Jack Takes the Floor

It is almost impossible to talk about Ramblin' Jack Elliott without mentioning Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan or Pete Seeger. It's true that they were contemporaries of Elliott's, but this album shows that they maybe weren't equals in the creative sense. Guthrie and Seeger are often cited by a wide range of musicians as stylistic influences, while Dylan transcended his genre to become one of the greatest songwriters of the twentieth century. Elliott is different in the sense that he doesn't seem burdened by ambition, nor particularly interested in crafting original compositions, making him quite a throwback, albeit a pleasant one. His introductory musings prefacing certain songs are inoffensive and accessible. However, the songs themselves, although delivered in a slightly tongue-in-cheek manner, just don't have the depth to appeal. Without the drive to create original compositions, the interpretational troubadour has to lend some of himself to the song, which is exactly where this record falls short. Johnny Cash and Elmore James were masters of it, their souls sang other people's lyrics. Elliott merely uses his mouth, admittedly with the authentic scrap of tweed in the corner of it. His adherence to the singing cowboy gimmick is admirable, but he's going through the motions. This is nowhere near a Rory Gallagher roaring out Pistol Slapper Blues, more of a competent and highly likeable folk fan performing Sunday evening open mic. It's nice background music for folk enthusiasts, but falls flat as a record due to shallow material and poor continuity. Not bad, but far from a meaningful endeavour.

I see now why he is called RAMBLIN' Jack Elliott. He also drawls, howls, yodels, and warbles. Definitely not my thing. It was bearable for 30 minutes, but just barely. I would argue that I could have gone without hearing this one before I die.

He does ramble, I'll give him that. I really don't understand why this is worth listening to though.

Oh, I like this. I like the style of music, the quality of his voice, and his ramblings. His folksy country-boy persona comes across as kind, gentle, and authentic. This despite his being raised in Brooklyn, his first exposure to rodeo being in Madison Square Garden of all places (according to Wikipedia). He sounds to my Wyoming-raised ears just like a genuine cowboy. I enjoyed this a lot.

A perfectly serviceable classic folk album. It does mean that there are some glaring folk holes in this list. No Dave Van Ronk, no John Renbourne, no Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie. “Waaah those would be compilations” mother fucker there’s a Hives greatest hits album on this list there’s no consistency. Put the fucking hours long folkways Pete Seeger recordings on here, it’s arguably one of the most important collections ever. Fuck you. 3 stars

If this is the music playing around the campfire, I best be hurrying on back to my tent!

While the songs themselves weren't blatantly BAD, they also weren't awesome. I get that Ol' Jack was in the mix with influential people but I just can't get past the fake, put-on southerness. You're from New York, sir. Don't tell me you've ever actually seen a boll weevil, you poser.

Feels like an intimate concert around a campfire with an old friend. Somehow it feels like he's performing just for you.

Have just embarked on the Ken Burns country music documentary in an attempt to resolve my deep seated hatred for the fiddle and banjo. Will report back in 16 hours.

Ok, hear me out… Jandek Takes the Floor. A full cover of this record as performed by Jandek. I’m not crazy, right? There’s something there? Like it could definitely work.

A fascinating little slice of history. Weird to think that this album was released closer to when Marco Polo discovered America than today.

Jack Takes the Floor This is definitely an interesting document of a moment in time and of an interesting character in the story of Bob Dylan. Obviously Elliot has value as a performer in his own right, and is more than just a stepping stone in Dylan’s career, but looking at this from 2024 you can see Elliott was the template for early Dylan - Dylan loved Woody Guthrie but based himself on Eliott who based himself on Woody Guthrie. I suppose the difference between Dylan and Elliott is that Dylan’s sense of opportunism, ambition and purpose, combined with his own skill, charisma and unique internal Dylan filter makes his Woody phase much more interesting and enduring. Dylan’s first album is incredibly reminiscent of this - similar songs, pre song talking and style - and despite that not being his best album, it is captivating in a way Jack Takes the Floor isn’t. Maybe that’s because we know the totality of Dylan’s career, but I also think you can detect a kind of ambivalence in this album in comparison. Elliott seems happy to get these songs down and sing them, but it doesn’t feel like it has any forward momentum. That’s not a criticism at all, I just think it's pretty interesting. Anyhow, put Dylan aside, this is a nice collection of bluegrass, country and blues inflected folk, with the nice easy charm of his voice and his stories. Even if all the songs end up sounding quite similar his guitar playing is easy on the ear, and the moments when he lets loose with his voice gives things a nice raspy power and sense of conviction. Equally the moments when he sings in and understated way, as on Cocaine, have a nice affecting feel. Kind of a tricky one to rate, it’s a very pleasant listen without ever really soaring, but it’s also an historically interesting record, both in terms of Dylan, but also the US folk movement and UK-US musical exchange pre Beatles. Musically it’s a 3, contextually a 4, so I’ll stick with a high 3 💬💬💬 Playlist Submission: Cocaine

Well, it does ramble.

