The duo started performing together in Toronto in 1959. By 1962, they were living in New York City, where they caught the attention of manager Albert Grossman, who managed Peter, Paul and Mary and would soon become Bob Dylan's manager. Grossman secured them a contract with Vanguard Records and they released their first album late in the year.
Four Strong Winds, their second album, featured title song "Four Strong Winds", written by Ian Tyson. "Four Strong Winds" was a major hit in Canada and ensured their stardom. Years later, the song was named as the greatest Canadian song of all time by the CBC-Radio program 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version.
Their third album, Northern Journey, featured the song "Someday Soon", a composition by Ian Tyson that would rival "Four Strong Winds" in its popularity.
Their fourth album, Early Morning Rain, introduced the work of the couple's fellow Canadian songwriter and performer Gordon Lightfoot through the title song and "(That's What You Get) For Lovin' Me".
In 1969, Ian & Sylvia formed the country rock group Great Speckled Bird.
By 1975, Ian & Sylvia had stopped performing together and soon afterwards were divorced.
In 1992, they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
In 1994, they were both made Members of the Order of Canada.
Rambler Gambler
Ian & Sylvia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a long ways from my home.
If you people don't like me,
Well, just leave me alone.
For it's dark and it's a-raining,
And the moon gives no light,
And my pony can hardly travel
You know, I once had me a true love,
Lord, her age was just sixteen.
She was the flower of Belton
And the rose of Saline.
But her parents they didn't like me,
And now she's just the same.
So if I'm writ on your books, gal,
Well, just you blot out my name.
For there's changes in the ocean,
And there's changes in the sea,
And there's changes in my true love,
But there ain't no change in me.
The opening lyrics of the song "Rambler Gambler" by Ian & Sylvia convey the singer's sense of rootlessness and restlessness. They feel like a wanderer and a risk-taker, far away from their home and perhaps alienated from those around them. The singer seems to be unapologetic about their way of life, declaring that those who don't like them should just leave them alone. The imagery of darkness and rain, with no moon to light the way, adds to the sense of isolation and danger that the singer may be facing on their travels. Their pony is struggling to navigate the treacherous road, which could be a metaphor for the singer's own struggles to find their place in the world.
The second stanza introduces a poignant note of nostalgia and regret as the singer recalls a past love. They describe her as the "flower of Belton and the rose of Saline," which suggests that she was a beautiful and beloved figure in her community. However, her parents disapproved of the singer, and their relationship was cut short. The final lines of the stanza suggest that the singer hopes to be forgotten by their former beloved, perhaps indicating that they don't want to cause her any further pain. The final stanza brings things full circle, returning to the idea that while the world may change around the singer, they themselves remain steadfastly unchanged. This could be a source of comfort or dismay, depending on how the listener chooses to interpret it.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler,
I'm a long ways from my home.
I am a traveler and a risk-taker, and I am far away from my place of origin.
If you people don't like me,
Well, just leave me alone.
If you do not approve of me, kindly refrain from bothering me.
For it's dark and it's a-raining,
And the moon gives no light,
And my pony can hardly travel
On this dark road at night.
It is currently a dark, rainy night with no moonlight, and my horse is struggling to move along this path.
You know, I once had me a true love,
Lord, her age was just sixteen.
She was the flower of Belton
And the rose of Saline.
At one point, I had a genuine lover who was only sixteen years old; she was so beautiful that she was regarded as a symbol of both Belton and Saline.
But her parents they didn't like me,
And now she's just the same.
So if I'm writ on your books, gal,
Well, just you blot out my name.
Unfortunately, her guardians did not favor me, and as a result, my once-beloved has adopted a similar attitude; Therefore, if I appear in your records as her suitor, please expunge my name.
For there's changes in the ocean,
And there's changes in the sea,
And there's changes in my true love,
But there ain't no change in me.
Although the sea and ocean experience shifts, and even my former sweetheart has changed, I remain the same in character.
Contributed by Chase W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dianne Simmons
on Ella Speed
Those are the lyrics on the CD I have of Ian & Sylvia's greatest hits. What are yours?
Lee Middleton
on Rocks And Gravel
Did no one bother to see if the lyrics match what they are singing? These are the entirely wrong lyrics. I know every Ian and Sylvia song and I don't know these lyrics.
Cindy Cornell
on Summer Wages
The Creators of Rain
Maybe written by Smokey and His Sister, (released 1967)
Also released by Ian and Sylvia
In the beginning, land was stained
Washed by the sun, desert, and plains
Then the Creators of the Land created rain
I was that barren, wasted land
I was too weak to stand
Then the Creators of Rain created you
High on a mountain growing bare
Land was plenty, trees were rare
Then the Creators of the Rain created air
I was that mountain growing bare
My life was empty, nothing there
Then the Creators of Air created you
There would be no land, no seas
No clouds, no trees for me without you
Life had forgot the caring of
Dreams that were lost to fade above
Then the Creators of Rain created love
I was that dream that love had made
To search in endless hope and faith
Then the Creators of Love created you
Created you, Created you
For me.