Artist: Various Artists Release Date: October 12, 1999Type: Collection (various artists), Compilation (best of)Genre: Rock
Review To commemorate the end of the century,
Sony Music assembled the 26-disc box set
Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century . The title was imposing, as was the idea behind it -- to chronicle the life of the oldest record label in the music industry. To be clear,
Sony Music has not existed for 100 years, but the heart of its catalog,
Columbia Records , was founded early in the 20th century.
Sony realized that most consumers wouldn't invest in a 26-disc box, no matter how impressive it was, so they simultaneously released a series of 12 genre-specific double-disc sets that culled highlights from the box. As it turns out, the double-disc sets are every bit as impressive as the big box, perhaps more so, because they're easily digestible. Even so, the scope of the 40-track Rock: Train Kept a Rollin' is impressive.
Columbia didn't really have a lot of rock & roll acts in the late '50s and early '60s -- the record industry was different then, and the label was a little too established to endorse something that was still seen as a fad (not to mention that most rock & rollers were on independent upstarts). Appropriately, Rock: Train Kept a Rollin' begins in 1964 with
Bob Dylan 's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" -- not only the moment Dylan went rock on record, but one of the first true rock records on the label. From that point on, things were different for
Columbia and its subsidiaries, and they eventually amassed a catalog filled with commercial and artistic heavy-hitters, such as
the Byrds ,
the Yardbirds ,
Moby Grape ,
Jeff Beck ,
Sly & the Family Stone ,
Santana ,
Mott the Hoople ,
the Stooges ,
Bruce Springsteen ,
Boston ,
Aerosmith ,
Cheap Trick ,
Meat Loaf ,
Elvis Costello ,
the Clash ,
Journey ,
Midnight Oil ,
Pink Floyd ,
Ozzy Osbourne ,
Soul Asylum ,
Pearl Jam ,
Alice in Chains ,
Rage Against the Machine and
Oasis . Those bands, along with a handful of others, make Train Kept a Rollin' an eclectic listen, to say the least, but the remarkable thing is, not only is it really entertaining, but it winds up being pretty representative of nearly four decades of rock history. True, it's not definitive, but it does something better -- it captures the feel and the evolution of rock over the years, and it does so by drawing from a handful of related labels. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Tracks
CD 1
Subterranean Homesick Blues (Lyrics) Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (2:20)
Mr. Tambourine Man (Lyrics) Bob Dylan The Byrds (2:22)
Why Do I Cry
Barry Tashian The Remains (2:50)
Over, Under, Sideways, Down (Lyrics) Jim McCarty , Chris Dreja , Keith Relf , Paul Samwell-Smith , Jeff Beck The Yardbirds (2:23)
Omaha
Skip Spence Moby Grape (2:24)
Down on Me
Janis Joplin Big Brother & the Holding Company (2:07)
Time Has Come Today (Lyrics) Joseph Chambers , Willie Chambers The Chambers Brothers (3:33)
I Ain't Superstitious (Lyrics) Willie Dixon Jeff Beck (4:55)
Albatross
Peter Green Fleetwood Mac (3:11)
I Got a Line on You (Lyrics) Randy California Spirit (2:40)
I Want to Take You Higher (Lyrics) Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart Sly & the Family Stone (3:04)
Black Magic Woman
Peter Green Santana (3:18)