Jack Elliot sounds like Woodie Guthrie. Bob Dylan sounds like Jack Elliot. He did the whole "pretend to be a country bumpkin though really from a privileged upbringing" before John Fogerty did it. Can definitely see why this album is in the book even though I'm not a huge folk fan. If you like folk, this is a classic. If you don't, it will be grouped w/ Dylan and you'll rate it the same.

Folk music- never new but it never gets old. Some weird arrangements (I feel like Dink's Song was mislabeled)

Ramblin Jack's the shit. In the opening to the first song it’s obvious why he was nicknamed  “Rambling” . This is a man and his guitar providing an onslaught of wonderful music and storytelling.  Jack sure does know how to pick. If an album recorded more recently had a singer  who was picking so well, we could be 99% certain  the guitar and singing were recorded separately. With Ramblin Jack I doubt that's the case.   When I listen to the intro to Salty Dog I can't help but think how stylistically similar those opening licks are to those in Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant. I guess Jack and Woody hung out a lot and Arlo picked up the style by osmosis. 

Hmm...interesting mix of folk and country, enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

I believe that if you listen closely enough, the intentions of a record will become clear, regardless of genre or proficiency, but I don’t have the time to make out whether or not this is the mod-century equivalent of the hipster banjo squads that used to make me snarl in Clapton ten years back. At times I detected a certain underlying bleakness in Jack Elliott’s voice, but other times I heard an earnest act. I don’t mind dressing up, yet knowing he was a man from a well-off family playing music mostly written by much poorer, hard-living people, troubles me. He certainly put the miles in, embraced the act. Maybe I would feel better about this if these were mostly his songs, his inventions? While he’s posited as Dylan’s dad, a more interesting comparison is Will Oldham who also dresses up, then goes on one more step and writes and acts out his own materials. Forget and forgive these midnight post- long day at the keyboard rambles (ha).

Not for me but I can see where Boring Dyling got his inspiration from.

A quintessential, if not underrated, Folk/Blues record.

Sometimes, an album with simple production techniques can be really magical. Just a guy with a guitar and harmonica in room singing, playing music and telling stories. Too bad I can’t find it on Apple Music.

Encore vivant Ramblin' Jack... 94 ans. Une autre légende. J'aime bien son album de 2006 I Stand Alone avec Arthritis Blues et une version que j'adore de Driving Nails in My Coffin. Clin d'oeil à Michael Hurley, un très grand et infatigable de ce que je qualifierais de ''indie'' folk, qui est décédé cette année.

Énorme influence sur celui dont on ne doit plus prononcer le nom ici.

Really enjoyed this. Varied, full of life, full of character.

An interesting album that I have not come across before. This album is notable for who it has influenced, and I can hear Dylan, Donovan and others. In fact a big shout out to Dinks Song which seems to cover a number of early Dylan songs.

This is why I'm here This album scratches an itch I didn't know I had

Fantastic album that shows his influence on Dylan.

This is what Dylan was into. So good. 5*

Absolutely fantastic. Birth of Americana.

I loved this country, this is how country should be. Simple, real, and not about trucks. This is peak

Wow - the precursor I Bob Dylan and Di many more artists. What an incredible album. It made my day.

Bedbugs ARE scary!

Thank you Ramblin Jack for this trip back in time. When life was simple and people would write songs about their dog. Perfect record after a busy day at work

This is a comforting country album. It's just a guy rambling with his guitar. How sweet!

Boy does Jack Elliott have quite a voice. He really puts it all in there. Makes the album feel so genuine. Sort of teeters by the end, but I think I'm still giving this a 5 when I think about how much this album inspired some of my favorites

Absolutely love this, first album so far that will go onto my playlist

The father of folk music??? Not only the best friend of and carried on the legacy of Woody Gutherie (teaching young Arlo in turn), but also inspiring and fostering Bob Dylan. Referring to him as his son. Especially with some of the traditional tunes included, it's amazing to see how much music bloomed from this man who could never stop telling stories. 4.5/5

Great album! Love it.

