Blueburst, the collaboration between The Reach’s Craig Douglas Miller and The Church’s Marty Willson-Piper, have featured a couple of times on this blog before. Now they’re back with a new cover of The Clash’s Train In Vain, inspired by the George Floyd tragedy in 2020.

By Graeme Smith

Feature photo by Gus Schmiege

Train In Vain is best known as a frenetic punk track but Blueburst have done something very different with it. Slowing it down and making it sombre, the original lyrics start to feel more universally about loss and betrayal. I love a cover that repurposes the emotion of the original, and Blueburst have nailed it with this one.

In the Summer of 2020, George Floyd was unlawfully killed by a police officer who improperly restrained him. The event led to international protests, and an amplification of the Black Lives Matter movement’s message. It was that moment in time that inspired songwriter Craig to revisit the story of Train in Vain.

You can give the track a listen below.