Ramblin' Man

Album: Brothers And Sisters (1973)
Charted: 2
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  • Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
    Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
    And when it's time for leavin'
    I hope you'll understand
    That I was born a ramblin' man

    Well, my father was a gambler down in Georgia
    And he wound up on the wrong end of a gun
    And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
    Rollin' down highway 41

    Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
    Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
    And when it's time for leavin'
    I hope you'll understand
    That I was born a ramblin' man

    Alright

    I'm on my way to New Orleans this mornin'
    Leaving out of Nashville, Tennessee
    They're always having a good time down on the bayou
    Lord, and Delta women think the world of me

    Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
    Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
    And when it's time for leavin'
    I hope you'll understand
    That I was born a ramblin' man

    Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
    Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
    Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
    Lord, I was born a ramblin' man Writer/s: Forrest Richard Betts
    Publisher: Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 29

  • Billnewbold from New JerseySo he was not born on a bus on highway 41?
  • Yvonne from PennsylvaniaDickey didn't think this a song for The Brothers. He was thinking of sending it to Johnny Cash. It happened to fit the timing of an extra slot they had on the album. The Brothers didn't hate it, so Cash was deprived of a song he probably would have done well.
  • Dustin from Charleston ScI’ve always taken the lyric about being born in the back seat on highway 41 as his nod to his parents and their early travels to country concerts on the gulf coast side of Florida and their back and forth trip across the glades on hiway 41 outside of west palm. Where he came from. They probably conceived at Joanies Blue Crab Cafe lol
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1973 {October 7th} the Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man" peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Half-Breed" by Cher...
    Between 1969 and 1981 the Jacksonville, FL band had eleven records on the Top 100 chart, one made the Top 10, the above "Ramblin' Man"...
    And on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart they had eight records, three made the Top 10, with one reaching #1, "Good Clean Fun" in 1990...
    Besides "Good Clean Fun", their other two Top 10 records were "End of The Line" {#2 in 1991} and "No One To Run With" {#7 in 1994}...
    Sadly, three original members have passed away, Duane Allman {1946 - 1971}, Gregg Allman {1947 - 1917}, and Butch Trucks {1947 - 2017}...
    May all three R.I.P.
    And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Top 10 on October 7th, 1973:
    At #3. "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
    #4. "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder
    #5. 'Angie" by The Rolling Stones
    #6. "That Lady (Part 1)" by The Isley Brothers
    #7. "Loves Me Like A Rock" by Paul Simon (with the Dixie Hummingbirds)
    #8. "Midnight Train To Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips
    #9. "Keep On Truckin' (Part 1)" by Eddie Kendricks
    #10. "We're An American Band" by Grand Funk
  • Kevin from White Spur, TexasHighway 41 runs across Vineville Avenue- less than a block from "The Big House"
    that the Allman Brothers called home in the early 70's. Those walls inspired some very fine music. The Betts' classic, "Blue Sky" was concieved there.
  • Kawa from Tokyo, JapanHi Music lovers,

    I think that the songwriter of 'Ramblin' Man', thought the song was a good song and he wanted to write a song like that and wrote 'Ramblin' Man' in 1973. Because the lines or expressions on both songs were almost the same. On 'Ramblin' Man' has lines like 'I was born', 'trying to make a living and doing the best I can', 'My father', 'he wound up on the wrong end of a gun', 'I was born in a back seat of a greyhound bus.
    On 'Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves', you can find very similar lines, too ! It goes like this 'I was born in the wagon of', 'Papa would do whatever he could', 'for the money', or 'Papa would've shot him'. I think that the songwriter wrote the song this way, The rest is history.
  • Kawa from Tokyo, JapanHi Music lovers,

