Reviews (page 2 of 7)
love this shit 4 stars
this sure is chill
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.
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.
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
Had a lot more fun with this than I expected!
For a folk album it was good. Amazing it was almost 70 years ago
This was an unexpected gem. Almost a full five of five.
Classic folk from a classic folkie. 4
Short and folky
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…
As a white stripes lover I really enjoyed hearing the influence Jack had on Jack
9/10 Folk visionario. Abuelo de Mac Demarco, Courtney Barnett y Father John Misty
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 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.
Infections. Each song is fun, digestible, and engaging. Nothing too serious or deep, but doesn't need to be.
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.
Oh man, The man toured with Woody Guthrie and you can absolutely hear it. I can hear the throughline to Johnny Cash as well (love the name East Texas Talkin' Blues). So simple but so emotional and classic, I really liked this.
I actually really dug how low-key this album way. Felt lighthearted while being emotional and quiet. Favorite Songs: San Francisco Bay
This person is a CLEAR precursor to Dylan. Mule Skinner Blues feel like it fell right out of the Bob Dylan self titled. For that reason, given this a 4.
What a fun album. I’d never heard of him, but I was familiar with Woody Guthrie and this is the same style (in fact, they were friends and played together). Loved it.
Nice
Fantastic American folk. One can be forgiven for mistaking this as a Woody Guthrie or early Bob Dylan album, and to read about him as an inspiration for Dylan and a curator of Woody makes this one all more poignant.
Good old country
A bunch of good old folk country songs. 4 stars or B-.
His name comes up a lot in Dylan biographies but not sure I'd ever heard his music before. Enjoyed.
Raw blues with massive influence, class album
What the hell, this was unreal. Brilliant guitar. Pj hasn't heard of him which annoyed me because he's made me listen to so much wank folk country music and never touched on this
oh fuck yeah this has fare thee well on it??
Punchy and Ramblin. I hadn't heard of Ramblin' Jack Elliot much until recently, but I like him. He seems to be at the nexus of a lot of the old time, folk, country, Americana, and Western music that I like. I'd rather listen to songs about Boll Weevils than love anytime.
Honestly I haven’t paid much attention to Jack, but I’m given to understand that he used to introduce Dylan songs as written by his son. Makes sense. The songs feel legendary and heavy; not in themselves incredible listens, but vital to the dustbowl everyman movement.
A new name to me and I was pleased to discover he's still alive. American folk in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, great folk guitar style, no embellishments, typical lyrical subject matter, quite an enjoyable listen.
Oregon mentioned! Liked this more than I thought. Incisive and powerful.
A 1958 album from the same well spring as woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger which paved the way for Bob Dylan’s breakthrough work from 1963-5. Certainly topics that were eons away from mainstream pop at the time. One take, three chords and the truth…supposedly
I feel so much better after listening to this album. I frequently tell people when they ask that the only genre I don’t like is country music. And while that’s not factually true, it’s mostly true and saves me a lot of time listening to garbage country acts. But there are country acts that I DO like, but they are usually pretty old school or more folksy than country. This reassured me that “my” kind of country does exist, and it’s not only Willie, Merle, towns, and Roger Alan Wade. As it turns out there still more niche country acts that I like, sort of like Ramblin Jack Elliott. Having the single coolest name in country music wasn’t enough for Jack, he then had to write crazy catchy and witty country songs like these. Honestly it’s not the best county album I’ve ever heard but there something really special and endearing about this album. Give it a chance, he’ll win you over.
Good
I really like this album, but I’m not sure why Dimery has picked Jack Elliot over Woodie Guthrie. This is a nice easy, Americana vibe. It’s the halfway point between Guthrie and Dylan.
Sounds like warm sugar cookies
I feel like young Bob Dylan would have loved Jack Elliott, and old Jack Elliott would have hated Bob Dylan. Some pretty strong traditional American folk music here. The foundation of so much of what has been built since.
I really enjoyed this album and it brought back memories. Lots of history for me in here. A bit hard to find though, Amazon didn't have it. A fun, enjoyable listen.
I'm a sucker for old folk music, and man this one did not disappoint.
yeehawwwww - fun storytelling and easy to listen melodies - la guitare est apaisante, sa voix aussi (sauf le screeching dans Ol’Riley) - meilleure chanson: cocaine
A Woody Guthrie feat?!
Amazing piece of american history. Loved it!
Cool old folk-y record.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit
8/10
This wasn't what I feared at all. No root, not so much as a hint of toot. Instead, it was a lovely insight into a very clear Bob Dylan influence (and vice versa I guess, given RJE's cover of Don't Think Twice), and a great surprise to hear Woody Guthrie pop up. I get the sense that Ramblin' Jack was one of the good guys, like Woody or Pete Seeger, and I've decided I'm not going to check whether that's true or not.
I love old stuff. Only come here if you like that stuff.
Come on 1001albumsgenerator you can’t just give me a country album and expect me to like it! I mean I DID but that’s besides the point
Really liked this, not my style of music but very good and some humorous lyrics. Loved "there's better things to do" - still apt today!
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
Traditional in the truest sense of the word to American Folk, Country and Blues. Vocally similar in that sense to Woodie Guthrie, but I think a bit more polished in delivery. Very simple production, which I think is more than fair considering it was originally recorded in 1958. Massive fan of flatpicking guitar, and ashamed that I’m too impatient and uncoordinated to learn it myself. Good listen.
This just works for me. I like old school folk and that's what this is. What can I say - I like his voice and guitar work and the first-take feel of the recordings.
Country music sucks, and I somehow can't bring myself to clown on this. Shits fire dude.
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
I think a good album, raw and rambling. Great voice. You can hear its place in music history, pre-Dylan.
Pure slice of Americana - a raw, somewhat simple record, it’s beautiful
Didn’t realize I was folk fan. Really enjoyed this one
This really was fun, especially if you are like me, living in San Francisco. Interesting to think about which sidewalks might have hosted Jack in the past--maybe we should make a plaque! But I digress. Jack is a solo acoustic guitarist with a top drawer busker vibe. He folds at least one found song, from another busker in New York, which gives the album a good backstory. Had to listen on YouTube, since it's not on Spotify yet. It was on the border of three and four, but the Woodie Guthrie cameo bumped me to four.
Really nice folksy bluesy album. A pleasant listen on a slow morning.
Woah there. This album took me by surprise. I didn't expect this to be anything special at all; fully expecting a generic, nothing album. Instead what I got was a raw, cowboy-esque folky blues. Jack Elliott has a rivetting personality, it comes through throughout the album. I loved the unhinged guitar playing. The sincere story telling. This is better than Bob Dylan's stuff, no cap. (apparently Eliott was an influence on Dylan, and you can REALLY hear it) Lotta great songs in this. Particularly enjoyed Woody Guthrie's addition on New York Town. Dayum. San Francisco Bay blues was great as well. Overall, totally blindsided by this. An album that makes country sound cool.
Echt southern roadtrip vibe. Doet me denken aan Jim Croce
Interesting mix of blues, folk and country. I thought it was pretty good for an older album.
I really enjoyed the guitar playing in this album, and the tone and timbre of his voice is more pleasing to me than Woody or Bob. I also appreciate that the songs are short and to the point.
Generally pleasant, nice in the background
Couldn't listen because YouTube errors. Love him in general though
3.53
Not exactly my taste, but I really liked it. Acoustic rock at the start of am age.
YEEHAAWWW!!! this is what a perfect country album is
Interesting album. Badly recorded, but the Ramblin' Jack's intensive performance and the small stories really make you listen. This must have been on young Bob Dylan's playlist.
It’s okay
Cool old-school (very) vibes and sound. Some of this has a gospel-influenced feel as well. Kind of a fun picture of what the world of popular music looked like 70 years ago. The recording quality is really fantastic given the time period it's from.
I was surprised by this one, but I loved it! I want this one on vinyl in my collection!
Cool! Unexpected but a fun album.
Heard of him but never heard him. A real treat for fans of the American folk tradition. I do wish he had tuned his guitar between takes! ;)
Legendary yet new to me! Nice spare-sounding country that I liked quite a bit, though falls short of Hank Williams-level genius.
I really like a lot of what this music became. Johnny Cash, Folk/Country, Americana. There are so many of my favourite bands that would have grown out of this music. On the other hand, when it's here in this quite unrefined form it's not my favourite. It's not quite there, not quite got the layers of instrumentation and arrangement to make me love it. There are lovely songs here. Salty Dog has lovely singing and guitar. "Won't you Join in the Line" is fantastic. So this is a great album which I love a lot, but which just misses out on the top score sadly
I didn’t recognize the name and was ready to hate this. Turns out this guy’s like the proto-Dylan. Dylan’s cowboy older brother. I really liked most of this — some tracks seemed stupid and unnecessary but yeah most of it I thought was pretty essential American folk music. Loved it. Must-listen #102.
