Isobel Campbell is the former cellist and backing vocalist for Belle & Seba… Read Full Bio ↴Isobel Campbell is the former cellist and backing vocalist for Belle & Sebastian, as well as leader of The Gentle Waves. Mark Lanegan (1964 - 2022) used to be the frontman of the Seattle grunge band The Screaming Trees and subsequently played with Queens of the Stone Age, and formed (together with Greg Dulli) The Gutter Twins. Lanegan also released solo albums.

Together, Campbell and Lanegan formed a unique combination of gruff vocals and dulcet voices. They released a series of albums: 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. Their third album Hawk was released in August 2010. The same year the live album "Live At The Barbican London 2010 " was released.

Rambling Man
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
And when it's time for leavin'
I hope you'll understand
That I was born a ramblin' man

My father was a gambler down in Georgia
He wound up on the wrong end of a gun

And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
Rollin' down highway forty-one

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
And when it's time for leavin'
I hope you'll understand
That I was born a ramblin' man

I'm on my way to New Orleans this mornin'
I'm leavin' out of Nashville, Tennessee
They're always having a good time down on the bayou
Lord, them Delta women think the world of me

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
And when it's time for leavin'
I hope you'll understand
That I was born a ramblin' man

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
Lord, I was born a ramblin' man

Overall Meaning

The song "Ramblin' Man" by Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan is a classic country tune that tells the story of a man who was born to travel and never settle down. The singer explains that he is trying to make a living and do the best he can, but his true passion is hitting the road and seeing what's out there. He was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus, rolling down highway forty-one, and his father was a gambler down in Georgia who met an unfortunate end.

The second verse finds the singer on his way to New Orleans from Nashville, Tennessee, where he plans to have a good time down on the bayou. He says that the Delta women think the world of him, indicating that he has a way with the ladies wherever he goes. The chorus repeats his status as a ramblin' man, emphasizing that this is simply who he is, and that he hopes others can understand and accept that.

Overall, the song captures the essence of the open road and the romantic idea of traveling and exploring new places. The singer is not looking for anything specific, but is content with letting his curiosity lead him wherever it will. With its upbeat tempo and catchy melody, "Ramblin' Man" is a timeless classic that speaks to the adventurer in all of us.

Line by Line Meaning

Lord, I was born a ramblin' man
I have always been a wanderer

Tryin' to make a livin' and doin' the best I can
I am doing my best to earn a living

And when it's time for leavin'
When it's time for me to move on

I hope you'll understand
I hope you'll accept and support my decision to leave

That I was born a ramblin' man
That traveling is in my nature

My father was a gambler down in Georgia
My father had a gambling addiction in the state of Georgia

He wound up on the wrong end of a gun
He met a violent end

And I was born in the back seat of a Greyhound bus
I was born while my mother was traveling on a Greyhound bus

Rollin' down highway forty-one
Traveling along a specific highway

I'm on my way to New Orleans this mornin'
I am currently headed to New Orleans

I'm leavin' out of Nashville, Tennessee
I started my journey from Nashville, Tennessee