RAMBLIN' BOY
(Tom Paxton)


Pete Seeger - 1963
Tom Paxton - 1964
Judy Collins - 1964
The Kingston Trio - 1965
Mel Tillis - 1967
Porter Wagoner - 1969
The Country Gentlemen - 1970
Sandy Denny - 1972
Patrick Sky - 1985
J.D. Crowe & The New South - 1987
Dave Van Ronk - 1993
Carolyn Hester - 1993
Paul & Margie - 1998
Roz Brown - 2006
Neal Phillips - 2006
Peter Thompson - 2007

Also recorded by: The Highwaymen; Patrick Sky.


As recorded by TOM PAXTON:


He was a man and a friend always
He stuck with me in the hard old days
He never cared if I had no dough
We rambled around in the rain and snow

And here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin' bring you joy
Here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin' bring you joy

In Tulsa town we chanced to stray
We thought we'd try to work one day
The boss said he had room for one
Said my old pal, "We'd rather bum"

And here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin' bring you joy
Here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin' bring you joy

(Instrumental Break)

Late one night in a jungle camp
The weather it was cold and damp
He got the chills and he got 'em bad
They took the only friend I had

And here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin bring you joy
Here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin' bring you joy

He left me here to ramble on
A ramblin' pal is dead and gone
If when we die we go somewhere
I'll bet you a dollar he's ramblin' there

And here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin bring you joy
Here's to you my ramblin' boy
May all your ramblin' bring you joy


**********


As recorded by THE KINGSTON TRIO:


Fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy
Yes, fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy

He was a man and a friend always
We rambled round in the hard old days
He never cared if I had no dough
We rambled round in the rain or snow

Fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy
Yes, fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy

Late one night in a jungle camp
The weather it was cold and damp
He got the chills and he got 'em bad
I lost the only friend I had

Fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy
Yes, fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy

He left me here to ramble on
My ramblin' pal is dead and gone
If when we die we go somewhere
I bet you a dollar he's a-ramblin' there

Fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy
Yes, fare-thee-well my ramblin' boy
May all your rambles bring you joy
May all your rambles bring you joy
May all your rambles bring you joy







(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - April 2011)