Jack Takes the Floor

Redneck Ramble 3/10 Sfbb: 4.5 Or: 3 Tbw: 4 Bbb: 3.5 Nyt: 3.5 Gg: 3 Msb: 3 C: 4.5 Ds: 2.5 Bb: 2 🚮 Sd: 4.5 ⭐️

Day 368 Not sure I’ll return to this but glad I heard it. Highlights New York Town Salty Dog

I was open to this until we got to Grey Goose, which drove me crazy after the 3rd "Lord, Lord, Lord" let alone the 100th My 5 yr old on the other hand has added this to his favourite songs so there are people out there that can listen to anything

Just another folk album

Felt like listening to an extended open mic set. Warm and pleasant, I won’t listen again but I’m not mad I listened

Yeah

Top tracks: The Boll Weevil and Mule Skinner Blues. I appreciate early folk, but this isn’t an album I’d listen to again.

Honestly, I do not know why this one exists in this list - from my perspective it is just one regulat country album, one of 1 million generated in US in that period.

A few good and a few not so good songs. San Francisco Blues, Cocaine, and Salty Dog were some of the better ones.

maybe i am not a folk person. like this sounds good and at first i really liked it but i felt like it just dragged on for a half hour. i know i'm someone where i'm more of a music listener than a lyrics listener so it doesn't feel super engaging to me when an album is just a guy and his guitar (i liked the brief harmonica though). my favorite part was when there was a glitch on the spotify compilation and a random jazz track played instead of "dink's song" (the jazz track was "can't we be friends" on the complete sarah vaughn vol. 2).

Nice, short album of rock and roll with good guitar playing, rather. Just about passes x

idk what to make of this album really. i guess folks were still figuring out what it meant for something to be "an album" and so we get like, whatever this is? and if the version i listened to is any indication, it seems like folks were also still figuring out how to even record audio in the first place cos this shit sounds like jack and his mic were at opposite ends of the recording studio. it's a bold move i guess but, i don't really think it panned out. as for the actual music, it's like, fine. weird that there's 2 songs about bugs back to back in the middle of the album but it's kinda fun. hard to judge much more than that given how bad the audio quality is tho. unless there's a higher quality version floating around out there somewhere, i don't think i'd ever come back to this.

definitely a rambler alright.

Tracing back mumble rap's origins back to 50s ramblin' folk was not on my list of activities for the day, but it happened after all. I can't say I hated this album, but being only 30 minutes long is certainly among its best qualities.

Really odd all old country album with some funny old tubes and standards. I actually enjoyed it if the periodic yodelling was upsetting to the dog.

It’s very mid country

Would you believe that Apple Music doesn't HAVE this album? I listened to Ramblin' Jack Elliott Sings Woody Guthrie and Jimmie Rodgers and Cowboy Songs and SHIT this guy's great. It's possible I listened to him when he was older and more settled but I still give the man 5 stars I gotta listen to more folk music

i really liked this, especially since i 100% wouldn't have found it on my own. i think my favs are brother won't you join the line & there are better things to do

im afraid i wasnt super crazy

Some of the songs in Spotify are wrong

I'm sure this was fire in 1958 but it's been a few years since and it's not much now

Am I being trolled? Why is this album on the list?

Songs about bugs and other stuff.

The kind of person Bob Dylan pretended to be when he first rolled around. I’m a folkie, so I unsurprisingly liked this one a lot. It’s fun and impromptu.

Meh. Creo que es lo más antiguo que he escuchado nunca. No me ha llamado mucho, por lo que sea, pero es curioso.

Better than expected considering it's early country.

feels like what id imagine waking up from drunken stupor at a country bar with a shitty band playing. wtf is up with the mix, idk if its just an issue with the Spotify rip but goddamn this sounds bad. ik its the 50s cant expect recording to be too clear but like this is bad

No es malo el álbum, pero la calidad del sonido ya me arruina la experiencia y además al ser un género tan repetitivo se me hace denso que sean tantas canciones así

I'm not a big fan of the "live album that isn't" feel of this, where he's just talking to nobody. I find it hard to take multiple songs in a row about bugs. I can't remember if I finished this one or not and I don't particularly care.

No.

Traditional folk built from acoustic guitar, sparse accompaniment, and weathered vocals feels like sharing a long train journey with an elderly traveler who has collected countless stories over a lifetime. At first I'm genuinely interested, but as the stories keep coming without much change in tone or pace, I catch myself staring out the window and drifting off. The album's understated presentation and authentic storytelling are admirable, yet for me they never generated enough variety or momentum to hold my attention.

grad müsse skippe, sorry. Vor de 60er chund mer ned viel id ohre

Obwohli i de clntry phase bin. De jack isch zu viel de guten. Sirry bro. 1950 halt au scho lang her

I think that I am kind of uncomfortable with who is singing these songs...

This is Chappell Roan's grandfather in my mind

Probably 3.5. I liked it but likely won’t return to it

This was fine. Nothing more.

I had heard East Texas Talking Blues before without consciously seeking out any Ramblin' Jack Elliott. I'm not big into folk but clear to see how he acted as a bridge between Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. Initially I was leaning towards a three but I was just in the right mood for the rambling which bothered some other reviewers and got into it more as it went on and think it merits a light four. I looked up Jack and he's in his 90s and still playing a handful of shows each year, so good on him.

Clear predecessor to Johnny Cash. Cowboy blues is what I would call it, but apparently it is often consdered folk. Lots of stories/ballads and it can be funny to listen to the words (which are often inane). Reminds me a little bit of Marty Robbins, but I like Marty Robbins better. And of course, Cash is a genius, so listening to this makes me want to instead put on some Johnny Cash.

