I think about this constantly: what it would have been like to be in this audience, hearing this song for the first time:
I think about this constantly: what it would have been like to be in this audience, hearing this song for the first time:
Since I hadn’t heard this song in quite a while, I clicked play. It hadn’t occurred to me before now that this song has a strong Western feel to it, esp. with the mention of cowboys near the end. Hell, it has a strong feel of places where the wind blows a lot. :-) Anyone who grew up in places like those would have a strong draw to songs like this, if they were into music at all.
Seger has always been a writer’s songwriter. I’ve always admired him for that. I used to own a vinyl put out by a Maryland radio station (WPGC) back in ’68 of the then-current hits, which included “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man.” I’d heard the song on the radio (that station and others) and I either bought the vinyl or won it in a contest or something. His essential style and sound hasn’t changed from that song, but it’s expanded. His ability to carry that style and sound through decades of making music is what continues to draw people to his music: it’s honest and real.
in Springsteen’s Born to Run memoir, he talks about Seger having that authenticity that a singer needs — it goes beyond vocal range or guitar proficiency. more about inhabiting the persona of a piece. Seger’s for sure got that. or: never feels like a persona.
Still wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then, sometimes.
My 12 said she wanted piano lessons which finally gave me an excuse to get one free off Facebook. (Paid for moving, still need to have it tuned-like dogs, free pianos are never free.) there definitely was in the back of my head an ulterior motive to learn some of those piano strong Seger songs. In this one, feels like a convo between his voice and the guitar and the piano to me…
always