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".
Tennessee Stud
Ramblin' Jack Elliott Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I left Tennessee very much alive
I never would have made it through the Arkansas mud
If I hadn't been a-riding on the Tennessee Stud
The Tennessee Stud was long and lean
The color of the sun and his eyes were green
He had the nerve and he had the blood
I had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa
One of her brothers was a bad outlaw
I sent her a letter by my Uncle Thud
And I rode away on the Tennessee Stud
One day I was riding in a beautiful land
I run smack into an Indian band
They jumped their nags with a whoop and a yell
And away we rode like a bat out of Hell
I circled their camp for a time or two
Just to show what a Tennessee horse can do
The redskin boys couldn't get my blood
Cause I was a-riding on the Tennessee Stud
I drifted on down into no man's land
I crossed the river called the Rio Grande
I raced my horse with the Spaniards bold
'Til I got me a skinful of silver and gold
Me and a gambler, we couldn't agree
We got in a fight over Tennessee
We jerked our guns, he fell with a thud
And I got away on the Tennessee Stud
Well I got as lonesome as a man can be
A-dreaming of my girl in Tennessee
And the Tennessee Stud's green eyes turned blue
Cause he was a-dreaming of a sweetheart too
I loped on back across Arkansas
And I whupped her brother and I whupped her pa
I found that girl with the golden hair
And she was a-riding on a Tennessee Mare
Stirrup to stirrup and side by side
We crossed the mountains and the valleys wide
We came to Big Muddy and we forded the flood
On the Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud
Pretty little baby on the cabin floor
And a little horse colt playing 'round the door
I love the girl with the golden hair
And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott's "Tennessee Stud" is a classic American folk song that tells the story of a man who leaves Tennessee in search of adventures and finds them on his horse, the Tennessee Stud. The lyrics are full of vivid images that conjure up the Wild West of the American frontier. In the first verse, the singer reminisces about his journey from Tennessee, where the Tennessee Stud saved him from getting bogged down in the Arkansas mud. The horse is described as being "long and lean" with "the color of the sun" and "green eyes." The singer then explains how he used the Tennessee Stud to get away from trouble with his sweetheart's family and rode through Indian country. The song ends on a happy note with the hero returning to his love, the Tennessee Mare, and their baby.
The lyrics of "Tennessee Stud" portray a sense of freedom and adventure in the Wild West. The singer is a lone traveler, a gambler, and a lover, all rolled into one. He wanders through the American frontier riding his trusted Tennessee Stud, who he considers his true companion. By the end of the song, he has found love and companionship with his horse and his girl, and they have a family together. The song's themes of freedom, adventure, and love have made it a beloved classic of American folk music.
Line by Line Meaning
Along about eighteen and twenty-five
In the year 1825
I left Tennessee very much alive
I departed from Tennessee to the next adventure in my life with no troubles or obstacles.
I never would have made it through the Arkansas mud
I would have probably got stuck in the Arkansas mud if I hadn't been riding the Tennessee Stud.
If I hadn't been a-riding on the Tennessee Stud
If it were not for the help of the Tennessee Stud who was not affected by the mud.
The Tennessee Stud was long and lean
The Tennessee Stud was tall and thin.
The color of the sun and his eyes were green
The Tennessee Stud's fur was the same color as the sun and had green eyes.
He had the nerve and he had the blood
The Tennessee Stud was brave and had the energy to keep going.
And there never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud
There hasn't ever been a horse like the Tennessee Stud, who could help the rider get through all sorts of obstacles.
I had some trouble with my sweetheart's pa
My love's father was not fond of me and caused me to feel some trouble.
One of her brothers was a bad outlaw
One of my sweetheart's brothers was a criminal.
I sent her a letter by my Uncle Thud
I relied on my Uncle Thud to send my letter to my love.
And I rode away on the Tennessee Stud
I got away while riding the Tennessee Stud.
One day I was riding in a beautiful land
I was once traveling in a stunning location.
I run smack into an Indian band
I unexpectedly ran into a group of Native Americans.
They jumped their nags with a whoop and a yell
They charged towards us with a loud whoop and a yell.
And away we rode like a bat out of Hell
We took off at a very high speed, quickly leaving the Native Americans behind.
I circled their camp for a time or two
I rode around their camp in a circular motion a few times.
Just to show what a Tennessee horse can do
I was showing off the abilities of the Tennessee Stud.
The redskin boys couldn't get my blood
The Native American men couldn't catch up to me.
Cause I was a-riding on the Tennessee Stud
This was due to the great speed of Tennessee Stud.
I drifted on down into no man's land
I later traveled to uninhabited areas.
I crossed the river called the Rio Grande
I crossed the river known as the Rio Grande.
I raced my horse with the Spaniards bold
I had a horse race with the brave Spaniards.
Til I got me a skinful of silver and gold
I won lots of gold and silver in this race.
Me and a gambler, we couldn't agree
I was at odds with a gambler.
We got in a fight over Tennessee
We got into a fight over the state of Tennessee.
We jerked our guns, he fell with a thud
Our disagreement resulted in a gunfight. The other man fell because of his injuries.
And I got away on the Tennessee Stud
I used the Tennessee Stud to escape from the situation.
Well I got as lonesome as a man can be
I felt incredibly lonely.
A-dreaming of my girl in Tennessee
I was missing my sweetheart from Tennessee.
And the Tennessee Stud's green eyes turned blue
Tennessee Stud missed home too and his expressive green eyes turned blue in sorrow.
Cause he was a-dreaming of a sweetheart too
He was missing his sweetheart as well.
I loped on back across Arkansas
I went back to Arkansas at a comfortable pace.
And I whupped her brother and I whupped her pa
I fought against the brother and father of my love and won the fight.
I found that girl with the golden hair
I found my love with a head full of shiny gold hair.
And she was a-riding on a Tennessee Mare
She was riding on a Tennessee Mare.
Stirrup to stirrup and side by side
We rode with our horses positioned closely.
We crossed the mountains and the valleys wide
We rode across the vast and diverse landscapes of the mountains and valleys.
We came to Big Muddy and we forded the flood
We arrived at Big Muddy and found a way to cross the flood.
On the Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud
Together as a couple with our horses Tennessee Mare and the Tennessee Stud.
Pretty little baby on the cabin floor
There was a beautiful baby on the floor of a small shelter.
And a little horse colt playing 'round the door
There was also a charming colt prancing around the doorway.
I love the girl with the golden hair
I was already in love with the girl with the shiny golden hair.
And the Tennessee Stud loves the Tennessee Mare.
And so did the Tennessee Stud absolutely love the Tennessee Mare.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James Morris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind