Originally from New York, Elliott grew up in a Jewish family and had always wanted to be a cowboy. Pressured by his parents to follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor, Elliott resisted and inspired by the rodeos he attended at Madison Square Garden, he ran away from home at the age of 15 and joined the J.E. Ranch Rodeo. Although he was only with the rodeo for three months (before his parents tracked him down and he was sent home), Elliott was exposed to his first singing cowboy, a rodeo clown who played guitar and banjo and sang songs.
Returning home, Elliott taught himself to play guitar and started busking for a living. Eventually he hooked up with Woody Guthrie and lived with him as a kind of student.
With banjo player Derroll Adams, he later toured Great Britain and Europe and had a lasting effect on the music scene there. By 1960, he had made three folk albums for the British label, Topic. Playing in the small clubs and pubs of London by day, he would then take his act to the smart, west end night clubs. Upon arriving back in the U.S., Elliott discovered he had become well-known within the folk scene.
Elliott's greatest influence was Woody Guthrie. Guthrie's son, Arlo, has said that because of his dad's illness and early death, he never really got to know him. Arlo acknowledged that he learned his dad's songs and musical style through Elliott.
Elliott's musical style influenced Bob Dylan so heavily that Dylan's first gig in New York City was billed as "Son of Jack Elliott." While Dylan rose to prominence through his compositions, Elliott continued as an interpretive troubadour, bringing old songs to new audiences in an idiosyncratic manner.
Elliott appeared on Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue and played Longheno de Castro in Dylan's Renaldo and Clara.
Jack Elliott's style is distinctive in its use of excellent guitar technique matched with laconic, humorous storytelling and an emotional intensity in the singing.
Elliott's nickname is due not to his travel habits, but rather to the countless stories he would relate before answering the simplest of questions. Folk singer Odetta claims that it was her mother who gave him the name by remarking, "Oh Jack Elliott, yeah, he can sure ramble on!"
He was famously parodied in on the BBC in the 1960s by Kenneth Williams as Rambling Syd Rumpo who was a recurring character on Round the Horne. His claims of authenticity as a folk artist (despite being a Jewish doctor's son from New York City) and disparagement of other folk artists were also parodied by the Folksmen (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer) in A Mighty Wind both in the name of their "hit" Ramblin' and in their claims that their version was more authentic than the New Main Street Singers's version.
Jack Elliott's first recording in 20 years, "South Coast", earned him his first Grammy in 1995. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1998. Ramblin' Jack's long career and strained relationship with his daughter Aiyana were chronicled in her 2000 documentary, "The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack".
At 75, he has recently changed labels and released "I Stand Alone" on the Anti- label, with an assortment of guest backup players including members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers; again, an idiosyncratic collection of little-known music delivered with humor and intensity. He is on record as saying his intention was to title the album "Not For The Tourists" because it was recorded in response to his daughter's request for songs he loved but never played in concert. When she asked why he did not play them in public, he replied "These songs are not for the tourists".
900 Miles )
Ramblin' Jack Elliott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got tears in my eyes,
Trying to read a letter from my home.
If this train runs me right
I'll be home tomorrow night.
I'm nine hundred miles from my home.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
And I'll pawn you my chain;
Pawn you my gold diamond ring.
If this train runs me right
I'll be home tomorrow night.
I'm nine hundred miles from my home.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
The rain I ride on
Is a thousand coaches long.
You can hear that whistle blow a hundred miles.
If this train runs me right
I'll be home tomorrow night.
I'm nine hundred miles from my home.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
If my woman says so
I will railroad no more
I'll sidetrack my wheeler and go home.
If this train runs me right
I'll be home tomorrow night.
I'm nine hundred miles from my home.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
"900 Miles" is a traditional folk song that has been covered by multiple artists throughout history. The song tells the story of a man who is far away from home and is trying to make his way back by taking a train. He longs to be reunited with his loved ones and is willing to pawn off his personal belongings to make ends meet.
The lyrics are filled with a sense of longing and sadness as the man travels the lengthy distance, trying to hold on to the hope of being reunited soon. The mention of the rain and the endless coaches of the train serve as a reminder of the overwhelming physical distance he must overcome.
Furthermore, the final verse adds an interesting layer to the song as the man contemplates giving up his completely nomadic life for the sake of love. It's a powerful statement, as the singer must consider whether his desire for a stable, loving home outweighs his wanderlust.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm walking down this track,
I am currently walking on a train track.
I've got tears in my eyes,
My eyes are filled with tears.
Trying to read a letter from my home.
I am attempting to read a letter that was sent to me from my home.
If this train runs me right
If this train takes me all the way.
I'll be home tomorrow night.
I will arrive at my home tomorrow night.
I'm nine hundred miles from my home.
I am currently 900 miles away from where I live.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
The sound of the train whistle makes me feel sad.
I'll pawn you my watch
I will give you my watch in exchange for money.
And I'll pawn you my chain;
I will also give you my chain in exchange for money.
Pawn you my gold diamond ring.
My gold diamond ring is also available for pawn in exchange for money.
The rain I ride on
The train that I am currently riding on.
Is a thousand coaches long.
The train is very long and consists of many coaches.
You can hear that whistle blow a hundred miles.
The sound of the train whistle can be heard from a distance of 100 miles.
If my woman says so
If my significant other agrees.
I will railroad no more
I will no longer work on the railroad.
I'll sidetrack my wheeler and go home.
I will park my locomotive and return to my residence.
If this train runs me right
If this train takes me all the way.
I'll be home tomorrow night.
I will arrive at my home tomorrow night.
I'm nine hundred miles from my home.
I am currently 900 miles away from where I live.
And I hate to hear that lonesome whistle blow.
The sound of the train whistle makes me feel sad.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Cisco Houston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind