Tom Fogerty began playing rock and roll in high school, just as John Fogerty did. He and his brother had separate groups. Tom's band, Spider Webb and the Insects, signed a recording contract with Del-Fi Records but broke up in 1959 before releasing any records. John's band, The Blue Velvets (AKA Tommy Fogerty & The Blue Velvets), began backing Tom, and eventually Tom joined John's band, and the group made three singles for Orchestra Records in 1961 and 1962, with Tom as lead singer. In the mid-1960s, the group was called The Golliwogs and recorded with Fantasy Records, with Tom and John sharing lead vocal duties. By 1968 the band was renamed Creedence Clearwater Revival, and John had become full-time lead singer and primary songwriter. During the few years of the life of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom sang back up vocals and wrote songs, but only one of his songs ("Walk on the Water") was recorded. This lack of opportunity, along with festering, longstanding animosity with his brother, led him to leave CCR in 1971.
After the band broke up, Fogerty began performing and recording solo. Although John played several guitar parts on Tom's solo-albums, they remained estranged. Tom was bitter at having his contributions overlooked. In the pre-CCR days, Tom had been singer, songwriter, and, generally, manager of the act. Tom Fogerty recorded with Fantasy Records in 1971, and his first solo album, "Tom Fogerty," reached #78 on the album charts. On this album, Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders played on some of the sessions, and Stu Cook and Doug Clifford (CCR's former bassist and drummer), as well as John Fogerty, performed on the 1973 follow up album, "Zephyr National".
Throughout the rest of the 1970s and 1980s, Tom continued to record, and all former members of Creedence Clearwater Revival grew increasingly resentful and angry towards John Fogerty. John claimed all royalties and sued Fantasy Records; when Tom re-signed with Fantasy (effectively releasing an obligor (Fantasy Records, the deepest pocket) of joint liability and waiver of damages to his brother, an obligee), John broke from his brother famously and bitterly (viz. John Fogerty's "Vanz Kant Danz"). Tom lived comfortably in Scottsdale, Arizona for the remainder of his life, thanks to his Creedence royalties. He was an occasional surprise call-in guest on local radio station KSLX.
Tom Fogerty died of AIDS, probably due to blood transfusions during treatment for back ailments. He was 48 years old.
Mystery Train
Tom Fogerty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Train arrived sixteen coaches long
Train arrived sixteen coaches long
Well that long black train got my baby and gone.
Train, train, comin' 'round around the bend, 'round around the bend
Train, train, comin' 'round around the bend, 'round around the bend
Train, train, comin' down down the line, down do the line
Train, train, comin' down down the line, down down the line
Well it took my baby 'cause she's mine, all mine, all mine, all mine, all mine.
Train, train, rollin' around the bend
Train, train, rollin' around the bend
Well it took my baby but it never will again.
The song "Mystery Train" by Tom Fogerty is a classic, blues-inspired tale of loss and heartbreak. The main theme of the song revolves around a train that has arrived with sixteen coaches, only to take the singer's lover away. The first verse describes the arrival of the train, emphasizing its long and ominous presence, and the second and third verses repeat the refrain of the train coming "around the bend." Meanwhile, the singer speaks of the sorrow he feels at the loss of his baby, but also expresses a determination to move on from the tragedy.
The lyrics themselves are somewhat bare-bones, leaving much of the story up to interpretation. However, the repetition of the train imagery and the decidedly mournful tone suggest a sense of inevitability about the loss of the singer's lover. The lyrics also conflate the image of the train with that of the devil, adding a layer of moral weight to the story. Ultimately, "Mystery Train" is a powerful meditation on the pain of separation and the ongoing struggle to find meaning and solace in the face of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Train arrived sixteen coaches long
A train with sixteen carriages has arrived
Well that long black train got my baby and gone.
My lover has left on that long black train and I don't know where she went
Train, train, comin' 'round around the bend, 'round around the bend
A train is approaching, coming around the bend in the tracks
Well it took my baby but it never will again, no not again.
The train took my lover once, but it won't take her again
Train, train, comin' down down the line, down do the line
Another train is approaching, heading down the tracks
Well it took my baby 'cause she's mine, all mine, all mine, all mine.
My lover got on the train because she's mine and she wanted to leave
Train, train, rollin' around the bend
The train is still moving around the bend in the tracks
Well it took my baby but it never will again.
My lover left on the train, but she won't be leaving again
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.