A million times better than Joni Mitchell. Yes, he was rambling, but I think I like it!

Obviously not as talented in terms as songwriting like his contemporaries like Bob Dylan, but I liked the intimate vibe of the album.

My man's over here lit'raly yodeling and singing about boll weevils and I just cannot relate. Side note: is this how our modern music is going to sound to people in 50 years? Dayum.

This guy took his name from the mighty 'Lee Ramblin Kelleher' lead bassist and visionary behind 'Kelleher's Field Men' whose semenial album 'Field Shack Shuffle' shook the music scene and catuplted them into the hearts and minds of all Americans. His Bass lines being so beutiful it has been known to make mountains cry.

I wouldn’t listen to this again. It was some music.

Cool, authentic sound that eventually gets boring, which is striking given how short this album is. The dude is aptly named, just kinda talks his way through much of this. Songwriting rarely seems original, too, and my favorite song was literally just Sarah Vaughan singing Liked: San Francisco Baby Blues*

Jack Takes the Floor by Ramblin’ Jack Elliot (1958) Ramblin’ Jack Elliot is the phony that folks accused Bob Dylan of bein’. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot is the young Bob Dylan without the brains. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot sounds like he came from Missouri, ‘cept he don’t sound like that to people who been there. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot knows how to tune a guitar, but he don’t. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot learnt everythin’ from a Madison Square Garden rodeo clown except how to avoid the bull. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot shares the politics of Woody Guthrie in there somewhere, but it’s kinda hard to find. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot is important for the history of somethin’ that really ain’t that important. Ramblin’ Jack Elliot has fans who know exactly what I’m talkin’’bout. 1/5

I love folk music, so I love this.

We have Bob Dylan at home.

Love a good folk album and this style. Influential as well!

Day657 - folksy blues singing about love, drugs and prison translates to any era. this one was worth finding on youtube

Album 508 of 1001 Ramblin' Jack Elliott - Jack Takes the Floor Rating : 5 / 5 I really like this album. An interesting moment in music. There is a fun duet with Woody Guthrie. We also get "Salty Dog". Good stuff.

What amazing storytelling and guitar playing. I want to go camping with this guy and listen to him around a campfire.

I like how sort of "experimental" this sounds.

Country folk

Not for everyone I’m sure but I loved it

Best album yet! I love cowboy music and this album has so many classics.

Excellent

Speaks to my soul.

This is why I am listening to this list. Every once in a while a record like this comes along that based on my usual listening I have no business enjoying but that really grabs me. From the first track to the last I was listening intently.

I’ve seen him in person several times. Ramblin’ is an apt name. He talked more than sang & most of what he said made little sense. I do like his music, his style.

Wild!

Could t find the actual album but listened to a bunch of other stuff

Oh fuck yeah. Jack outdylans dylan all over the place. Muy autentico.

I love stripped down folk country. This sounded like it was recorded at open mic night with the song intros and the live, “first take” quality of the music. Sounds like this was a pretty heavy influence on Arlo Guthrie (East Texas Talking Blues v. Alice’s Restaurant). And I had no idea Jackson Browne didn’t write Cocaine! Neither did Elliott, but at least he credits Rev. Gary Davis introducing the song. I will absolutely listen to this again.

I have now been indoctrinated into folk. This is all I want now. 5/5 Favorite song: San Francisco Baby Blues

Another great country/folk album. Ramblin' Jack Elliot has simple yet earnest style. On this album, we are treated to a feature by Wood Guthrie himself, a mentor of Elliot. Jack Elliot himself went on to have a massive influence on artists such as Bob Dylan, and Woody's son, Arlo Guthrie. Jack Elliot is a living line directly to Woody himself.

I like this Folk shit. Sue me.

cool

I can not compare jack with Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan or Pete Seeger，but just love the ramblin country vibes!this is what i call the digger's delight!

Buen country

This was a fun story-time romp which had me laughing out loud at times!

Brilliant. Raw, "real" and Woody Guthrie!

Interesting 50s honky tonk with some interesting bug blues

I liked

Really enjoyed this, solid folk country.

good old fashioned country tunes love it

Blues

Superb folk tunes from one of the best of his era

Real music about real stuff. Love it

Fine lofi folk. Really enjoyed the stuff with Guthrie.

