In 2006 Isobel released a collaborative LP (Ballad of the Broken Seas) with former Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age singer Mark Lanegan, a mixture of folk and more rock-orientated music. October 2006 also saw the release of her latest album, Milkwhite Sheets, a more acoustic folk album, consisting of a mixture of traditional songs alonside Isobel's own compositions.
Isobel's band The Gentle Waves released its first album on Jeepster Records, titled The Green Fields of Foreverland, in 1999. The second Gentle Waves record, Swansong For You came out one year later. In 2002, she collaborated with Scottish jazz musician Bill Wells on a collection of Billie Holliday songs, released by Creeping Bent.
In 2003 Campbell released Amorino, the first solo album under her own name, to very good reviews. Bill Wells was featured here again, along with other jazz musicians.
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan form a unique combination of gruff vocals and dulcet voices. They have released three albums so far: Ballad of the Broken Seas, which received a nomination in the 2006 Mercury Awards, Sunday at Devil Dirt, which was released in May 2008. The album received US release in Fall 2008. And finally their third album Hawk was released in August 2010.
Ramblin’ Man
Isobel Campbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And be doing just fine
Till I hear an old freight
Going down the line
Then I hurry straight
Home and pack
And if I didn’t go
I love you baby
But you must understand
When the Lord made me
He made a ramblin' man
Some folks may say (Got my loving arms to keep you warm)
That I’m no good (In the kitchen cooking up a storm)
That I wouldn’t settle (If uncle tells me stay away from you)
Down if I could (That is something I could never do)
But when that open road (You're my baby, you're my loving man)
Starts calling me (When you're in trouble, do the best you can)
There's something over the hill (I'm naked daddy just for you)
That I’ve gotta see (Force of nature and you're coming through)
Sometimes it's hard (Loving you, going hot and cold)
But you gotta understand (Loving you, getting good and soaked)
When the Lord made me (How I know you hate to see me cry)
He made a ramblin' man (Happens every time I say goodbye)
I love to see (What's the use, you poor seductive man)
The towns passing by (Don’t get feelings and you'll understand)
And to ride these rails (Lying on somebody just like me)
'Neath God's blue skies (Got you dancing to my melody)
Let me travel this land (God knows how I need your loving arms)
From the mountains to the sea (If you lose me baby, telephone)
Cause that's the life (Try to pieces, stay away from harm)
I believe He meant for me (You're my baby though you do me wrong)
And when I’m gone (Love your nature, though I walk the line)
And at my grave you stand (Loving dreams, you're just a waste of time)
Just say God's called (Baby please don’t stay away too long)
Home his ramblin' man (Fire's burning for when you get home)
The Isobel Campbell song "Ramblin’ Man" is a reflection on the challenges of being in a committed relationship when one partner is a natural wanderer. The singer accepts that she loves her partner but cannot resist the call of the road when she hears a train whistle in the distance. The imagery used in the lyrics is evocative; there is a sense of urgency and excitement when the singer packs up her belongings before hitting the open road. The line "when the Lord made me, he made a ramblin' man" suggests that her wandering spirit is innate and she cannot change it, even if she wanted to.
The second verse addresses the criticism that the singer faces from others who think she is no good and unable to commit. Still, she cannot resist the lure of travel and adventure. The lyrics paint a picture of the joy and freedom of traveling across a vast and beautiful landscape. When the singer is gone, she asks that her partner recognizes that her wandering spirit was part of who she was and that she was called home by God.
Line by Line Meaning
I can settle down
I can stay in one place
And be doing just fine
And be happy in that place
Till I hear an old freight
Until I hear a train passing by
Going down the line
Travelling down the tracks
Then I hurry straight
Then I quickly move
Home and pack
To my house and pack my belongings
And if I didn’t go
And if I didn't leave
I believe I’d blow my stack
I would become very upset
I love you baby
I love you, my partner
But you must understand
But you need to know
When the Lord made me
When God created me
He made a ramblin' man
He made me someone who wants to travel
Some folks may say (Got my loving arms to keep you warm)
Some people might criticize
That I’m no good (In the kitchen cooking up a storm)
That I'm not a good person
That I wouldn’t settle (If uncle tells me stay away from you)
That I wouldn't stay in one place
Down if I could (That is something I could never do)
Even if I had the option, I wouldn't stay in one place
But when that open road (You're my baby, you're my loving man)
But when I see the opportunity to travel
Starts calling me (When you're in trouble, do the best you can)
When I feel the urge to travel
There's something over the hill (I'm naked daddy just for you)
There's something exciting out there
That I’ve gotta see (Force of nature and you're coming through)
That I need to experience
Sometimes it's hard (Loving you, going hot and cold)
Sometimes it's challenging
But you gotta understand (Loving you, getting good and soaked)
But you need to know
When the Lord made me (How I know you hate to see me cry)
When God created me
He made a ramblin' man (Happens every time I say goodbye)
He made me someone who wants to travel
I love to see (What's the use, you poor seductive man)
I love to observe
The towns passing by (Don’t get feelings and you'll understand)
The towns and cities I pass through
And to ride these rails (Lying on somebody just like me)
And to travel by train
'Neath God's blue skies (Got you dancing to my melody)
Under the sky that God created
Let me travel this land (God knows how I need your loving arms)
Allow me to travel
From the mountains to the sea (If you lose me baby, telephone)
From one end of the country to the other
Cause that's the life (Try to pieces, stay away from harm)
Because that's the way I want to live
I believe He meant for me (You're my baby though you do me wrong)
I believe that's the life God made me for
And when I’m gone (Love your nature, though I walk the line)
And when I'm travelling away
And at my grave you stand (Loving dreams, you're just a waste of time)
And if you're standing at my grave
Just say God's called (Baby please don’t stay away too long)
Just say God has taken me
Home his ramblin' man (Fire's burning for when you get home)
To his home, the ramblin' man
Contributed by Logan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@theena
Revisiting one of my favourite albums on this sad day. RIP, Mark Lanegan.
@berwickbordersyoga-trudymo8504
Ditto. Gutted.
@boneytony5041
RIP Washinton - Killarney ramblin man
@apmurray71
Wonderful album.
@tommiris571
Хорошо поют.....
душевно)
@elitoru6058
When my girlfriend told me this song perfectly described me, I kinda knew it was time to pack and venture elsewhere into the world.
@marilynmonroe2675
I just love this song Mark 🎼🎶👏👏👏💋💋💋
@erottik5
Brilliant version of the classic Hank Williams song!
@nyc3993
RIP Mark 😞
@dsfafshjgh9349
''god's called home his rambling man''