I love this. Something about the way it was recorded made me feel like I was at a small gig somewhere, or maybe it was the chatty intros to some of the songs. Not massively complex but I liked his voice and the style. I don’t think it’s something I’m likely to revisit but I really enjoyed listening to it. Fav song: Salty Dog Least fav: Grey Goose

Enjoyed this one. Simple fun and a bit of nuclear war commentary to end it. Back to back songs about insects was interesting. Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song-

Can't believe this guy is still alive and still performing! Can hear how influential he's been and was a nice little listen, but nothing that remarkable. Favourite song: Cocaine Least: Grey Goose

🫤 there’s something there

Not my cup of tea, but I can hear the foundations of a genre being created. Very much the antecedent of Dylan's earlier albums.

Very howdy y’all, ifywim

Similar to the Crickets. I appreciate that he started it, but the people who follow do it better

For the life of me I could not find the version where every track is explained by Ramblin' Jack Elliot, so I have the next best thing with just the Folk tracks. If you are not a fan of somewhat shitty recording quality and super simple Acoustic guitar music then this will not be for you. It is very much a lyrically and story driven project, and while those two things sound exciting, this project is far from that. Look I appreciate this for being such an early project on the list, but other than Jack taking songs from Black culture and history and recording them for his own benefit, there isn't much to this album. I tried to give it a chance but there wasn't much here to go off of. It is cool, but far from essential in my eyes.

3/5

This is pretty stripped back and basic in its delivery, but the guitar work is nice, and there's some decent melodies in there, with some soul. This wasn't too bad!

A nice listen. Heard of this guy but never listened to an album of his. Old times folk n blues songs with some bluegrass.

The real deal

(6/7) he indeed rambles a little, but very nice overall

Decent album country is not my genre but this I listened in one sit down which means its better than most country albums. Very roots maybe a bit to yeeehaaaa to me but I actually enjoyed it

Classic Americana. Good to hear, once. Not my go to listening choice but important to know about if you are interested in music in general.

I loved that the first sentence told me where Oakland is. How do you rate real folk singers who sing real folk songs? Every song I know sounds like a worse version than the famous version I know and the rest never got covered for a reason. I liked his vibe though.

Liked this a lot less than I expected. I think as lot of the issue is that it's badly dated. The introductions to the songs were probably valuable to an audience that had never heard of the original artists or songs but that's no longer a barrier. Which also undermines the performances because they're almost invariably not as good as those by people like Ledbelly, Jesse Fuller, or Woody Guthrie. I imagine this is historically important and introduced folk musicians to songs and artists that weren't previously known but it's now now of a musical footnote

221. ok

i gotta relisten to some of those early eps of a history of rock music in 500 songs to recall the exact cross pollination that happened with country, folk, and rock and roll...of which ramblin jack elliott is a Relatively late figure in the story, but also a helpful distillation that was able to be a very direct stated influence on dylan, the beatles the stones ect. its not a show of any sort of genius but it is a show of heart...the spoken introductions are cozy, the songs are direct but also call on elliott to employ a variety of techniques both vocally and in his guitar playing. beautifully low stakes

Nothing of note here, boring and unenjoyable

Lol this does totally sound like a folk fest daytime show. Ramblin' is an apt name for this guy. This is not super polished or succinct. Probably too much talking for my liking too. It does have its charm though.

Kerri said she would be fine if we didn’t listen to this album. When Jack started yodelling she shot laser beams from my eyes across the room at me.

Would be so much better without his singing

The type of music I'd fall asleep to in a field at folk fest, and even then his ramblins, yodels and moans probably would have waken me up. Appreciated that a lot of his music was written about simpler things. But thats a small win in a bucket of less enjoyable attributes this album brought with it. Short but not very sweet..

Folky folk stuff.

A good one

Какой-то культовый чел для кантри наверно но я не слушаю фолк кантри блять

This makes me want to create a list of 1001 albums to *never* listen to. This would certainly be in the top 10. ★

Rambles just enough for it to be enjoyable

He definitely is rambling

I'll probably never listen to this guy again.

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. 1.5⭐️

I wouldn't mind one of these tacked on the end of a classic album. But even half an hour of this is too much. I get it, I do. This was made 100 years ago when there were actual cowboys doing this in the ol' saloon on their way out of town. It's hard to try and listen to such albums in the context of 2026. But for some reason, I've had seven pre-'65 albums in about two weeks and, in the iconic words of John Coffey (like the drink, but spelled different), I'm tired, boss.

Oof

It felt like I stepped into a Coen Brothers film.

Another entertainer/performer: makes Woody sound less good.

Miksiköhän tämmöistä on listalla? Siksikö, että amerikkalaista juurimusaa pitää olla listalla? Tällä nyt vaan ei liene mitään merkitystä kenellekään muulle kuin amerikkalaisille. 43 min mies ja kitara -countrya vai mitä lienee on mun musamaulle raskas kokemus. Ei Jack huono ole mutta kun ei ole mun makuuni niin ei ole. Eikä varmaan monen muunkaan eurooppalaisen tai ei-amerikkalaisen makuun. Tätä musaa on USA:ssa varmaan suunnattomasti enkä oikein tiedä, miten tämä poikkeaa edukseen muuten, kuin että onko tämä nyt sitten ekoja levytyksiä aiheesta. Raskasta. 2/5

It's an okay folk album. Not genre defining and definitely not interesting enough, especially compared to some of his contemporaries. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

Total cowboy cosplay, but also genuinely great blues folk music. Also, listening to this is how I discovered Ramblin' Jack is still alive!