All the Young Dudes (Lyrics) David Bowie Mott the Hoople (3:33)
Raw Power (Lyrics) James Williamson , Iggy Pop The Stooges (4:17)
Frankenstein
Edgar Winter Edgar Winter (3:27)
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen (4:31)
Carry on Wayward Son (Lyrics) Kerry Livgren Kansas (3:38)
More Than a Feeling
Tom Scholz Boston (3:29)
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Donald Roeser Blue Öyster Cult (3:51)
Walk This Way
Steven Tyler , Joe Perry Aerosmith (3:31)
Cat Scratch Fever
Ted Nugent Ted Nugent (3:07)
Barracuda (Lyrics) Nancy Wilson , Ann Wilson , Roger Fisher , Sue Ennis , Michael DeRosier Heart (3:30)
Surrender (Lyrics) Rick Nielsen Cheap Trick (4:14)
CD 2
Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Jim Steinman Meat Loaf (5:57)
Paradise by the Dashboard Light
Jim Steinman Meat Loaf (5:57)
Pump It Up (Lyrics) Elvis Costello Elvis Costello (3:15)
London Calling (Lyrics) Mick Jones , Joe Strummer The Clash (3:20)
Breaking the Law (Lyrics) K.K. Downing , Glenn Tipton , Rob Halford Judas Priest (2:34)
Pretty in Pink (Lyrics) The Psychedelic Furs The Psychedelic Furs (3:59)
Don't Stop Believin' (Lyrics) Neal Schon , Jonathan Cain , Steve Perry Journey (4:10)
Beds Are Burning (Lyrics) Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (4:16)
Learning to Fly
Bob Ezrin , Anthony Moore , Jon Carin , David Gilmour Pink Floyd (4:53)
Cult of Personality (Lyrics) Vernon Reid , Muzz Skillings , Will Calhoun , Corey Glover Living Colour (4:55)
No More Tears (Lyrics) Randy Castillo , Ozzy Osbourne , John Purdell , Zakk Wylde , Mike Inez Ozzy Osbourne (5:56)
Runaway Train (Lyrics) Dave Pirner Soul Asylum (4:26)
Black (Lyrics) Eddie Vedder , Stone Gossard Pearl Jam (5:45)
Would?
Jerry Cantrell Alice in Chains (3:28)
Killing in the Name (Lyrics) Rage Against the Machine Rage Against the Machine (5:15)
Wonderwall (Lyrics) Noel Gallagher Oasis (4:20)
Got the Life (Lyrics) James "Munky" Shaffer , Reggie Arvizu , David Silveria , Jonathan Davis , Brian Welch Korn (3:47)
Love Sick (Lyrics) Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (5:21)
Credits Paul McGuigan (Bass), Brian Keenan (Drums) , Aerosmith (Performer) , Ozzy Osbourne (Performer) , Tracy Sham (Photography) , Duncan Kilburn (Saxophone) , David Bowie (Producer) , Noel Gallagher (Guitar) , Michelle Kerrigan (Marketing) , Bob Ezrin (Bass) , Blue Öyster Cult (Performer) , Patti Matheny (Project Coordinator) , John Ashton (Guitar) , Richard Wright (Vocals) , Bill Lee (Bass (Acoustic)) , Tony Garnier (Bass) , Joe Strummer (Guitar) , Santana (Performer) , David Gilmour (Guitar) , James Gurley (Guitar) , Brad Wilk (Drums) , Carmen Twillie (Vocals (Background)) , Steve Walsh (Synthesizer) , David Sancious (Keyboards) , Gregg Rolie (Vocals) , Chris Dreja (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Shawn King (Photography) , Sam Andrew (Guitar) , Derek St. Holmes (Vocals (Background)) , Jeff Beck (Guitar) , Steve Fossen (Bass) , Peter Gifford (Vocals) , Peter Garrett (Vocals) , Richard Wright (Piano) , Grant Young (Drums) , Billy Altman (Editorial Director) , Dave Pirner (Vocals) , David Gilmour (Keyboards) , Danny Clinch (Photography) , Kathryn King (Editorial Production) , Ted Nugent (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Sam Andrew (Vocals) , Paul Arthurs (Guitar) , Ed Stasium (Producer) , Ellen Foley (Vocals) , Chris Hillman (Bass) , Les