Issue No. 32 of Johnny Be Good features one of 45 songs from the book, Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop, by Marc Myers. Read John Pearson's review here. Order from Amazon here. Listen to the book on Libro (9 hours, 34 minutes). Each blog will spotlight a song from the book and a guest blogger’s color commentary. Click here to subscribe. Each issue of Your Weekly Staff Meeting will highlight the latest blog.
#1 on My Playlist!
Today’s guest blogger: Gary Rea
Song: #32 of 45
Title: "Ramblin' Man"
Musicians: The Allman Brothers
Released: September 1973
I APPRECIATED THIS:
I had to look up what the term “Ramblin’ Man” meant. It’s not to be mistaken for a “rambling man”—someone who can’t stop talking. I learned it’s a slang term for someone who doesn’t settle down and who drifts from place to place. That makes a lot more sense, as this legendary song tells the story of a man who seems to be using his upbringing and family heritage as a reason, or excuse, to keep ramblin’.
“Ramblin’ Man” was recorded by the Allman Brothers in October of 1972. (It was released in 1973.) Sadly, in October 1971, their main guitar player, Duane Allman, died in a motorcycle accident. Shortly after the 1972 recording session, they lost another band member. Their bassist, Berry Oakley, died a month later in yet another tragic motorcycle accident.
It was Dickey Betts who brought the song to the band. “Ramblin’ Man” would become their most successful single of all time and help secure their place in rock history.
Read more in Marc Myers’ WSJ article, Feb. 13, 2014, “Anatomy of a Song: 'Ramblin' Man.' How former Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts rockified a country song he was planning to sell in Nashville.”
Listen to “Ramblin’ Man,” sung by The Allman Brothers. The song was “the band’s biggest all-time hit.”
MY FAVORITE NOTES & QUOTES:
Dickey Betts tells Marc Myers: “Kenny was a friendly, hayseed-cowboy kind of guy who built fences and liked to answer his own questions before you had a chance. One day he asked me how I was doing with my music and said, ‘I bet you’re just tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best you can.’ I liked how that sounded and carried it around in my head…”
As a songwriter, I can relate to this. Sometimes you hear a phrase that piques your interest and gets your creative juices flowing—and you file it away until the time is right to craft it into a song.
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD THIS SONG?
Although the song came out a few years before I was born, I heard it for the first time as an adult. Growing up in South Africa meant that I didn’t hear all the songs that became part of pop culture in the States.
Sometime after relocating to California, I begrudgingly took up the torturous pastime of running. As a self-professed “big boy,” I needed all the help I could get. So…I made a playlist compiled of songs that were at a tempo of only between 88-90 beats per minute. This allowed me to run at the tempo of the music which lessened the pain!
“Ramblin’ Man” was the first song on this playlist and I would start every run with it playing in my ears. It quickly became one of my favorites as the soundtrack for running the beach trail in San Clemente, Calif.—while enjoying the spectacular ocean views.
JOHNNY BE...GOOD, BETTER, OR BEST?
• GOOD: Although two very different songs, the title was taken from Hank Williams’ 1951 song, “Ramblin’ Man.” The extended outro, which in my opinion is a musical masterpiece, was inspired by the outro of Eric Clapton’s song, “Layla,” that was released a year earlier.
• BETTER: Dickey Betts tells Marc Myers that his dad was a fiddle player. Betts had a ukulele and would play along with his dad. “What I came up with for the intro was a fiddle-like opener built on a pentatonic scale—but with me on guitar and Chuck [Leavell] on piano exchanging lines.”
• BEST: I loved learning about the story behind this song. The band almost didn’t survive the loss of two of their band members, Duane Allman and Berry Oakley. Yet in the midst of mourning the loss of their friends, they released a song that would propel the band into great success. It may not be a coincidence that they produced their greatest work during their most trying time as a band.
It was a special moment when everyone came into the studio to listen to the final recording of “Ramblin’ Man.” Guitarist Les Dudek was stunned. “When the playback stopped, you could hear a pin drop. Then Red Dog [roadie Joe Campbell] said, ‘Damn. That’s the best I’ve heard since Duane.’”
Learn more about guest blogger Gary Rea and his songs on Instagram here.
THIS ISSUE'S COMMENTARY BY Gary Rea
GARY REA is a songwriter, worship leader, and a worship recording artist from South Africa—and is one-half of the duo, Land of Color. From a very young age, he has been leading worship and writing songs—and this calling has led him around the globe. (Read more here.)
Gary’s songwriting and worship albums keep him busy—and at one point his family “jumped in an RV, homeschooled the kids, and set out on a great adventure.” Gary recalls it being “a life-changing experience for our whole family.” They visited 20 U.S. states!
In 2015, Gary met singer-songwriter, Thomas Ewing, and today they call themselves, Land of Color. Their songs have a unique sound that is a blend of African rhythms, singable melodies, and tight harmonies with lyrics that are faith-based and worshipful.
Today, Gary is co-pastor with Jared Powell of Paradigm Community in San Clemente, Calif. When he is not pastoring, traveling, writing songs, or recording music, Gary loves to spend time with his wife, Kerry, and their four kids, and ride the waves of the Pacific Ocean on his surfboard.
NEXT UP: Song #33 of 45, “Rock the Boat,” sung by The Hues Corporation, with commentary by Scott Anderson.
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It all started in 2023, when John Pearson read and reviewed a "fun" book, Anatomy of a Song: The Oral History of 45 Iconic Hits That Changed Rock, R&B and Pop, by Marc Myers. Read John's review here. Order from Amazon here. Listen to the book on Libro (9 hours, 34 minutes).
If you'd enjoy being one of 45 guest bloggers, along with John Ashmen, Dick Nelson, Suzy West, Dave Barton, Patsy Barton, Paul Palmer, Bill Butterworth, Jim West, Melinda Schmidt, Jason Pearson, Gary Rea, Callista Dawson, John Walling, Ed Barrett, Larry Beatty, Skye Matlock, Scott Anderson and others, read more here and contact John Pearson. Click here to subscribe to this blog and enjoy the toe-tapping musicians in each weekly blog post—reminding you of these iconic songs of yesteryear.