Ramblin' Man (song)
Encyclopedia
"Ramblin' Man" is a song written in 1951 by Hank Williams. It was released as the B-side to the 1953 #1 hit "Take These Chains from My Heart
", as well as to the 1976 re-release of "Why Don't You Love Me". It is also included on the 40 Greatest Hits
, a staple of his CD re-released material.
The song is notable for the simplicity of its structure, relying upon a 2-chord, minor-key, rhythm guitar figure and alternating minimal accompaniment from fiddle
and steel guitar
. It also features Williams' trademark "yodel". The song's three verses, all ending in the title line, are sung straight through with no pause for instrumental solos. The song tells the story of a man trapped in his drifting ways, doomed to break his lover's heart. Tales of wanderers were a common theme for Williams, and consequently, Country music
as a whole.
The Allman Brothers also released their own song called "Ramblin' Man
" in 1973.
Take These Chains from My Heart
"Take These Chains from My Heart" is a 1953 single by Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys, written by Fred Rose and Hy Heath. The song was the last of Hank Williams' country number-one hits. The song reached Number One on the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart.Cover versions of...
", as well as to the 1976 re-release of "Why Don't You Love Me". It is also included on the 40 Greatest Hits
40 Greatest Hits (Hank Williams Sr. album)
40 Greatest Hits is a two-record compilation that, true to the title, contains forty hit singles from country music icon Hank Williams. It was released in 1978 by Mercury Records — who under PolyGram became responsible for the MGM tape vault — on the 25th year anniversary of Williams' death...
, a staple of his CD re-released material.
The song is notable for the simplicity of its structure, relying upon a 2-chord, minor-key, rhythm guitar figure and alternating minimal accompaniment from fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
and steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
. It also features Williams' trademark "yodel". The song's three verses, all ending in the title line, are sung straight through with no pause for instrumental solos. The song tells the story of a man trapped in his drifting ways, doomed to break his lover's heart. Tales of wanderers were a common theme for Williams, and consequently, Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
as a whole.
The Allman Brothers also released their own song called "Ramblin' Man
Ramblin' Man (Allman Brothers Band song)
"Ramblin' Man" is a 1973 song by The Allman Brothers Band, featured on their album Brothers and Sisters. It was written by Dickey Betts, who also sang lead vocals....
" in 1973.
Cover versions
- Willams's grandson, Hank Williams IIIHank Williams IIIShelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
, performed the song with The MelvinsThe MelvinsThe Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members...
on the 1999 album The CrybabyThe Crybaby-Personnel:*The Melvins:**King Buzzo - vocals, guitar, bass guitar, noise**Dale Crover - drums, guitar, vocals, noise**Kevin Rutmanis - bass, slide bass, oscillator, harmonica, metronome, vocals, guitar*Tool:**Danny Carey - drums on track 7...
. - Steve YoungSteve Young (musician)Steve Young is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, known for his song "Seven Bridges Road"...
covered the song on his 1975 album Honky Tonk ManHonky Tonk Man (album)Honky Tonk Man is the third album by pioneer Country rock musician Steve Young, although this album has more of a straight country sound.-Track listing:#"Honky Tonk Man" - 2:23...
. - The ResidentsThe ResidentsThe Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
covered the song on their album Stars & Hank Forever, a double tribute to Willams and John Philip SousaJohn Philip SousaJohn Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
. - Albert KuvezinAlbert KuvezinAlbert Kuvezin is a Tuvan guitarist and throat singer.Kuvezin was one of the founding members of the Tuvan folk ensemble Huun-Huur-Tu, and is the leader of the Tuvan folk/rock/electro/post punk band Yat-Kha...
and Yat-KhaYat-KhaYat-Kha is a band from Tuva, led by vocalist/guitarist Albert Kuvezin. Their music is a mixture of Tuvan traditional music and rock, featuring Kuvezin's distinctive kargyraa throat singing style, the kanzat kargyraa.-Biography:...
covered the song on their 2005 album Re-Covers. - The song was released as a single in 2005 by Isobel CampbellIsobel CampbellIsobel Campbell is a Scottish singer, cellist and composer in the indie and rock genres.-History:Campbell was a member of Belle & Sebastian from their formation in Glasgow in 1996 until 2002, when she departed the band for personal reasons. She played cello and keyboards with the band, and sang...
and Mark LaneganMark LaneganMark Lanegan is an American rock musician and songwriter. Lanegan began his music career in the 1980s, forming the grunge group Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band Lanegan would start a low-key solo career...
, and was also included on their 2006 album Ballad of the Broken SeasBallad of the Broken SeasBallad of the Broken Seas is an album released by Isobel Campbell and the first collaboration between her and Mark Lanegan. It made the shortlist for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize and was one of NME's top one hundred albums of the decade....
. - The song was also covered by Cat PowerCat PowerCharlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
on the 2008 album JukeboxJukebox (Cat Power album)Jukebox is the eighth album by American singer/songwriter Chan Marshall, also known by her stage name, Cat Power. It was released on January 22, 2008 on Matador Records... - StrawfootStrawfootStrawfoot is a six piece alternative country/Gothic Americana band from St. Louis, Missouri. The name is taken from the Civil War era march cadence of the same name. Their music infuses a variety of influences ranging from bluegrass, southern gospel and the blues, to eastern European folk and...
covers this song on their 2009 release "How We Prospered - Mark EitzelMark EitzelMark Eitzel is a musician, best known as a songwriter and lead singer of the San Francisco band American Music Club.-History:Eitzel spent his formative years in a military family living in Okinawa, Taiwan, Ohio and the United Kingdom. He moved to America in 1979.He started making music while he was...
covers this song on his 2010 release Brannan StreetBrannan Street (album)Brannan Street is a collection of songs that were never on an American Music Club record - or a Mark Eitzel solo record. There are two which are re-inventions from songs on Klamath - one of which Eitzel rewrote all the lyrics and the other which is the song just sung with an acoustic guitar... - Waylon JenningsWaylon JenningsWaylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
covered the song