The Rose of Aberdeen

[Yuck Foo]

I love this song on the new Sony remasters. Does anyone know the
origin of the song? Must be some kind of Scottish folk song or
something.

-- Yuck

[BLACKMANNY1]

I've tried to track down the origin of this song. Although one website lists a
song called "Rose of Aberdeen" as written by Maria Bland (1769-1838), I have
not been able to verify that this tune has anything in common with the one
recorded by S&G. Similar versions have been recorded by Linda Ronstadt (on the
B-side of the "How Do I Make You" single), and folkies as disparate as Gordon
Bok, Ian & Sylvia, Joan Baez, Sandy and Carolyn Paton, and Odetta. Joan Baez
In Concert/Part 2 had "Rambler Gambler" on the original mono LP release (some
thirty five years before "Speaking Of Dreams") but it was replaced by "With God
On Our Side" on the stereo releases. The original song from the mono release
was re-released on Very Early Joan

I was able to find a song that bore some resemblance to the song recorded by
S&G at Siobhan's Bard Book:

http://dreamspinner.freeservers.com/moon.html

That song was apparently an old Irish ballad about moonshiners, whiskey, etc.
and the verses have nothing in common with the S&G recording. But the chorus
is:

CHORUS:
C F
I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler, I'm a long way from home,
G C
And if you don't like me, well leave me alone,
F
I'll eat when I'm hungry, I'll drink when I'm dry,
G C
And if moonshine don't kill me, I'll live till I die.

So, it looks like "Rose of Aberdeen" is an American variant of the original
Irish "Rambler Gambler."

[BLACKMANNY1]

>Similar versions have been recorded

This wasn't very clear; I meant to say that versions similar to S&G's were
recorded by the following acts.

[Yuck Foo]

Wow, you've done some homework. Thanks.

But, as S&G recorded it, "Rose of Aberdeen" doesn't have "rambler,
gambler..." in the chorus. Are you getting it mixed up with the
"Rambler, Gambler" song on the same disc?

It's interesting at the end of "Rose of Aberdeen" how it fades away,
evidently leaving another verse or two lacking. We must have been
treated to the good part and denied the flubs. "We did thirty takes
and that was the best one."

-- Yuck

[Yuck Foo]

Wait, scratch that. You're right. The "rambler, gambler" line is
from "Rose of Aberdeen." The other song is "Roving Gambler." Sorry
for my confusion.

I may also be wrong about the end of "Rose," although it has the
flavor of Paul going into a guitar break/solo and there's something
more to come, but it fades.

-- Yuck

[BLACKMANNY1]

> The other song is "Roving Gambler." Sorry
>for my confusion.

Another great tune and one which was also released by Bob Dylan (on one of the
Love Sick CD single) and recorded by Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Pete Seeger & Arlo
Guthrie, and a bunch of others.

>I may also be wrong about the end of "Rose," although it has the
>flavor of Paul going into a guitar break/solo and there's something
>more to come, but it fades.
>

I don't think there's more "song;" that's all of the verses I've ever come
across. Remember that S&G's performance of that one at the Forest Hills
concert July 18, 1970 has been widely circulated among collectors and has the
same arrangement as the newly-released version. Since the released version was
recorded (I think) that same month (7/70), the live performance should be a
decent indication that nothing significant was left out.

[SNUMBER6]

>From: black...@aol.com (BLACKMANNY1)

>Remember that S&G's performance of that one at the Forest Hills
>concert July 18, 1970 has been widely circulated among collectors and has the
>same arrangement as the newly-released version.

Ah memories ... I was there ... Artie's Bridge performance will always remain
with me ... I considered it the highlight of the show ... OTOH, I don't
remember Rose from it ...

In the Village ....
I am not a number ... I am a free man !!!!

[Yuck Foo]

Man you're absolutely right. I listened to this crappy recording for
the first time in years again last night. I had totally forgotten the
song was on there. I knew I had heard it somewhere before.

Wish I could have been there.

-- Yuck

[BLACKMANNY1]

>OTOH, I don't
>remember Rose from it ...

I think it was Wavy Gravy who said if you remember the Sixties, then you
weren't there.

[Joey Berger]

He also said that the nineties are the sixties standing on your head.
I guess he missed Woodstock '99, which was not as nice as the
original, to say the least. Good flavour, though.

[Who Me]

>He also said that the nineties are the sixties standing on your head.

Not quite true though, is it? The 90s, if you stood on your head, would be the
s06...
:-)

Bill

"Television is not the truth. Television is a goddamn amusement park"

-- Howard Beale

"A lot of people in this business think I'm a smart-ass."

-David Letterman
2/28/01

DEAR IRS, Please cancel my subscription