I would gladly let him ramble in my ear. 5/5

Mid

Ramblin' indeed

Not great

More like Jack Takes the Piss. Absolutely bloody awful.

Meh. So based on the complete lack of information on Wikipedia, the *only* thing notable about this album is that it appears in the book? Sounds about right. This seems very pedestrian, even for 1958. I think there's a reason his contemporaries are the household names. If I'm going to reach for some 50s folk, it's not going to be this one.

It sounds very nostalgic and raw, but not something I'd listen to willingly.

Twangy folk story telling. You can hear the influence on people like Dylan and Ochs. Woody Guthrie impression was a choice.

Interesting. I actually dig the historical crate dug albums on occasion, the ones found in the grandparents’ basement perhaps. It’s sweet. It discloses something about the genre. It doesn’t revolutionize my mind or make me wish to listen to any part of it again. 3 Boolean: True, I am taking the book editor’s word on this one.

skipped because this shit ain't on spiffy

This is not a grand, canonical singer-songwriter masterpiece in the modern album sense.

i don't have much to say about this one. it's decent country-ish folk music with some yodeling. very Smithsonian Folkways. not really a standout in that field though. deserves to be one of the 1001? folk revival is important to have on here but i don't know if i'd put this on over a Joan Baez or a Dave van Ronk or a Woody Guthrie or a Pete Seeger. would leave this behind i reckon.

Similar to Woody Guthrie, but not quite as exciting.

Honestly pretty charming to me. Makes me want to further explore this era of folk music. Also I thought it was funny that 20% of the songs on this album are about insects. Favorite track: Bed Bug Blues

This is in the category of "I can appreciate it more than enjoy it." It's essential folk and I liked the spoken introductions and the guest spot from Woody Guthrie; but it seems kind of like a shtick since the guy is from NYC and he talks about Texas, Louisiana, and other southern points. I liked "Boll Weevil," "Bedbugs," and "Cocaine" but much of the rest kind of bored me. I'm starting to think that's more about me and not the music since I have some of the same problems with Dylan, "Will the Circle be Unbroken," etc. I'm more of a melody guy than a word guy and folk is all about the words.

A time capsule within a time capsule. Songs performed in a style that feels almost lost, with the simple fingerpicking and cowboyish delivery, and a lot of these songs are even older artifacts, with anonymous authors that are truly lost to time. Kind of fascinating to listen to, with the little intro stories of where the songs come from. Doesn't get as political as his compatriot Guthrie, but sings with just as much feeling - rev Gary Davis's Cocaine and Dink's Song are both performed with a real captivating melancholy. This kind of traditional folk is real bottom-up, working peoples music that's important to preserve

Fine but I echo everyone else’s confusion as to why this is here but no Guthrie or Seeger

★★½

San Francisco Baby Blues - 3.5/5 Ol' Riley - 3/5 The Boll Weevil - 2.5/5 Bed Bug Blues - 2.5/5 New York Town - 2/5 Grey Goose - 1/5 Mule Skinner Blues - 2/5 Cocaine - 1.5/5 Dink's Song - 1/5 Black Baby - 1/5 Salty Dog - 1/5

It was pretty good, pre bob dylan vibes

Folk stroke country i guess you need to be from those parts to appreciate it he's no Bob Dylan thats for sure it's not a terrible album but its just not for me

An interesting trip back to the US folk of the 50s, and all the influences leading to that point, but something hasn't aged well, whether the voice or intonation, or the absence of something great. 2.8*

new to me—what an unexpected treat!

I love woody Guthrie and I’ve heard some rambling Jack tunes before, but had never listened to an album. He completes to bridge between Guthrie and outlaw country. I love how sloppy yet beautiful this is.

well he was differently rambling

As happens often in this activity, what we have here seems to fall into the category of influential more than approachable and enjoyable as an outsider listening for the first time. I really like folk music but this is quite a bit RAW if you will. I guess I'm used to "cooked" folk, mixed up with spices from other genres.

I’ll keep this album in mind for the next time I’m riding the rails

This album was cozy, felt like hanging with an old school blues and folk lover

yeah... i don't even know what to say... this was ass.

Old country where of course the N-word can't miss...

Mooie mix tussen Dylan en Cash. Een echte cowboy maar Dylan heeft zich vast door Elliot laten inspireren. Het is onsamenhangend en lekker rommelig, daarin doet hij zijn naam er aan. Dat maakt ook dat je er na een paar nummertjes ook wel weer klaar mee bent. Nipte voldoende, want oud en andere tijd enzo. 5,5/10

this is 100% my shit. no notes, just incredible. (dink's song on spotify is definitely not jack elliot, it was like an ella fitzgerald or someone song)

Annoying voice, out of tune guitar, unnecessary intros, boring country songs... what a mess. Don't care this guy influenced Bob Dylan, doesn't make this any more interesting. Still an awful experience. I don't want to leave the review at a super low bar, so I'll say that the guitar playing can be quite playful, and at least is not incredibly cheesy country.

There Are Better Things to Do than listen to this album.

I have a good appreciation for folk in this era, so this was a good pull for today. I could deal without the rambling before each song, but I guess that’s where he gets his name, so it’s apropos.

