Monday Makeover - The Train From Kansas City

I received a pretty great book for Christmas, which I'm in the middle of re-reading after a voracious first run-through. Our Noise: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small details the 20 year history of Merge Records, one of my favorite labels. It's put out the recordings of Portastatic, Lou Barlow, Polvo, Butterglory and their main attraction (at least to this girl)...Superchunk.

I have to admit, I first heard "Train From Kansas City" on Tossing Seeds: Singles 89-91, a compilation of Superchunk 7" singles put out on Merge Records in 1991. Here's a video of Superchunk playing the song during their first show ever in Raleigh, in 1989.



Only after reading the book did I find out that the song was a B-side, and an album cut from the Shangri-las debut album "Leader of the Pack." Listen to the original version, CLICK HERE.

Promotional picture of The Shangri-Las, circa 1965/66
Source: Red Bird Records

The song has been covered by a number of prominent and lesser known indie artists.

Here's a video of Neko Case covering the track:



And here's a lesser known video version, performed in 1986 by the Shop Assistants. CLICK HERE.

I hope you've enjoyed this edition of Makeover Monday. Let me know if there's a certain song that you'd like me to focus on. Have a great week.