who performed Night Train that Sonny Liston liked

dandantheweatherman · Post by **dandantheweatherman** » 18 Jan 2006, 09:47

Bit obscure this, but anyone happen to know who performs 'Night Train' that Sonny Liston used to train to?

Cheers,

Dan

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 18 Jan 2006, 09:50

A guess, but I have the 1956 Buddy Morrow version which may be the one

Slapsie

J · Post by J » 18 Jan 2006, 09:58

was gonna say ive heard a james brown do a version but thats far too late for liston.

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 18 Jan 2006, 10:59

It was Brown, J. His band was called 'Night Train' in the early 60s. It's on a couple of his earlier albums. Worth checking out the 'Live at the Apollo' version.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Jan 2006, 11:02

Don't know if James brown wrote the tune, but he has been going since the mid 1950's.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 18 Jan 2006, 11:19

From Nick Tosches biography of Liston, called 'Night Train':

"In March 1952, the tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, a thirty-two year-old son of St Louis, broke the R&B charts wide open with a brooding, tough-rhythmed evocation called 'Night Train'.

"Duke Ellington had written and recorded a song called 'Happy-Go-Lucky Local' in 1946. Forrest had played in Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1949 and 1950, and he had stolen 'Night Train' directly from the Ellington composition....

"How fine and fitting it was that this act of inspired robbery should become the favourite record of Sonny Liston, who at the time was in the joint for a lower form of robbery."

J · Post by J » 18 Jan 2006, 11:20

thanks guys wasnt sure it was the same one.

thought it might be due to his similar type tunes "please me" etc being early 60's ish.

in fact im sure i have that but on tape so its long consigned to a draw somewhere..

TerribleTerry · Post by **TerribleTerry** » 18 Jan 2006, 11:25

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:From Nick Tosches biography of Liston, called 'Night Train':

"In March 1952, the tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, a thirty-two year-old son of St Louis, broke the R&B charts wide open with a brooding, tough-rhythmed evocation called 'Night Train'.

"Duke Ellington had written and recorded a song called 'Happy-Go-Lucky Local' in 1946. Forrest had played in Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1949 and 1950, and he had stolen 'Night Train' directly from the Ellington composition....

"How fine and fitting it was that this act of inspired robbery should become the favourite record of Sonny Liston, who at the time was in the joint for a lower form of robbery."

Really enjoyed that biography...Sonny was one genuine bada55 but wasn't looked after all that well by his 'handlers'. There are definite echos of his career in the way Mike Tyson's has panned out.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Jan 2006, 12:02

Didn't like it much, it was written in a very dense and impenetrable style, far too much metaphorical musing for my tastes.

Coconut · Post by **Coconut** » 18 Jan 2006, 12:05

I enjoyed it, but I can definitely see that if you're not into your flowery language it could come across as a load of old Tosches

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 18 Jan 2006, 12:07

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Didn't like it much, it was written in a very dense and impenetrable style, far too much metaphorical musing for my tastes.

yes and it had some big words in it as well

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 18 Jan 2006, 12:57

TerribleTerry wrote:
Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:From Nick Tosches biography of Liston, called 'Night Train':

"In March 1952, the tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, a thirty-two year-old son of St Louis, broke the R&B charts wide open with a brooding, tough-rhythmed evocation called 'Night Train'.

"Duke Ellington had written and recorded a song called 'Happy-Go-Lucky Local' in 1946. Forrest had played in Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1949 and 1950, and he had stolen 'Night Train' directly from the Ellington composition....

"How fine and fitting it was that this act of inspired robbery should become the favourite record of Sonny Liston, who at the time was in the joint for a lower form of robbery."
Really enjoyed that biography...Sonny was one genuine bada55 but wasn't looked after all that well by his 'handlers'. There are definite echos of his career in the way Mike Tyson's has panned out.

I have also read and own this book it's a very good read

boxingchat · Post by **boxingchat** » 18 Jan 2006, 14:17

dandantheweatherman wrote:Bit obscure this, but anyone happen to know who performs 'Night Train' that Sonny Liston used to train to?

Cheers,

Dan

James Brown

dandantheweatherman · Post by **dandantheweatherman** » 18 Jan 2006, 19:27

Cheers. The only Night Train song I could think of was that Guns and Roses song.

Tosche's Night Train book disappointed me really. I think Liston's tale is a great one to tell, but the style of the book really didn't do it justice and made it far too hard to get into.

dandantheweatherman · Post by **dandantheweatherman** » 18 Jan 2006, 19:41

Just downloaded it from http://www.emusic.com. Bluesy but not bad in my current post-pub-shall-I-have-a-scotch-and-a-cigar-state.

Can't say it would do much for me if I was working out mind, but if I'm in a gym and Sonny Liston's there and puts this on, it'd be ok. I wouldn't argue with the gadge.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Jan 2006, 20:07

dandantheweatherman wrote:Cheers. The only Night Train song I could think of was that Guns and Roses song.

Tosche's Night Train book disappointed me really. I think Liston's tale is a great one to tell, but the style of the book really didn't do it justice and made it far too hard to get into.

I think maybe part of the problem was that so little was known about Sonny, he was a mysterious figure with very few friends, a real loner.

This meant the author found himself inventing his own sonny liston, and waxing lyrical all the time.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 19 Jan 2006, 03:54

boxingchat wrote:
dandantheweatherman wrote:Bit obscure this, but anyone happen to know who performs 'Night Train' that Sonny Liston used to train to?

Cheers,

Dan

James Brown

Why do I bother?

who performed Night Train that Sonny Liston liked

who performed Night Train that Sonny Liston liked

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