Number: 166 Date: 06/18/2026 Artist: Ramblin' Jack Elliott Album: Jack Takes the Floor Year: 1958 Style: 50s Folk Country Familiarity: None (1) Rating: 3 Before: ======= Never heard of this guy, to my knowledge but I look forward to listen. Maybe I'll find some songs to add to my 1958 playlist. During: ======= I could not find the exact album on Spotify but did find Muleskinner and my understanding is that it's a re-release of Jack Takes the Floor so I assume I listen to the correct versions of the songs and I did find a few to initiate my 1958 playlist. After : ======= It was an interesting listen in a historical perspective kind of way. I do have to say I like the version of Salty Dog that The Darlin's did on the Andy Griffith show, a lot more than this one. I give it a 3 personally as I don't really enjoy listening to this kind of music but I don't mind it too much either. It gets a 5 for suitability and 4 for impact. 3 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 5 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.3 composite rating

I mean as far as old as balls folk records are concerned, this one has aged quite well. It's still not exactly something in going to reach for at a given moment but it was still a nice record to listen to.

Not something that I will return to listen to, but I appreciate the kind of time capsule effect that an album like this can have.

Joa geht so - bestimmt ganz gut für 58, aber ist jetzt nicht so dass es mich abholt

Not my taste. Twangy.

This album has its charms, but feels like it's on the list to represent this era of folk/because of its influence on Dylan rather than totally on its own merits.

I didn’t like it

I feel like I would like this is I was a completely different person

every time I thought I liked a song he went ahead and ruined it. The more I listened to it the more I kept saying "god this album sucks." The guitar was fun and the songs only being 3 minutes made it palatable

Not it fam

Was fine. Just not my thing really. I quite liked some of the lyrics as it was quite tender at some points. Wouldn’t listen again.

All the people who have decided country is fashionable all of a sudden because Spotify has pushed them some acoustic guitar pop songs should have to sit through the dross that are the country albums on this list to see what they're really signing up to. Plumbs a new low every time.

Gammel country. Hørte ikke det hele.

4/10 No me gusto, el género esta bien logrado pero no me gusta

Okay, so this album was alright in the beginning but then ended up being a bit too monotonous and my rating just dropped. I know that it's quite an old album, so I completely understand that it would've been quite a lot cooler to listen to back then than it is now.

I think I like folk more than country, makes more sense and ages pretty well. This is fine, essential I guess, i don't know much, just read that Johnny Cash liked him and he's still around

Please take him off of the floor, thanks

Nope. No good. Not terrible but just sounds so old and turgid. Interesting from a historic perspective, but that's your limit

Pretty short and good

i like american folk music very much. fave tracks boll weevil and dink's song

Folk viejo. Parecido a Bob Dylan

smh no

Country, 1958 -> 2

Bro sure was rambling. Got a chuckle out of me with the bedbug one. Was a whimsical listen.

Quite liked this - generally prefer folk from this period to the more earnest type stuff from a decade later - more irreverent and I think was more the source for the weird/anti/alt folk stuff that was pretty much my entry point...

Interesting in an “expand my knowledge” kind of way, but not something I’d choose to listen to.

Two schnitzels for lunch was a mistake. 3/5.

This was very good at what it was trying to be. It sounded like I was watching an old movie about the west. It wasn't bad, just isn't my style. Actual Rating...2.5 Liked Songs: "San Francisco Bay Blues" , "New York Town" , "Cocaine" , "Can't We Be Friends?" , "Salty Dog"

Seminal American folk.

A bloke and his guitar. So it is authentic NY folk, whatever that means. How all those guys landed there is interesting, and we are glad for it cause we get Bob. The songs are all classics of the genre, and the playing and singing as basic as it gets, and that's a good thing. At the end of the day an artifact.

This album was clearly commonly available in the UK in the early 1960s and hence had an outsized influence on a generation of British musicians (see also Robert Johnson's King of the Delta Blues -- speaking of which, why isn't that on the list?). It's fun folk-blues, but it really is just carrying the torch for Woody Guthrie (speaking of which, why isn't there any Woody Guthrie on the list?). Not much later, the spot was taken over by Bob Dylan (speaking of which, why isn't... of wait, he is here). Mind you, Bob later moves on from this form, and Ramblin' Jack is still bearing that torch as the last man standing. It's a fun, rough and ready recording which suits the material. But, as with Dylan, it does all feel like a bit of an act.

לא נהניתי כלל

Bland, boring songs; poor singing, childish lyrics, all with a annoying fake cowboy I-do-care-bout-anything attitude. 2/10

🥃 music. Also, Spotify—at least for me—messed up and dropped in a completely different song on the album. There’s a Sarah Vaughn song. Not complaining, it’s lovely. It’s just not from Ramblin’ Jack 😂

Dylan meets Cash – it's a go! Rounding up for the 135th Street preacher who inspired Cocaine.

Gritty folk a cowboy I know loves.

Rambling by a campfire after a couple too many 🔥

🤠

Pretty unfiltered album. Jack's bluesy voice is heard multiple times reaching levels high enough that the microphone can't handle properly, which takes me out of the music sometimes. It seems like nearly every song begins with a story, which gives context on the song from what I've understood. I think overall I didn't enjoy it, I really didn't like the "EEEEEEEEEEE" part in "Grey Goose" that was impressive whilst at the same time being totally obnoxious. It certainly has a charm to it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Highlight Song/s: "Boll Weevil"

I don't think there is a single instance where I would casually listen to a singular song of this album.

You can get anything you want at Alice’s restaurant 🎵

I love how this really just was Jack a’ramblin’

sorry I didn't really enjoy this and it kinda grated on me. cool artist and album name though! Brother Won't You Join In The Line gets some points for being kinda fun

This isn’t a genre I hate. In fact, I love the ramblin’ cowboy genre in general. Some of the best country songs are about wanderlust. But this guy, the son of a surgeon from Brooklyn, doesn’t inspire me in quite the same way.