Binks (Drums) , Rose Stone (Vocals) , Joe Perry (Guitar) , Don Stevenson (Vocals) , Simon Napier-Bell (Producer) , Noel Gallagher (Mellotron) , Nick Lowe (Producer) , Steve Walsh (Vocals) , Jerry Miller (Vocals) , Elvis Costello (Performer) , Tom Scholz (Guitar (Acoustic)) , Topper Headon (Drums) , David Gahr (Photography) , Clarence Clemons (Saxophone) , Ron Wood (Bass) , Mick Rock (Photography) , Pete Watts (Drums) , Jeremy Spencer (Slide Guitar) , Rod Stewart (Vocals) , Parke Puterbaugh (Essay) , Zakk Wylde (Guitar) , GGGarth (Producer) , Jeff Glixman (Producer) , Peter Lewis (Guitar) , Jeff Jones (Executive Producer) , Boston (Performer) , Michael Shrieve (Drums) , George Chambers (Bass) , Robin McBride (Producer) , Augie Meyers (Vox Organ) , John McVie (Bass) , Bob Mosley (Bass) , Steve Nieve (Keyboards) , Alice in Chains (Performer) , Jim Keltner (Drums) , Sony Music Archive (Photography) , Joey Kramer (Drums) , Rage Against the Machine (Producer) , Robbie Steinhardt (Violin) , John Locke (Keyboards) , Jerry Cantrell (Guitar) , Michael DeRosier (Tympani [Timpani]) , Fleetwood Mac (Performer) , Guy Webster (Photography) , Jon Carin (Keyboards) , Gene Clark (Vocals) , Steve Perry (Vocals) , David Crosby (Vocals) , Bruce Dickinson (Compilation Producer) , Rosemary Mulligan (Marketing) , Verden Allen (Organ) , Bruce Springsteen (Vocals) , Korn (Performer) , Kevin Elson (Producer) , Andrzej Liguz (Photography) , Darren Salmieri (Copy Coordination) , Jeremy Spencer (Piano) , Tom Scott (Saxophone) , Doug McKeown (Marketing) , Tom Scholz (Clavinet) , Randy Castillo (Drums) , Al Gorgoni (Guitar) , Bruce Dickinson (Annotation) , Steve Walsh (Vibraphone) , Brian Welch (Guitar) , David Gilmour (Sequencing) , Meat Loaf (Performer) , Lester Chambers (Vocals) , Brian Welch (Bass) , John Jackson (Research) , Peter Albin (Bass) , Midnight Oil (Performer) , Randy California (Vocals) , Tim Wilson (Producer) , Journey (Performer) , Joe Strummer (Vocals) , Michael Beinhorn (Producer) , Peter Gifford (Bass) , The Chambers Brothers (Performer) , Michael Landau (Guitar) , Dave Jerden (Producer) , George Chambers (Vocals) , Jeffrey Peisch (Series Producer) , Danny Kirwan (Guitar) , Ann Wilson (Vocals) , Roger Morris (Guitar) , Michael DeRosier (Chimes) , Ed Cassidy (Percussion) , The Stooges (Performer) , Bob Dylan (Vocals) , Gene Clark (Tambourine) , Neal Schon (Vocals) , Toby Wright (Producer) , Steve Forman (Percussion) , Iggy Pop (Vocals) , Steve Walsh (Piano) , Neal Schon (Guitar) , Pink Floyd (Performer) , Brad Delp (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Brad Delp (Vocals) , Gregg Rolie (Keyboards) , Jay Ferguson (Vocals) , Bruce Springsteen (Guitar) , Rage Against the Machine (Performer) , Jonathan Davis (Vocals) , Ian Hunter (Vocals) , Tom Scholz (Percussion) , Augie Meyers (Hammond Synth) , Sly & the Family Stone (Performer) , Todd Rundgren (Producer) , Steve Walsh (Organ) , Ozzy Osbourne (Vocals) , Edgar Winter (Synthesizer) , Iggy & the Stooges (Performer) , Paul Samwell-Smith (Producer) , Ilene Bellovin (Photo Research) , Bob Dylan (Guitar) , Tony Levin (Stick) , Jerry Martini (Saxophone) , Joe Perry (Slide Guitar) , Barry & the Remains (Performer) , Phyllis Saint James (Vocals (Background)) , Scott Page (Saxophone) , Freddie Stone (Vocals) , Paul Arthurs (Piano) , Guy Stevens (Producer) , Alan White (Drums) , Bob Ezrin (Percussion) , Liam Gallagher (Vocals) , Carlos Santana (Guitar) , Noel Gallagher (Vocals) , Paul Arthurs (Mellotron) , Daniel Lanois (Producer) , Vince Ely (Drums) , Cliff Davies (Producer) , Oasis (Performer) , Mick Fleetwood (Drums) , Dave Hope (Bass) , Brian Blade (Drums) , Michael Brooks (Research) , Steve Smith (Drums) , Marvin Lee Aday (Vocals (Background)) , Tina McCarthy (Research) , Fran Sheehan (Bass) , Bob Ezrin (Keyboards) , Joseph Cultice (Photography) , Jeff Ament (Bass) , Mike Appel (Producer) , Robbie Steinhardt (Viola) , Verden Allen (Vocals) , Derek St. Holmes (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Joseph Macho, Jr. (Bass (Electric)) , The Yardbirds (Performer) , Tom Scholz (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Mike Flicker (Producer) , Owen Morris (Producer) , Bob Mosley (Vocals) , Joey Kramer (Percussion) , Richard Butler (Vocals) , Barry Tashian (Guitar) , Nat Brewster (Research) , Jeff Beck (Bass) , Ross Valory (Bass) , Jerry Miller (Guitar) , Richard Williams (Guitar (Acoustic)) , Noel Gallagher (Piano) , Don Stevenson (Drums) , Mickie Most (Producer) , Lou Adler (Producer) , Janis Joplin (Vocals) , Mike McCready (Guitar) , Robbie Steinhardt (Vocals) , Zack de la Rocha (Vocals) , Sean Kinney (Drums) , Dave Krusen (Drums) , Ted Nugent (Guitar) , Bun E. Carlos (Drums) , Steve Lillywhite (Producer) , Jim Keltner (Drum Arrangements) , Martin Rotsey (Guitar) , Joe Perry (Guitar (Acoustic)) , Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart (Vocals) , John Boylan (Producer) , Steven Tyler (Percussion) , Mick Jones (Guitar) , Jerry Cantrell (Vocals) , Peter Lewis (Vocals) , Donnie Garrard (Vocals (Background)) , Duncan Kilburn (Keyboards) , Barry Tashian (Vocals) , David Rubinson (Producer) , David Gilmour (Vocals) , Jimmy Lenner, Jr. (Photography) , Ron Juliano (Graphic Design) , Bill Payne (Keyboards) , Bob Daisley (Bass) , Mike Inez (Inspiration) , Eric Meola (Photography) , Mike Carabello (Conga) , Tom Scholz (Producer) , Randy California (Guitar) , Tom Morello (Guitar) , John Purdell (Producer) , Lance Mercer (Photography) , Mike Inez (Bass) , Scott Asheton (Drums) , Jeff Jones (Compilation Producer) , Edgar Winter (Marimba) , Rob Halford (Vocals) , Janet Boye (Art Direction) , K.K. Downing (Guitar) , James "Munky" Shaffer (Guitar) , Joe Perry (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Bruce Dickinson (Discography) , Noel Gallagher (Producer) , Elvis Costello (Guitar) , David Brown (Bass) , Karl Mueller (Bass) , Stone Gossard (Guitar) , Bruce Thomas (Bass) , Mike Inez (Musical Director) , Nancy Wilson (Guitar) , Steven Tyler (Keyboards) , Lew Futterman (Producer) , James "Munky" Shaffer (Bass) , Kansas (Performer) , Mick Jones (Vocals) , Jim McCarty (Drums) , Everett Collection (Photography) , Phil Ehart (Drums) , Tom Scholz (Organ) , Tom Petersson (Bass) , Danny Federici (Organ) , Tom (Colonel) Allom (Producer) , Ron Asheton (Bass) , José Chepitó Areas (Timbales) , Bob Dylan (Performer) , Darcy Proper (Mastering) , Darlene Koldenhoven (Vocals (Background)) , Nick Mason (Sound Effects) , Moby Grape (Performer) , Larry Graham (Bass) , FPG International (Photography) , Alice in Chains (Producer) , Jim Steinman (Keyboards) , Iggy Pop (Producer) , The Remains (Performer) , Todd Rundgren (Guitar) , Sandy Lorenzo (Marketing) , Mott the Hoople (Performer) , Living