    I think that the idea of the lyrics of the song came from the song 'Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves' sung by Cher in 1971. This song was a big hit song, too. I think that the songwriter of 'Ramblin' Man'.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 5th 1973, the Allman Brothers Band performed "Ramblin' Man" on the ABC-TV program 'Don Kirchners Rock Concert'...
    At the time the song was at #7 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; the following week it would peak at #2 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 16 weeks...
    Was track two of side one the band's fourth studio album, 'Brothers and Sisters', and on September 2nd, 1973 the album reached #1 {for 5 weeks} on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
    One other track from the album also made the Top 100 chart, 'Jessica', it peaked at #65...
    Between 1971 and 1981 the band had eleven Top 100 records; their next biggest hit was "Crazy Love", it reached #29 in 1979.
  • Greg from Harrington Park, NjDickey got the lyrics in the chorus from a conversation he had with his neighbor one day. The guy was outside working in his yard and Dickey yelled over to him, how are you? etc. ... and the guy replied back. Oh you know not too bad doin the best I can. ... Not sure of the exact quotes here but the story itself can be found in the book Midnight riders -- and no this is not a plug for that book, just a clarification for the story.
  • Laura from El Paso, TxI love and have listened to this song so much I can sing along word for word. Great song even if it is corny
  • Celine from Rockledge, FlI am one of the biggest brothers fan ever, but this is there worst crap song. Like it says it was made to see if they could do it without Duane. They took it to pop music and that's never been good for great music. Don't get me wrong it's good, just to commerical for the bro's. I see Mike Allman play on a regular basis at a local bar in Florida and he plays all his dad's songs but not this one for sure.
  • Art from Columbus, OhRamblin Gamblin Man is from 1968 and it is a great song!
  • Rick from Graysville, MoIf you like Les Dudek, pick up Ghost Town Parade, excellent album and very underrated
  • Francis L. Vena from New York City,, Nygreat organic country song- the ABB after Duane's
    death became a country-rock bank- prior to that
    they embodied a classic blues-jazz-improv live
    band- no band could match their virtousity
    with Dickey and Duane playing dual leads-flv
  • Andrew from Birmingham, United StatesFor some reason, this song sounds so country to me. This sounds like something that country groups have done before. I wouldn't be surprised if a country group or two has made a version of it. About what plays on classic rock stations, I like that "Old Time Rock-And-Roll" as well as that '70s style with the disco beat, but it's nice to also have a little country-sounding rock included.
  • Chris from Milford, Ctles dudek plays the harmony parts of the solos not the actual lead solos, those are all dickey. read this interview for more info on dudek: http://www.xmfan.com/les.php
  • Robert from Chicago, IlThere are two different versions of this song that exist. The original LP version is much slower than the common single mix which we all know and love. I did a A/B side by side comparison with the CD hits collection. There IS a difference...the CD version is sped up to give the harmonies a more "poppy" feel to it.
  • Guy from Woodinville, WaA great guitar song! The guitars melodies dancing ansd twirling together during the fade-out is right up there with Hotel Califoria.
  • Lazur from Chicago, IlLes Dudek did indeed take the first solo on "Ramblin' Man", but it;s not ghosted , but credited, even back then. It's a good solo, and different; I can't find anything from from Duane or Dickie quite like it, (and that includes when Betts tries and fails to play this solo live). If his birth info is correct, Les was -16- years old when he did this.
  • Jim from Laramie, Wythe most popular and known song performed by the allman brothers band, I really like the song alot, it's country inflicted, but i would never consider it southern rock. if you listen to some of dickey bett's live solos you can hear some of his dancy "country like" structures. but, i will always consider the brothers to be a blues rock jam band...
  • Ray from Stockton, NjThis song is definately not the best song of the 70s but it is probably my favorite Allman Brothers Band song, and i don't know if i'm right did Duane Allman die before this was made?
  • Jimmy from Troy, NyVery corny song. Guitar playing is great at the end, but the lyrics aren't. Not anywhere close to as good as most of their other songs from 1969-1975 when they were still great.
  • David from New York City, NyIf I am not mistaken Les Dudek ghosted the Duane Allmanism lead, not Dickey Betts
  • Victor from Vienna, Vathe #1 driving song EVER!!! priceless!
  • Tony from Perth, Australiamy old man lives along highway 41 in Ft Myers Florida, but I wasn't born in the backseat of a greyhound bus rolling along it!
  • Chuck from Paris, FranceI found this song in a random search. It's OK, for a '70s song, but not really on a level with "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" by Bob Seger, which I don't find in this database. Can someone fill this gap pls? When was "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man" recorded and released, etc.?
    Thanks.
  • Burak from Mersin, TurkeyA part of this song appears on the scene when the priest is at a bar in the movie, 'The Exorcist'
  • Brice from Tallmadge, United StatesIt Was Also Used In The Great Tim Burton Film, BIG FISH
  • James from Bridgeport, CtI think this song was playing in the background in a restaurant near the begining of "When Harry met Sally." I'm not sure though
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