Train, Train – Blackfoot | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#38); 1979
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Rickey Medlocke’s defining moment came at age seven when he saw Elvis Presley perform. From that moment on, he lived and breathed music. As a teen he played in a number of bands on a number of instruments, including bass, guitar, and drums.
Drummer Jakson Spires suggested a name change to Blackfoot, and the band embarked on several years of personnel changes and various home bases in Florida and New Jersey.
In 1971, during one of Blackfoot’s “off” periods, Rickey drummed for Lynyrd Skynyrd (the recordings were released in 1978 on Skynyrd’s First And…Last). Back with Blackfoot, Medlocke and his bandmates released two non-selling albums over six years before finally striking paydirt with Strikes and Train, Train.
Train was written by Rickey and his grandfather, Shorty (he’d legally adopted Rickey as a boy), who also played harmonica on the track. After Blackfoot fell apart in 1983, Rickey soldiered on with a new line-up before re-joining Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1994.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Al Nalli Productions
Lyrics Written by:
- Shorty Medlocke
- Rickey Medlocke
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).