The Be Good Tanyas - Back Back Train (Music Video)

This is a video I made for the Be Good Tanyas’ version of “Back, Back Train”, an old rhythm & blues number written by “Mississippi” Fred McDowell, who you can see in the video.

I wanted to go in a different direction with this one. I’m a blues fan, but never really found the right track. One of my favourite groups is The Be Good Tanyas, and when I was flicking through my collection I found this number. It was originally a B-side to their “Scattered Leaves” single. What a find.

I researched the song, and learnt of a man named “Mississippi” Fred McDowell. Born in Tennessee in 1906, McDowell is one of the pioneers of the hill country blues style, and an early entrepreneur of the rock n’ roll scene. He began playing guitar at age 14 and played for change at dance halls. He settled in Como, Mississippi, where he became a farmer and played music on the weekends. He gained prominence in the late 50s, and is known today for his mastery of the slide guitar.

McDowell’s music has been covered by many artists from The Rolling Stones to the group you’re hearing now: The Be Good Tanyas.

The Be Good Tanyas are a Canadian folk-trio comprising of guitar and vocalists Frazey Ford, Samantha Parton and Trish Klein. They have released three studio albums and have worked on their own projects individually on and off for the last decade.

I hope you enjoy this one, guys. Took a lot of work and effort, all while life seems to be against me at the moment. If there’s any sort of artistic angle to look at this, I wanted McDowell to sort of be a spirit, whose soul is inhabiting the video. Pretentious, I know. But it kept me interested.

I’ve currently got two or three videos lined up, look out for them. As always this is for all of you, I make no money from these videos, nor do I really want to. It’s just something I made for fun. Take care, guys.