Another album that was not on Apple Music so I went to YouTube and found what appeared to be the full album. While listening, I noticed that it had the two extra songs that he had added and later released as Muleskinner. Oh well, I tried, and I listened to this album and then some... All of the Jack Elliott stuff I had heard (which admittedly is not as much as it should be, given my love of Dylan) was much more recent than this, so I enjoyed listening to Ramblin' Jack in his own time.

love this shit 4 stars

Folk from the 50s what more do you expect.

Not on Spotify 1/5

Pre Listen: I think I've seen this album cover and heard this guys name somewhere before. Maybe he's just got one of those names and one of those faces. Based on the album cover and release date, guessing this is gonna be some old-fashioned Americana. Notable Tracks: Cocaine - My favorite track on the album. The guitar melody sounds so sweet an innocent, while the lyrics are anything but. Mule Skinner Blues - Least favorite track, not a fan of yodeling. Walmart Yodel Kid was more than enough to last a lifetime for me. Post Listen: Oh yeah, them's was some cowboy music. For old South-Western American styled folk music, it was alright. Kinda thing you'd hear at a sleepy bar in the middle of nowhere that wraps up your day in a nice little bow. Jack's voice sounds scarily similar to a guy I know, gonna send him this album and see what he thinks. His guitar work ain't half bad either, pretty solid throughout the album. I don't really have any major gripes with the album. It's a good length too, I guess it's just missing anything particularly good or even great? It's a bit formulaic for American Folk music of the region and time. You could compare this to other artists from the same genre, time, and place, and I wouldn't be able to pick it apart. I feel very comfortable giving it a 3/5.

So boring. Do I just hate folk?

Leider nur 3/5

1958 country/folk album. Interesting - not interested.

I just love this. Went off to watch some of the 1960s videos on YouTube and could listen to Ramblin' Jack sing anything. Obviously he was a big influence on that early Dylan era, so part of the reason I like it is because this style seems very familiar.

One extra just for, “Mean old bed bugs blues”.

I feel like a lot of the music on this list from before the 1970s needs to be taken in the context of its time. I just can’t do that, I just put it on and drive to work.

Different. But liked it.

4 - BAD

man I'm a blues guy but I can agree that it just gets tiresome after awhile. Its okay, its got enough of a western flair to it that it held my interest, but it wasnt enough to make me eager for the next song. However, for 1958 I was pretty impressed with how well this turned out. If you're looking for some old roots of blues-country type music, this could be up your alley.

Warbly country blues. Cool to hear Cocaine and that line Led Zeppelin stole for Your Time is Gonna Come. Other than that it was decent enough!

Typically, I like pre-British Invasion American popular music, but this type of folk revival stuff has never done much for me. Just crazy to me that this stuff was in the present day indie rock lane of largely appealing to college kids as the subversive alternative to the other music of the era. Elliott bringing in Sarah Vaughan for a song is interesting as an attempt to bridge the divide between jazz and folk of the era, but it's not really enough to make this album all that interesting.

this sure is chill

Favorite Track: New York Town

Too country for me. Too slow. A couple of songs ok, but a whole album of this... Too intense. 2,5/5.

I keep saying I like old country music well enough, but then every time it comes up, it feels like a chore to listen to.

Name passt auf jeden Fall, er labert einfach nur vor sich her. Aber gute Stimme hat er

Very nice, though would have been nicer if it were available on Apple Music.

This is great. His guitar playing is very good.

I was hoping for more rambling on the album as the stories I have heard are as good as the songs. This is a performer, a man who knew what he wanted to be and set out to do it. Not a rock start or a generator of hit songs. But a carrier of tradition, adding his own pieces along the way.

For every moment on this album I don't hate, there is one a cannot stand, like whatever was going on during that goose song. Mid 2.

It was ok

Listening session: may 24th, while making dinner Listened to before: no Thoughts: I’m glad this was only 30 minutes Favourite track: San Francisco Baby Blues

In many ways it feels like he is doing a parody of these songs. And the drawl feels fake, poorly acted, it does not seem genuine. I almost want to like it, but something is off. 2.25 rounded down. 2

This album is bad all the way through, but Ol’ Riley and Grey Goose are particularly horrible. 2/10

6/10

Ágætis þjóðlagatónlist en ekkert að skara fram úr öðrum í þeim geira. Kallinn ennþá á lífi 94 ára. 2,5

es wird nicht besser.

Grossartig und zeitlos

Not for me, ramblin' is definitely the word for it. Gave it a shot though and listened to it all the way through.

5.5/10

5/10

Ainoo positiivinen asia tässä oli levyn kesto joka oli vaan nipin napin yli 30minuuttia... ei vaan lähteny

Tää kuulostaa vähän samalta ku ite menisin kännissä vetään.

Volkke vestiä niin perskaleesti. Kyl jotkut jutut ol varmaan aikalaisiks suht rajua menoa. Vaikee näistä volkkareista on kuitenkaan sanoa, että mikä nyt on pioneerityötä ja mikä sitten jo auratun maan kyntämistä. Mennään siis viiliksien mukaan kun ei viisari värähellyt enempiä.

Johan oli joikausta ja jiihaata. Ei ehkä ihan oma kuppi teetä.

Доставай балалайку, отец, пойдем поскулим на завалинке

Оставлю на совести критиков

Напугало, думала там вообще херня. Но нет, нормальная приятная музыка из доисторических времен. Дед до сих пор живой. С биографии вынесло. Родился в нью-йоркской еврейской семье врача, но мечтал выступать ковбоем на родео. Какой-то безумный плот твист. Альбом нормальный для солнечного утра. Песня Cocaine завайбила.