12/03/2025 This was new to me. I liked it.
Yeah, I like this. Great album for babies - he likes to sing about animals and places
I really enjoyed this, although I am not sure why - not really my genre, is it folk? Country? Bluegrass? A mix of all of them? This album felt private, intimate. Guitar picking off the charts.
Very enjoyable
why did i like this so much?!
Idc if he’s from New York the yodelling and singing about bugs make his country boy LARP so charming
Good stuff
This guy's songs about bugs fucking rock
This album made me sad. As I’m making my way through the list, there are so many albums I wish I could talk to my Dad about - this was definitely one of them. It sounds like something he would have liked, and maybe even something his dad would have liked too (especially the yodeling in there.) And it’s because they’d love, I love it. I know he’d have all the good back stories and tidbits on his influence and collaborators throughout his career. Jack sure is ramblin’ but I can appreciate it. It’s Americana, simple, but the songs will stick with you and pierce ya right in the heart. It did for me.
It feels like a relaxing afternoon on the back porch with a sweet tea on a warm June day.
I hope Ramblin' Jack Elliott took care of his bedbug problem.
Yeehaw!
Stomp but good almost a 4. 3.5
Despite the preoccupation with insects, this album doesn't suck. Unlike the pretentious and posturing country/folk of the seventies peddled by Neil Young and Van Morrison, there's a real, bluesy, gritty edge to this music. It's just a man and his guitar, and it's enjoyable.
Lowkey kinda good at times. Liked it
I love a little country yodel moment
I like the music a lot and I am also very fing of the overall sound. It sounds like a tune capsule to me. And he introduced me to the talking blues which I like a lot!
Great, but repetitive
So much influence.
I have a weakness for this kind of records. I like it.
first listen there's something very authentic about the roughness of these recordings
Country/folk. Dude was, for a time, a touring partner of Woody Guthrie's, and also collaborated and toured with the likes of Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead. Dudes sound is somewhere between Guthrie and John Prine. Pretty solid. East Texas Talking Blues sounds exactly like something Corb Lund would put out. I'd say they were definately influenced by Jack Elliott. Favourite songs: New York Town, East Texas Talking Blues, Cocaine, Salty Dog, San Francisco Baby Blues, The Boll Weevil, Brother Won't You Join In the Line Least favourite songs: Ol' Riley, Grey Goose, Black Baby 4/5
Nice
Didn’t find this exact album but listened to another one. Very good!
Quite a leaning to animal songs. It’s a definite grower. I was quite unsure on first listen but it’s really fun. Especially the goose, the dog and the boll weevil. It was almost like children’s TV. Sung by Johnny Cash. It’s probably a 3.5 but for how easy it was on the ears, it’s being promoted.
Loved this.
Pretty good
Old school Cowboy songs. Fun and idiosyncratic. Obviously a very strong influence on Bob Dylan.
Americana folk, I love the story telling in these songs. Jack has a a great voice everything about his styles has that travelling musician vibe like Woody Guthrie Stand out tracksb - Ol' Riley - The Boll Weevil - Old Blues - Mule Skinners blues - Dinks song - Brother won't you join in the line
Turns out, American folk is something I've been sleeping on
Great slice of history. Enough charisma to keep it interesting.
Country 50's.
I enjoyed
With a Woody Guthrie feature, a song that Dolly Parton famously covered, and even a song from a Black songwriter in a very tumultuous time in American history considering, the influence that Jack Elliott had on Country-Western music is clear here. While not all of the songs resonated with me, I really appreciated the work behind this record. Notable Tracks: - San Francisco Bay Blues - Mule Skinner Blues - I'm familiar with the Dolly Parton cover, but this version is solid too - Cocaine 7/10
An enjoyable album made by a man who had a very interesting life, as we have just discovered. You can see how it influenced early Dylan. Some good Cowboy sound.
Jack Takes the Town is one of the plenty of folk artifacts that can be designated as a calm before the storm, where and when the genre itself was a pure art form not yet infected with commercial prospects and financial inclinations. Ramblin' Jack Elliot often sounds like a wise sage that belies his name and this sub-thirty minute record is often an enjoyable listen because of it. Sparse and sublime, like the best of them. https://youtu.be/ysbRnyhsn0Y?si=UfqwFGTymT0rP5zg Favorites: San Francisco Bay Blues, Boll Weevil, Bed Bug Blues, New York Town, Grey Goose, Mule Skinner Blues, Cocaine, Dink's Song.
