Mystery Train (book)
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| Author | Greil Marcus |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Paul May |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre |
Music criticism Social history |
| Published | 1st edition: 1975 6th edition: 2015 |
| Publisher | 1st edition: E. P. Dutton 5th edition: Plume |
| Media type | paperback book |
| ISBN | |
Mystery Train: Images of America in Rock 'N' Roll Music is a non-fiction book written in 1975 by Greil Marcus.
Greil Marcus, rock critic and columnist for Rolling Stone, and contributor to other publications, such as Creem, the Village Voice, and Artforum, wrote Mystery Train in 1975. In the prologue, he relates that the book "is no attempt at synthesis, but a recognition of unities in the American imagination that already exist." The writing, according to the author, took about "two years of doing nothing else."
Mystery Train, according to one reviewer, reflects on what could be called "the historical turn" that rock took at the close of the 60s, initiated by Bob Dylan and the Band, and followed through by everyone from Creedence Clearwater Revival to Randy Newman, the music moving "beyond rock'n'roll's teenage immersion in the present to an adult sophistication steeped in deep knowledge of rock's roots in blues and country and lyrics that likewise looked to the past for inspiration."
According to another reviewer, Marcus proceeds in his examination of American popular culture with the "democratic assumption" that Presley and Herman Melville are already cultural and political equals, and are, therefore, "in conversation with one another - having a dialogue about freedom and limits, innovation and tradition, American dreams and American obsessions." When the 2nd edition came out, Elvis had recently died, and Marcus was asked to amend the chapter relating to Elvis by putting everything in the past tense but he refused, because, he said, "Elvis' presence was so powerful, I felt he's always in the present tense."
Mystery Train opens with an episode on the Dick Cavett show, where Little Richard interrupts a disagreement between a writer and a critic, and closes with a transcript of Jerry Lee Lewis arguing with producer Sam Phillips as they are setting up to record "Great Balls of Fire" in 1957.
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