Howdy, partner

интересный канешн альбом, самое интересное как он сюда попал 1.5

Maybe not my favorite collection of Elliott's music, but still very solid. 3.5/5

2.5/5. You can definitely tell the influence Ramblin’ Jack Elliott had on future folk music while listing to this album. When I hear the sing-speak on songs such as the intro track “San Fransisco Bay” I can hear Freewheelin’ era Dylan. However, influence does not equal enjoyment, and though I can appreciate this album in a historical, analytical sense, I didn’t fully enjoy the act of actually listening to it. Part of it is the old production which makes some of the higher notes and yodeling sound a bit grating, but it’s also that this is a case where the things he influenced would go on to just be way better. And even among his contemporaries from this same era, I personally prefer Woody Guthrie, who does kinda make a cameo here on the song “New York Town.”

I wish I loved something as much as dimery loves alt uk 80s and country

Dude sure does ramble.

Meh

Maybe it's just the crushing intensity of life in the great late capitalist decline hellscape that is 2026 but oh did this make me wistful. Sincere, smart, full blooded, full hearted, just ever so cockeyed. I love it.

это обычная кантри музыка ничего интересного просто песни под гитару, даже не атмосферные хитов нет, переслушивать не буду

I kind of have a soft spot for old folk music, but even then I never got into Jack Elliott. He’s fine, but he’s not really a great songwriter nor does he have enough of a personality to make his music interesting to listen to. Still serviceable folk though

South, Sun, West, Cowboy

I’m surprised that I’ve never heard of him before. And he’s still alive! That’s crazy.

Grab your Grey Goose and listen to these Bed Bug Blues

Bob Dylan

Had a lot more fun with this than I expected!

Dated, but fine. 2.5/5

Interesting.

Terrible, wouldn't believe it went down a storm in 58 either

Blind album and artist. Honestly a great listen towards the end. Would recommend it to those looking to try new different things. Still a 3 though.

For a folk album it was good. Amazing it was almost 70 years ago

It's kinda funny that he just sings about whatever. When I was a kid there was a cover of Gray Goose that I loved by Dan Zanes.

Short & sweet. Can't we be friends stands out too much compared to the rest of the album.

Just because it laid the foundation for American folk music to come, doesn’t make it any less boring. Also, what the fuck was he thinking when he recorded the song “Black Baby”? I know it was the 50s but, Jesus.

Could it be that this is influential but not quite a must listen? Classic folk that is cobblestone in the road to contemporary folk.

Bug-heavy and I'm not mad at it. Found this pretty entertaining and would listen again

This was an unexpected gem. Almost a full five of five.

Great historical artifact and a nice record. Elliot’s love for the music carries the album as he exudes genuine affection for the songs and the performers associated with them. From a 21st Century perspective, Elliott taking on southern farmer folk tunes like “Boll Weevil Blues” seems like a mismatch, but that’s revisionist history. Elliott brings an energy to the material that has a genuine quality even if he was a doctor’s son from Brooklyn, not the cowboy troubadour character he became. Some of the material does not land with me. “Salty Dog”, “Bed Bug Blues” and “San Francisco Bay Blues” have charm, but seem more like campfire tunes than ones to put on an album. Elliott does not quite have the skills as a singer and guitarist to create versions of these songs that will stick in the mind. Give him credit for keeping the folk flame alive as Woody Guthrie was slowly dying and the Red Scare had gutted the careers of many performers. I am glad the list offered me the chance to actually listen to him after knowing his name for years.

I don't know what he is saying and there is barely any music. Maybe it would work pretty as spoken word. Jack is ramblin' after all.

50s twangy country with some silly lyrics - but if you like the genre, it's decent. A little too much hollerin' for me - I had to skip the end of one song it was so painful.

Thanks for the experience, not knowing what to expect, glad it was more folk than country. Not my bag tho. 1.5/5

Classic folk from a classic folkie. 4

Short and folky

Classic

YouTube Music didn't have this specific album so I listened to Essential Ramblin' Jack instead and I loved it! Strong Woody Guthrie vibes which I appreciate.

Very much a cowboy, struggling in a changing world. That yodel…

It wasn't as bad as the reviews made it out to be. I definitely heard worse albums that deserve the 2 star rating.

Sorry not for me

I imagine in the old days music was always this bad. Pants.

I can’t really listen to this

A man, his guitar, and some folk staples make for a wonderful combo. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 2.5 that I’ll bump up to a 3. I mean, look, this is here for more historical reasons than the actual music itself. This is folk music, with a lot of old standards long lost to the near 70-year timespan since this dropped. Thankfully, music has evolved to be a bit more complex than complaining about bed bugs & boll weevils, or skinning mules & failing to eat too-tough grey geese. This is not an album to listen to for the music before you die, but rather, an album you hear for the novelty of these older tracks & to acknowledge a popular figure in the folk scene before Bob Dylan came along as the voice of a generation. Hell, Jack Elliott sometimes referred to Dylan as "his son" when he sang some of his tracks. As an historical document of sorts, it's got merit for being on the list. It’s not a very compelling set of tracks, though. A lot of these are meandering, a bit repetitive, and while I admire them for what they are & their historical significance as usually referred to in the track’s opening monologues (adjacent to a radio or TV performance of the time), they just aren’t classics like that. Hell, even in terms of the Great American Songbook or other popular albums, Frank Sinatra had already released both “In The Wee Small Hours” & “Songs for Swingin’ Lovers”, both of which hold up tremendously even today. This is just music that truly feels like it’s from another generation, one that hasn’t really been saved or retained into today. It’s worth listening to from that standpoint, but it’s just not there musically. Hence, a 2.5 that I’ll bump up to a 3. Sort of a respect vote more than anything.

Nope too weird

Langt bedre end forventet. Det er en rablende mand som ikke tager country lyden for seriøs, så det er mere en mand, med sin guitar musik.

Country, Johnny Cash style

This was okay, but it wasn't my kind of music to listen to. My gut reaction is to give the album a 2 cause it was a struggle to go through it, but I did catch some of the artistry throughout.

As a white stripes lover I really enjoyed hearing the influence Jack had on Jack

Not available. But like his other stuff

9/10 Folk visionario. Abuelo de Mac Demarco, Courtney Barnett y Father John Misty

I could have done without all the yodelling piercing my poor ears. I quite like the simple stripped back guitar sound, and at times thought I might even be enjoying this album, but those interspersed yodels and whoops kept coming along to ruin it.

Not my thing whatsoever, I was going to give this a 1, but idk he has some charm about him that I like.

A twangy old country record with interesting voice introductions to some of the songs. The subject material varies wildly between animals and cocaine. Sort of a strange record. 2.5/5.0

I'm not sure what to make of this album. It's a solid blues record by a man who sang many blues songs. But is he more than a tribute act? Is it not more worthwhile to listen to other blues albums that are also on this list? Just looking at the time of the release and one wonders if this is someone who is crushed between older blues music and then his contemporaries like Guthrie, Seeger, Dylan and so on.

Supernatural episode song worhty: Ol' Riley 3/5

Kinda country, kinda folky. Fun listen.

This guy feels as genuine as they come. Cool listen. Surprised I've never heard him before. He has a good sound and style.

He's not bad. Something about him sounds disingenuous. It was nice to listen to something so bare bones for a change. I enjoyed the albu., but I'd be surprised if I revisit it in the future.

This was fine, but why wouldn’t I just listen to Dylan instead?

⭐️⭐️ it's not bad enough to warrant the lowest score, but it's pretty unremarkable

big yawn, not my genre, and a bad example at that.

It’s not bad for the time it was released. He really puts the ramblin in ramblin Jack Elliot. 2 stars.

I wish I loved folk music more. Actually, no I don’t.

Jaakko otti lattian mutta muuta se ei saanu. Ees kovin montaa tähteä multa. Oli vähän yksinkertaista jodlausta.

Ei ny oikein Jaskan jaarittelut iskeneet omaan makuun.

Not great but not nearly as bad as some would have you believe.

I’ve heard his name so often and never consciously listened to him. Influence is clearly 5 stars. But I also dug it - less ironic than early Dylan but that makes it kind of lovely.

This is just a prank. This is a Jewish guy from Brooklyn and he is still alive. Well played, I guess.

594/1001 2026.04.16

This is some classic folk/country. Just a simple voice with a western accent and an acoustic guitar. Think a low-key Willy Nelson. I like it so far, not sure I'd come back to it but I def see the appeal. Sounds like something you'd hear in a dusty dive bar. Something to sip cheap whiskey and warm beer to.

Creo que entra en la clasificación de country. No soy fan, pero no puedo decir que es malo. No añadí ninguna canción

Drunken Ramblin' Jack Elliott. What was the point of this?

Country. Ok

Have little patience for Country. Especially Country that Countries so much.

Maybe groundbreaking and influential when new, but just sounds old and well worn now.

OG folk music...the kind of stuff Bobby Zimmerman from Minnesota was soaking in before he came out the other side as Bob Dylan. It’s nothing that’s going to blow your doors off, but it will take you back to a time when the story mattered more than a hook or the artist themself. That idea feels almost prehistoric now, but folk music and albums like Jack Takes the Floor are really the purest expression of it.

Jack Elliott came up at a time when artists could quite literally be whatever they wanted to be without fear of their upbringings being called into question or negatively affecting their personas. "Ramblin' Jack" was born Elliott Charles Adnopoz in Brooklyn, NY to a Jewish family. He decided he felt more akin to the singing cowboys of East Texas and just started living the rest of his life as such. Today, he might be referred to as a poser, maybe even an appropriator of culture, which is probably technically true. But there is a freedom, which is harder to obtain in 2026, to just abandoning all of the expectations of your upbringing and deciding you want to me a new person entirely. Bob Dylan basically did the same thing, as have many others. Also, the album is pretty solid! A decent collection of folk standards performed by someone who has a great respect for the tradition.

folk music is the blueprint. blueprint for what? all that's good.

I have never heard the name Ramblin' Jack Elliott and know nothing about him. After listening 3 times ... Can definitely hear the similarities to Bob Dylan - particularly the folky guitar and voice. Lyrically, Dylan is much more complex and interesting. Seems like Ramblin' Jack doesn't write his own songs. I was having he same thoughts when thinking how Ramblin' Jack compares to John Prine too. The song "Dink's Song" is NOT available on Spotify for some reason. Spotify actually has a completely different song by a different artist ("Can't we Be Friends" by Sarah Vaughn) in it's place on the album. Seems like a screwup. I did find this song on YouTube so I listened there. I liked "New York Town", "Mule Skinner Blues", "Dink's Song" and "Cocaine" (was already familiar with the Jackson Browne version/interpretation of this). This is not earth shattering stuff - but some of it is fun. Seems like Fred Neil is operating in a similar music space - and this project got me to listen to one of his albums - but I liked the Fred Neil album better and respect that he writes his own songs. Liked songs on Spotify: 4/11 Rating: 2/5

It's OK, can see why many would not like, it's basic, but I enjoyed just not likely to revisit. 3 Star

Ramble by name, Ramble by nature! Not really my sort of thing but I can appreciate the influence he had on other artists.