I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. Although all of the songs kind of sound the same, I still think they blended together seamlessly and made for a good listen first thing in the morning. It felt like I was in an old-western. "Cocaine" gets a thumbs down from me.
Never heard of him, but I really enjoyed.
A real storytelling original whose stripped down beauty of voice and guitar brings back the times he‘s from.
Favourite tracks: san Francisco baby blues; dink's song; cocaine
Good
An engaging storyteller. Despite its rudimentary nature this is a very compelling album
Great folk music. Reminded me of when I was in high school learning about this stuff during band class. Always something endearing about it.
Fun!
Good
not sure if i listened to the right album, but I listened to Jack Elliott songs and i love him. Sounds like shakey got some inspiration from him for his second album
Ramblin' is certainly an apt description for Jack Elliott, though therein lies the joy of listening to this album. There's a real earnestness and honesty to these tracks and the storytelling is top notch. Whilst at times things go a bit too off the pace for my liking, it's still a thoroughly enjoyable listen.
Worth listening to in my opinion - feels honest and real without being pretentious.
good stufff
My kind of thing
Much better than I expected. I suspect Dylan was a fan. Honour, fun, and occasional pathos over proto Americana. It zipped by with a smile on its face.
Was sure I'd listened to/discovered this in the last couple of years and was trying to figure out why. Thought it had come out already in the app. Turns out no it was because I was reading Chronicles. Dylan loved this, and I had to agree with his assessment really. Jake Bugg wishes he was this.
Country 50's
A whole lotta charm to this voice. The spoken intros are so cozy and welcoming. I was humming and whistling along despite not knowing many of the songs. All I could really ask for with this kinda thing. Fave track: New York Town
Yee haw. The CND songs at the end were a nice surprise.
Better than I would have guessed
I was not expecting to like this so much. I can definitely hear a time when Bob Dylan was emulating this sound. Never thought I'd be loving a NYC cowboy. I'll be spending some more time with this album
I enjoyed this quite a bit. It helped me understand Bob Dylan better.
Super folky, thought he sounded like Woody Guthrie and then low and behold Guthrie makes an appearance on the album. Enjoyed the listen.
I like this a bunch.
This was a fun one. Nothing I heard before but many songs were familiar standards. Great guitar, great voice. I liked the guest appearance with what sounded like a fairly aged Woody Guthrie.
Upon first hearing, this seems merely to be of historical interest, but the unique picking style and deadpan lyrics (boll weevils looking for a home?) and delivery make sense of all the influence of major folk music players.
Bed bugs, boll weevils, and cocaine. Oh my!
I love the spoken word intros to each track. Really gives the album a cohesive, narrative structure. His guitar playing is really emotive and great too. One of the better '50s albums I've heard.
girl shut up about bugs
So much has been built on the shoulders of the music Elliott is playing here. Really enjoyed this. It’s not perfect, but a really decent effort. And it made me dig out the Jackson Browne version of Cocaine Blues which led me back to Running on Empty, an album I’ve not listened to in a while.
Nice classic American folk. Brings some slick country influences to Woody Guthrie's style and the result is smoooooooth. Also, has the most serene song about cocaine I've ever heard.
Good album. If you don’t like country/folk, you’ll hate this. 4 stars
Superb storytelling and ambiance.
In the vein of Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie
En dan denk je, ze hebben een of andere afgeleefde, eenogige muzikant met een mank been en een ouwe gitaar voor de microfoon gezet en hem lekker laten spelen. Maar dan kijk je op Wikipedia en komt erachter dat de man destijds 27 jaar was, en dat hij nog leeft! Hoe dan ook, de eigenlijke muziek is wat simpelkes, en we kunnen hier niet van genialiteit spreken, maar het resultaat is sympahtiek. Halverwege komt er ook nog een oude vriend (folklegende Woody Guthrie) een bakkie doen, altijd gezellig.
Right on the boundary between folk and country - influenced by Woody Guthrie and an influence on Bob Dylan. A really short album, at least it is without the bonus tracks, but very fun and a cool record of some very old songs. I loved it!
