A History of Stealin' and Ramblin' Jack

A History of Stealin’

There are probably more beautiful songs. There are songs that more people can probably sing along to. But the way in which “Stealin’” was written and has subsequently been performed makes it an American standard. Of late it seems to have been getting its due as well.
Recently, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy took to the stage in NYC and luckily enough the folks from Aquarium Drunkard were there to capture the performance. During the set, BPB and his cohorts included a few versions of old tyme classics – “Stealin’” was one of them. You can find the tracks here.

But if we’re to look at where “Stealin’” has ended up culturally, then we need to go back to the source. There is some argument as to who actually penned the tune originally, but most frequently the song is associated with the Memphis Jug Band who recorded the song in the late ‘20s. Will Shade (1889-1966), the man here credited with the composition, has seen that song in the hands of countless other players and assimilated to a vast number of genres.

The Jerry Garcia version, recorded for the 1996 album he put together with David Grisman, finds “Stealin’” being kept rather intact seventy some years after it was initially recorded by Shade and the Jug Band.

And while the Garcia and Grisman version is a beautiful and lilting rendition, with the vocals sounding brittle and vulnerable, there are some more aggressive renditions of the tune as well.

The above punk version obviously deviates from the other performances discussed herein. But the Mojomatics, hailing from Italy, actually serve to illustrate the point that “Stealin’” is a song that everyone can understand. Everyone can relate to the simplistic and common story being revealed through the lyrics. And beyond “Stealin’” just being good music, its power to connect people across the world is what actually matters – not who wrote it first.

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
I Stand Alone
(Anti, 2006)

The story is this: While roaming the country playing folk tunes with the venerable Odetta, she and Jack Elliott made a stop one day to see Odetta’s family. Rather taken aback by Elliott’s stories, Odetta’s mother began calling him Ramblin’ Jack. Of course this story must be taken for what it is and considered in light of the source – Ramblin’ Jack himself amidst a show in Cleveland while drinking, telling tales of driving RV’s and recounting history.

Perhaps it’s accurate. Perhaps not, but regardless of that, Elliott’s abilities to interpret folk songs enabled him to tour Europe – even before the folk resurgence of the sixties and influence Dylan. Now, he has released an album on Epitaph subsidiary Anti-.

Through the vast catalog of this man, you won’t find a large number of original songs, but a collection of meaningful folk and blues tunes that speak to the populace at large. This concept actually seems to be missing from a great deal of music today; not everyone can relate to being angry at the government, and not everyone wants to hear about the inequities of the world. Often times, people want to hear simple stories that they understand. There is no shortage of that on I Stand Alone. There are songs about your body aching, there are songs about pets and songs about lost love. Most of the album, Elliott spends alone – just him and a guitar. Occasionally, he is accompanied by Flea and Lucinda Williams which serves to create a fuller sound. Williams seems to have the most incorporation into the album seeing as she and Elliott sing a duet on “Careless Darling.” Again considering Elliott’s catalog is greatly made up of his interpretations of others songs, this album, or any other for that matter, is a good place to discover his work for the uninitiated.