"Silver Train" is a song by the rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, from their 1973 album, Goats Head Soup.[1] The lyrics deal with the singer's relationship with a prostitute.[2] Recording of the song had already begun in 1970 during sessions for Sticky Fingers.
Rolling Stone critic Bud Scoppa had this to say of the song:
| “ | Side two begins modestly with "Silver Train," a rock & roll song with a pre-rock flavor. The Stones' approach is like their treatment of "Stop Breaking Down," one of Exile's sleepers: lots of whiny slide guitar and harp. They also emphasize, with their ragged ensemble shouts, the song's appealing chorus. "Train" is the best of the album's secondary songs.[3] | ” |
Johnny Winter had heard a demo of the tune and recorded a cover of it for his album, Still Alive and Well. His album's version was released even before Goats Head Soup.[2] The Black Crowes have also covered the song live.[4] Silver Train also appears on the Carla Olson / Mick Taylor "Too Hot For Snakes" album first released in 1991 and reissued autumn of 2012.
The song was played 4 times in 1973 and wasn't played again until 2014 in Tokyo on the 14 On Fire tour with Mick Taylor, who played on it originally, as a special guest.[5]