Infections. Each song is fun, digestible, and engaging. Nothing too serious or deep, but doesn't need to be.

this felt like the 1950s country equivalent of when a man holds you hostage on a date insisting to play his guitar for you (he can neither sing nor play as well as he thinks he can)

Doesn’t do much for me. Not catchy not pleasant, sometimes a bit uncomfortable. Released in the 50s so I guess it has some sort of special flavour. I can see why some people might like it but I’ll pass for now.

Some songs were cool, others were a bit odd. All in all I like this style, but it’s probably not something I’ll come back to a ton. It’s realistically a 2.5,

Really puts the Western in the Country Western genre. Unfortunately, the best song doesn’t feature Jack Elliot singing. Not my preferred style of music at all and besides more representation of genres, I’m not aware of any reason this album made the list.

Listening to classic country western is kinda like visiting your racist grandpa. You're not sure exactly what he's going to say, but you know at the best it will just be unrelatable. At the same time it's really comforting and enjoyable being around him. I get nostalgic listening to albums like this, but I'm never realistically going to listen to it again.

Somehow I made it through. It certainly was ramblin. Part country, part folk, part comedy act, all terrible.

It was fine. Not perfect

Aujourd’hui, je m’attaque à un morceau d’histoire qui date de 1958 : Jack Takes the Floor de Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Autant vous le dire tout de suite, quand j'ai vu la gueule de l'objet, j'ai eu une sueur froide. Sur la pochette, on voit Jack Elliott affublé d'un chapeau de cowboy de la taille d'une petite ville du Texas. Mon premier réflexe ? La panique. Je m'attendais à une avalanche de country un peu rance, un truc qui sent bon la bouse de vache et le patriotisme à deux balles, le genre de disque qui te donne envie de t’acheter un pick-up et de mâcher du tabac jusqu’à ce que tes dents tombent. Bref, j’avais peur de m’ennuyer ferme. Mais dès les premières secondes, le soulagement a été total et mon avis a viré à 180 degrés. On n'est pas du tout dans la country de fête foraine car ce qu'on a là, c'est du folk, du vrai, du brut, du granuleux. On est bien plus proche de ce que Bob Dylan fera quelques années plus tard ou de la pureté de Woody Guthrie que d'un album de country à la Hank Williams. Attention, je respecte Hank Williams, c’est un monument, mais Jack Elliott ici, il joue dans une autre cour, celle des conteurs de bitume et des poètes de la poussière. Il faut dire que Jack Elliott est un personnage fascinant. Ce type est né à Brooklyn, fils de médecin, mais il a décidé qu'il serait un cowboy itinérant. C'est l'un des plus grands « imposteurs » magnifiques de l'histoire de la musique : il a tellement bien appris le style de Woody Guthrie qu'il est devenu Guthrie lui-même. Et Bob Dylan raconte dans ses mémoires avoir pris une claque monumentale en entendant cet album pour la première fois. L'album a été enregistré à Londres, chez Topic Records, de manière totalement improvisée, « off the cuff » comme ils disent. Et ça s’entend car c’est brut de décoffrage. Jack nous introduit chaque morceau avec des petites intros parlées, pleines d'humour et de nonchalance, qui valent à elles seules le détour. On a l'impression d'être assis avec lui au coin d'un feu de camp, ou plutôt dans un pub enfumé de Soho, en train de l'écouter raconter ses errances. C’est un album qui tire ses sources partout : blues de prison, chants de travail, Jesse Fuller ou Reverend Gary Davis. On y retrouve des classiques comme San Francisco Bay Blues ou Mule Skinner's Blues, joués avec une technique de guitare qui était une véritable leçon pour tous les gratteux de l'époque. Sa voix saute partout, elle est vivante, elle n'est pas là pour faire joli, elle est là pour raconter la vie. Alors oui, au final, on a un très bon album de folk. Mais soyons honnêtes : il aurait bien besoin d'un grand coup de polish. La production est minimaliste, le son est un peu dans son jus. Pourtant, c'est justement ce côté granuleux qui donne ce petit cachet supplémentaire à l'écoute. C’est comme une vieille photo en noir et blanc un peu griffée : les défauts font partie du charme. C'est cette texture un peu rêche qui rend l'expérience authentique. Ce disque, c'est une bougie d'allumage pour tout ce qui va suivre dans le rock et le folk moderne. Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger ou Keith Richards ont tous reconnu l'influence de Jack. Et rien que pour ça, l’album mérite sa place dans la liste des indispensables. Même si le cowboy sur la photo me faisait flipper, la musique m’a conquis. C'est une découverte solide, un voyage dans le temps sans le côté kitsch que je redoutais tant. Jack Elliott ne chante pas seulement, il « prend le plancher » (takes the floor) et il ne le lâche plus jusqu'à la dernière note. C'est brut, c'est sincère, et c'est surtout bien moins « bouse de vache » que prévu. Une très belle surprise pour ce projet 1001 albums.

Good, but not like super good, like mid I would say, sometimes better sometimes worse.

He rambled, that’s for sure.

Nice. But couldn’t relate.

Meh

3.5

Сильно не моє.

Як історичний екскурс це було цікаво. Музично - не дуже, залишив собі пісню Mule Skinner Blues. Загалом 2.5

Sounds about white. 2.5

That's one I could have missed

Didn't like anything about this album. I could not listen to it all

30 mins of the middlest-of-the-road country. Probably would be a 2* song but that song about bed bugs was pretty sick

Likeable. Genuinely and unexpectedly likeable. Funny and raw.