"Jack Takes the Floor" is an album by American folk musician Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Elliott's music has been classified as country, folk, blues and bluegrass. Yeah, I agree with that on this album. The album was initially released in the UK. Elliott toured and gain notoriety in the UK and Europe first and later in the US. Elliott plays a folk acoustic guitar in "San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesseville)" Elliott talks more than sings and sounds a lot like Arlo Guthrie. Jesse plays guitar in the Bay area. Elliott tells a funny (and not too funny) story in "Boll Weevil" of the Mexican and cotton-eating bug moving to Texas to find a home. Obvious comparisons to immigrants. The interesting stories continue in "New York Town" where Elliott takes the voice of both himself and Woody Gutherie in a conversation about a visit to New York. The second side takes it in a blues direction. In "Mule Skinner Blues," he's on the harmonica, there's a bluesy guitar and he's also howlin.' "Cocaine" tells the story of Preacher Jerry in Harlem. A slower pace. There's cocaine all around his brain and he's going to his baby to get right. A pretty provocative song for 1958. "Salty Dog" closes the album. Elliott doesn't want be her salty dog. This a fun album. Elliott talks, sings and howls stories. They're funny and interesting. The music is more in the bluesy style of folk. I definitely see this music and him being influential in the whole 60's folk and country scene.
I like it a lot. Great album and probably my favorite from the decade.
Sounds better than Dylan
I can imagine Janis Joplin doing acoustic recordings of some of these songs.
A song about a weevil, a song about bedbugs, a song about cocaine…what more could you ask for? A really fun album with a lot of heart.
I liked this album. I've never listened to something like this before.
Just an excellent early record from an incredible americana folk musician.
I really enjoyed it a lot. Definitely my kind of folk/blues I enjoy. And Black Baby has aged really well.
I love cowboy folk music. awesome album!! personal top3 in no order: The Boll Weevil Bed Bug Blues Salty Dog
Looks like country but it's very much folk. Songs are simple and reflective of the time where they came from. Elliott learned folk the folkiest way possible: on the street. He would later learn under Woody Guthrie and began spreading American folk music to the UK and Europe. Elliott's vocal stylings would influence the great Bob Dylan so his work is the blueprint for a lot of great contemporary folk music in America.
A good ol' time with some good ol' boys. Ramblin' and hollerin' country folk music. Anyone who is a friend with known communist and fascist hater Woody Guthrie is a friend of mine.
Un increíble álbum de Folk, con canciones del imaginario norteamericano de principios del siglo XIX. Las interpretaciones de Jack Elliot son emotivas y sumamente cautivantes. Recomendado para cualquiera que disfrute del género.
Fun listen.
actually kind of enjoyed this surprisingly. liked the casual nature of it, just chatting with friends and jamming. felt like home.
I love this type of music. Old blues music is where it's at.
it’s nice it’s a nice blue album. I knew some songs. I liked the one about big bad bugs and cocaine.
i've find myself quite fond of some country bluesy classics. This is great stuff
3++
The recording is bad, but what can I ask for from 1958. I like the guitar playing a lot. Ramblin’ Jack has a decent voice too.
Good stuff, different from what I usually see on this list and better for it. 4/5
It is 2023. Bob Dylan is referred to as this guy’s musical “son”. Dude knew Woody Guthrie and taught Woody Guthrie’s songs to his son Arlo. Johnny Carson thought that this guy knew everyone and had a song for everything. And he’s still alive! It’s 2023. This dude is a living musical history treasure trove.
I listen to a good bit of folk music but I’ve never really listened to any this old before besides covers. Really interesting comparison. No particular favourite song but I liked the album.
This was so wonderful!! Salty Dog was a fun highlight and also the tracks with what I think was a woman's vocals? Really nice vintage country vibes. Never heard of Jack Elliott before but all of the Spotify suggestions after the album were corkers too so that's always a great sign!
At first couldn't connect with this music but it got better as it went on I thought salty dog was fun -kinda kinky Liked 'brother won't you join in the line' the best
Loved this. Didn't know this guy but read about him. Good mates with Woody Guthrie, as we know from that one song, and certainly sounds like him. Very good stuff.
Country 50's
So happy to listen to this. I did need to find this on vinyl preferably a little scratched up, get a heavy pour of cheap bourbon and sit back and enjoy.
Listening to Mountain Stage the other night, I realize how limited my knowledge of traditional American music is (folk, blues, etc). Guess this is a good jumping off point. Very by the basics, but you see where American music gets the jumping off point from recordings like these. While I'm here, how is there no Woody Guthrie album on here? He has recordings. Favorite tracks: "Boll Weevil", "New York Town", "Dink's Song", "Salty Dog"
Un disco que pinta un paisaje y epoca exquisitos. El folk hace que te sientas en casa y ese sonido viejo de mal grabado aportan a la sensación. a pesar de que pinta el paisaje de manera literaria, no es más que eso y el album se queda un poco liso en eso, por es que el disco es un 8/10.
