Mystery Train

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“Mystery Train”

Single by Little Junior's Blue Flames
B-side	"Love My Baby"
Released	1953
Format	7", 45rpm
Recorded	1953, Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee
Label	Sun 192
Writer(s)	Junior Parker, Sam Phillips

"Mystery Train" is a song written by Junior Parker and Sam Phillips. It was first recorded in Phillip's Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee in 1953. Raymond Hill and Matt Murphy were in the backing band with Bill Johnson on piano, Pat Hare on guitar, and John Bowers on drums. The band was listed on the label as Little Junior's Blue Flames. "Mystery Train" and "Love My Baby" was released late in 1953 on Sun #192, and from the beginning the sound and feel of "Train" gave Parker his first taste of fame and name recognition.^[1]

Elvis Presley's version of "Mystery Train" was first released on August 20, 1955 as the B-side of "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" (Sun 223). It was again produced by Sam Phillips at Sun Studios, and featured Presley on vocals and rhythm guitar, Scotty Moore on lead guitar and Bill Black on bass. RCA Victor rereleased this recording in December of 1955 (#47-6357) after acquiring it as part of a contract with Presley.^[2] This version of the song peaked at #11 on the national Billboard Country Chart.^[3]

The song has lent its name to several other works:

Mystery Train was the name of a TV series that documented Presley's early career while he was at Sun.
Mystery Train is a 1989 dark comedy movie written and directed by indie film director Jim Jarmusch.
Mystery Train is the title of a book (ISBN 0-452-27836-8) by Greil Marcus on the early history of rock and roll.
Mystery Train has been covered by Bruce Springsteen on many occasions, most recently, during his 2006 Seeger Sessions Tour by combining Mystery Train's chorus with Cadillac Ranch from the 1980 River album.
Mystery Train is the name of an eclectic radio program hosted by David Wiley on KFAI, Fresh Air Community Radio, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.^[4]
Mystery Train is also the name of another very popular radio program on WJZF radio in Standish Maine USA, hosted by Bob Reichers. World wide broadcasts at www.wjzf.org
Mystery Train is also the name of diverse themed radio programs hosted by engineer Stephen D. Gross on KGGVFM 95.1 in Guerneville California and KOWSFM 107.3 in Occidental California.

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In early December of 2005, the US Army initiated a probe on a video which first appeared on the Internet showing contractors in Iraq firing at civilians while Elvis' Mystery Train is being played in the background. The video purports to show the firing of automatic rifles shooting into traffic, causing civilian vehicles to swerve and crash on the dusty West Baghdad roads.