15  It's My Way  2:21
  16  That's the Way I Feel Hyde, Smith 1:47
  17  Little Boy Sad Walker 1:54
  18  I Love My Baby Devorzon, Ellis 1:40
  19  (I Go) Down to the River Adelson, Weisman 2:06
  20  Singing the Blues  1:51
  21  Let's Think About Living Bryant 2:00
  22  It's Only Make Believe Nance, Twitty 2:31
  23  Oh, Lonesome Me Gibson 2:19
  24  Dream Lover Darin 2:25
  25  You're So Fine  2:06
  26  Blue Blue Morning Pitney 1:58
  27  Pledge of Love Redd 1:55
  28  I Beg Your Pardon Gibson 2:14
  29  Crying in the Chapel Glenn 2:06
  30  Gimme Gimme Lovin'  1:58
  31  You'll Learn to Cry  2:21


Disc 4        Title Composer Time
  1  A Lover's Question Benton, Williams 2:42
  2  Big Big World Burch, Nelson, West 2:21
  3  Ballad of the One Eyed Jacks  3:15
  4  Mona Lisa Evans, Livingstone 1:45
  5  I'm Still Dreamin' Devorzon, Ellis 2:03
  6  In the Chapel of the Moonlight  1:57
  7  Red Sails in the Sunset Kennedy, Williams 2:41
  8  The Treasure of Love Shapiro 2:03
  9  The Fool Ford, Hazlewood 3:09
  10  Memories Are Made of This Dehr, Gilkyson, Miller 1:57
  11  Girls Devorzon 2:03
  12  I've Got a Lot of Things to Do Hunter, Keller 2:05
  13  God, Country and My Baby Dolan, Holiday 2:11
  14  Honestly I Do Burnette 2:26
  15  Fools Like Me Perkins 2:02
  16  Angry at the Big Oak Tree Hampton, Hilliard 2:45
  17  Clown Shoes Smith 2:26
  18  Second Chance Devorzon, Ferguson 1:57
  19  Walk on By Hayes 2:19
  20  You're the Reason Edwards, Fell, Hanley, Imes 2:43
  21  Just Out of Reach Stewart 2:35
  22  Girl of My Best Friend Bobrick, Butler 2:23
  23  Hello Walls Nelson 2:09
  24  Moody River Bruce 2:32
  25  A Little Bitty Tear Cochran 2:04


Disc 5        Title Composer Time
  1  The Poorest Boy in Town Pockriss, Tobias 2:09
  2  The Way I Am Crofford 1:58
  3  The Fool of the Year Gates 1:53
  4  Standingon the Outside of Her Door  2:15
  5  Let Me Be With You  1:51
  6  Green Hills  2:17
  7  Lonely Island  2:13
  8  Island Girl  2:11
  9  Damn the Defiant  2:35
  10  Lonesome Waters Lappone, Piocida, Willett 1:53
  11  Choo Choo Train Burnette 1:50
  12  Roses Are Red Byron, Evans 2:23
  13  When Today Is a Long Time Ago Perkins 2:23
  14  The Giant  2:54
  15  I Just Called Up to Say Goodbye  2:28
  16  I Wanna Thank Your Folks Mann 2:22
  17  I'll Never Get Over You  1:53
  18  I'm Losing My Mind  2:47
  19  The Old Man in the Country  2:10
  20  Time Is Not Enough  1:59
  21  Remember Me (I'm the One WhoLoves You) Hamblen 2:12
  22  After the Boy Gets the Girl  2:05
  23  Nobody Could  1:50
  24  Nobody Could  2:07
  25  Party Girl  2:37
  26  Tag Along Ferguson 2:23
  27  Hey Sue Burnette, Burnette, Osborne 2:18
  28  ItDon't Take Much Burnette, Burnette, Osborne 2:25
  29  I'll Give You Three Guesses  1:56
  30  (Wish It Were Satuday Night)All Week Long  2:01
  31  It Isn't There Ballard 2:16
  32  Congratulations, You've HurtMe Again  2:06


Disc 6        Title Composer Time
  1  Walkin' Talkin' Doll  2:01
  2  You Taught Me the Way to Love  2:36
  3  The Opposite Chandler, Devorzon 1:53
  4  Corner of Heartache and Despair  2:13
  5  Aunt Marie  2:12
  6  Two Feet i