Been a good week (musically only)
This was a cool album. Really enjoyed the guitar work and the vibe of it.
4.5 excellent
Excellent
A must have for any road trip
Liked the sound of the guitar. Stories were kind of funny too. Woody Guthrie surprised me.
love the commentary between tracks
Really enjoyed this
ok
Bed bugs!!!
This must have been a pretty wild recording back in 1958. I really like the guitar.
This one caught me off guard. Definitely one of the founding fathers of the folk/protest movement of the 60s along with Dylan. Surprisingly good stuff.
Hard album to find cause I guess it's not on any streaming but thanks to illegal YouTube uploads I got it. This album is so very good. It feels like it's like a crowd of 10 or 15 people just sitting around listening to this musical traveler. He's got songs from all over and he's just the voice passing them on. Excellent all around
Fun cowboy stuff with plenty of heart.
I sometimes feel like I succumb to the “authentic therefore good” reasoning with this kind of thing. Is it that great? Is it authentic even, I suppose, this Brooklyn-bred child of a well-to-do professional. On the other hand it’s safe to say running off at 15 to join the rodeo wasn’t some stunt to develop a good backstory for his later music career. I didn’t mind this at all though this kind of deep roots country is not a music I go to as a rule. But I’ll defer to Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash to tip the scale on this one.
Very quaint and intimate.
Jag gillar
Banger
1/12/22
Well this was a fun album. Folk music as it was meant to be presented, simple, unencumbered, great stories told simply and succinctly. I enjoyed this album very much. 4 🌟
Proto Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, etc. Good for what it is. Ahead of its time. Succinct. The Sarah Vaughn thing threw me off. But yet another album that is so old I’m not going to rate it a 5 but in its time it was probably due a 5.
This was fun. You gotta love an album where the singer tells you it's yet another one of them East Texas prison songs. I love his introductions to these very earthy songs about insects, dogs, prison, hunting, and, naturally, cocaine. He obviously has a love for this music and a desire to share it. He finds interesting connections between American folk subcultures jumping from Texas to Harlem, all sounding raw and soulful.
Great, should be a 4.5
Ramblin' Jack Elliott meriterebbe un 4 solo per la simpatia. L'amore è sbocciato con OI'Riley, da li ogni brano mi ha dato motivo per sorridere. Un po' mi ricorda la versione bianca e meno spirituale di Mississippi John Hurt. A pelle lui è un 3.25. Ma devo dargli 4 perché lo trovo geniale a modo suo, spesso ho avuto l'impressione che non canti ma canticchi, perdendoci in tecnica ma guadagnandoci molto come interpretazione.
Couldn’t find it
Great tunes love the style
yihaaaw baby lekker hoor
I enjoyed this album. It's not perfect, but I liked it - I prefer this kind of old-school folk to the Bob Dylans of the world.
I love this, folk music. The stories are so great.
Yeehaw!
This was fun to listen to.
Some great songs on here, but the Mule Skinner Blues made my ears bleed. It was terrible, but the rest was good.
Yep, I dig this sort of folksy rambling gubbins. Very pleasant! Fave track - "Grey Goose".... HONK!
Amazing storytelling, so so cool
folk gostosinho. chora bobo dylan
I have no complaints
I love this - the country/folk mix coupled together with that 50's recording quality makes me feel like I'm playing New Vegas.
Simple, pleasant country songs filled with authenticity, harkens to Beat Generation aesthetic of fast living in a dressed down manner
4 stars for the 40 seconds he ya-hewed!
really pleasantly surprised, short one too, 11 tracks in 32 minutes
It sounds very nostalgic and raw, but not something I'd listen to willingly.
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
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.
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*
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
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
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.
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 like american folk music very much. fave tracks boll weevil and dink's song
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...
Two schnitzels for lunch was a mistake. 3/5.
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.
Gritty folk a cowboy I know loves.
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"
You can get anything you want at Alice’s restaurant 🎵
I love how this really just was Jack a’ramblin’
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.
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.
Leider nur 3/5
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.
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!
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.
It was ok
6/10
5.5/10
5/10
Оставлю на совести критиков
Howdy, partner
Maybe not my favorite collection of Elliott's music, but still very solid. 3.5/5
Dude sure does ramble.
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
Dated, but fine. 2.5/5
Interesting.
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.
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.
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
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.
Classic
It wasn't as bad as the reviews made it out to be. I definitely heard worse albums that deserve the 2 star rating.
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.
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.