Good old fashioned music, a man a guitar and music. No processors, no vocoders, just talent. Music from a time before humans were moulded by computers and mental health wasn’t an issue.

4.(3.5 rounded up) 1958. A time period with a lot of folk, rockabilly, and jazz. It is a bit slower, contemplative, and full of story. I love the inclusion of woody Guthrie on the track New York Blues. Tracks I especially liked were: New York Blues, Old Blue,

Pretty good

Wikipedia sagt es war n Folk Album, ich finde es klingt sehr nach Country. Gefiel mir eigentlich ganz gut und teils interessante Stories in den Songs :D

Pleasant surprise.

Jack is a master of his craft. The yapping before songs is annoying to me, but I’ll gladly sit through it for his brand of Americana.

Solid

I'd somehow never heard of Ramblin' Jack Elliott before. I listened to the first four songs of this album, and immediately loved it. It's exactly the style of folk music that I love. Raw, bluesy and loose. I thought to myself, "this sounds just like early Bob Dylan". Then on song number five, Elliott introduced Woody Guthrie, and it all made sense. After reading up on Elliott, it's actually crazy that I've never heard of him. Of all the books, films and documentaries I've seen and read about Dylan, I can't recall mention of him at all. And he's such a big part of that early Dylan. And apparently he's a big inspiration for characters and references made in "A Mighty Wind", one of my favourite music parodies (and the second best Christopher Guest rockumentary). It seems Ramblin' Jack Elliott has been a big part of the music and movies that I've been listening to for the last quarter of a century, but I wasn't aware of it until now.

Powered by sheer charisma and persona building, I can hear how this has influenced a lot of people to come. But more importantly, it is an arresting listen on its own.

So, I had never heard of Rambling Jack Elliot, but it looks like I should have. I couldn’t find this album on my music service, but I was able to find and listen to some of the songs. I thoroughly enjoyed them all! This is my kind of thing, and it’s four stars for me.

what'd itd feel like to sit at a park in the early 60s and listen to a randomly good guitarist and singer and vibe

This re-awakened my Woody Guthrie phase like an activated sleeper agent. You can definitely hear his influence on Bob Dylan, especially vocally. I liked it a lot.

Never heard of Ramblin' Jack Elliott before, so this will be interesting! Elliott seems to have been one of the Guthrie - Dylan axis and was quite important in the folk music of the 1950s and 1960s. I rather liked and enjoyed this album, seems to draw on prior work by African American blues musicians. Good, but I'm unlikely to play this much going forward.

Never heard this guy before. Is it folk? Country? Blues? All three? I don't know. But it's great!

The Aesthetic is Strong

轻松愉快的乡村民谣，但是我喜欢摇滚

Sadly, Apple Music doesn't have this album. 🥺 But it does have Roll On Buddy (with several of the same songs). Of note is track 12, which is our first of many comments that will tie random music to the Grateful Dead.

It was refreshingly different. I love country music but even this was a bridge too far to put in my normal rotation. I did really enjoy listening to this album though and thought for something that was 70ish years old has held up extremely well. Some of the lyrics seem very common-place and infused in other songs (especially the first song San Francisco Bay Blues). I can see how this guy influenced a ton of other musicians.

Une guitare, un chapeau, un mec qui raconte sa vie, la vraie country comme on l'aime.

Well my thoughts about this Ramblin' Jack Elliott are so complex.... First of all i have a huge problem on calling this an album rather than a collection of recordings he did over a period of time and some of them don't even sound like they are traditional Studio recordings . It doesn't sound like this is an album as in a statement of time and place. This begs the question why is there no robert Johnson or Elmore James albums which have such similar recording styles as this and have just as much, and some might say even more, influence in this head on music forward. (I put them on equivalent levels). That being said I also really do love albums like this historically. And it's something I actually enjoy listening to a bit because it reminds me of where music started. Just a man and an instrument and a feeling in his heart. When I was living in Memphis I was around a lot of singer-songwriters and though I did not hear a lot of ramblin' Jack Elliott , he was very well respected amongst my friends. And listen to this I can see why it is very similar in the vein of some of the acts that I really loved watching live including Todd Snider who was up and coming at the time I was watching him in Memphis. Even though I really like listening to this a lot ,I don't see it as a 4½,star album mainly because it lacks any cohesiveness. But, I think it does reach me enough as a collection of songs to give it a decent 4 8.6 ★★★★

Pretty nice