Colour (Performer) , Pearl Jam (Performer) , Noel Gallagher (E-Bow) , Chip Damiani (Drums) , Sib Hashian (Percussion) , Freddie Stone (Guitar) , Cynthia Robinson (Trumpet) , David Getz (Drums) , Nick Mason (Drums (Electric)) , Greg Lord (Photography) , Soul Asylum (Performer) , Adam Block (Project Manager) , Edgar Winter (Clavinet) , Tom Scholz (Bass) , Brad Delp (Vocals (Background)) , Robin Zander (Vocals) , Randall Martin (Label Design) , Greg Errico (Drums) , Christopher Ottaunick (Photography) , Carmine Appice (Drums) , Max Weinberg (Drums) , Big Brother & the Holding Company (Performer) , Ted Nugent (Performer) , Ian Hunter (Piano) , Topper Headon (Percussion) , Erik Ryding (Research) , Pete Thomas (Drums) , Tom Hamilton (Bass) , Michael Starr (Basic Track) , David Crosby (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Mickey Waller (Drums) , Charlie Sarrica (Graphic Design) , Pat Leonard (Keyboards) , Bobby Gregg (Drums) , Andy Wallace (Mixing) , Fin Costello (Photography) , Greg Errico (Percussion) , Joel Staniszewski (Photography) , Jim Dickinson (Keyboards) , Brad Whitford (Guitar (Rhythm)) , Jay Ferguson (Percussion) , José Chepitó Areas (Conga) , Layne Staley (Guitar) , David Gilmour (Producer) , Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart (Organ) , Laura Lee Spence (Research) , Edgar Winter (Performer) , Elvis Costello (Vocals) , James Williamson (Guitar) , Will Calhoun (Drums) , Skip Spence (Vocals) , Brad Delp (Guitar (12 String Acoustic)) , Dan Hartman (Bass) , Marni Elliott (Marketing) , Rob Grange (Bass) , Phil Ehart (Percussion) , Jeff Beck (Performer) , Bob Ezrin (Producer) , Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart (Producer) , Steven Tyler (Vocals) , Augie Meyers (Accordion) , Skip Spence (Guitar) , Ed Cassidy (Drums) , Pearl Jam (Producer) , Marc Kirkeby (Research) , Layne Staley (Vocals) , Derek St. Holmes (Vocals) , Rob Hirst (Drums) , Rob Hirst (Vocals) , Jeff Beck (Arranger) , Ronnie Montrose (Guitar) , Ian Hill (Bass) , Bruce Langhorne (Guitar) , The Clash (Performer) , Paul Griffin (Piano) , Steven Tyler (Harmonica) , Mike Vernon (Producer) , Edgar Winter (Piano) , Roy Bittan (Piano) , Judas Priest (Performer) , John Naatjes (Tape Research) , Tom Werman (Producer) , Roy Bittan (Keyboards) , Joseph Chambers (Vocals) , Rose Stone (Piano (Electric)) , The Psychedelic Furs (Performer) , Lori Berkowitz (Photo Research) , Rick Nielsen (Vocals) , Jack Douglas (Producer) , Bruce Springsteen (Performer) , Kasim Sulton (Bass) , Edgar Winter (Organ) , Mike "Clay" Stone (Producer) , Rick Nielsen (Guitar) , Steve Thompson (Producer) , Michael DeRosier (Drums) , Glenn Tipton (Guitar) , Tony Levin (Bass) , Mike Clarke (Drums) , Garry Tallent (Bass) , Artie Yeranian (Graphic Design) , Jonathan Cain (Keyboards) , The Byrds (Performer) , Peter Green (Guitar) , Marguerite Hisen (Marketing) , Watts Design (Design) , Roger Fisher (Guitar) , Willie Chambers (Guitar) , Bruce Springsteen (Producer) , Sib Hashian (Drums) , Bob Shad (Producer) , Cheap Trick (Performer) , Chuck Ruff (Drums) , Willie Chambers (Vocals) , Brad Whitford (Guitar) , Dianne Spoto Shattuck (Marketing) , Meat Loaf (Vocals) , Jonathan Cain (Guitar) , Jonathan Cain (Vocals) , Richard Williams (Guitar (Electric)) , Corey Glover (Vocals) , Jenny Friel (Photo Research) , Joseph Chambers (Guitar) , Eddie Vedder (Vocals)
