Tag: The Bob Seger System

Something about Bob Seger…the man paid his dues. Bob started in 1961 in the Detroit music scene in the Decibels. He kicked around in different bands through the years. His break-out song is this one. His friend, 19-year-old Glen Frey, plays acoustic guitar and sings backup on this song.

The song was a big hit in Michigan and eventually started to climb the charts. The song peaked at #17 on the Billboard 100 in 1969. It would be 1975 before Seger broke nationally. After hearing Gimme Some Loving by the Spencer Davis Group, Seger wanted that organ in a song. Bob Schultz, a Seger’s band member, played it on this track. From then on it became a part of the live sound.

Seger has had an interesting career. Before Against The Wind, before Night Moves, before the Silver Bullet Band even existed, Bob Seger made gritty, experimental garage rock. It was far from the radio hits that made him famous, and much closer to the punk of fellow Michigan musicians like Iggy Pop. At this time he would hang out with The Stooges and The MC5.  They would eventually fade away but Seger matured as a songwriter and became a hit machine.

I’ve always liked Bob Seger. He gets heavy play here in the south and many of his songs have been played to death…but not this one. I like the rawness of this single.

Bob Seger: “We’d had a few records that were popular around town and you’d hear on the radio a lot, but, yeah, that was a little different. That was a hit.”

“I wasn’t necessarily a great songwriter at that time, I think I focused more on playing the guitar and singing… even though Dylan and Van Morrison were important to me and influences on me. That craft was something that developed slowly.”

A live version

Here is a very early look at Bob Seger

Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man

Yeah, I’m gonna
Tell my tale, come on
Come on, ha, give a listen

Cause I was born lonely
Down by the riverside
Learned to spin fortune wheels
And throw dice

I was just thirteen
When I had to leave home
Knew I couldn’t stick around
I had to roam

Ain’t good looking
But you know I ain’t shy
Ain’t afraid to look
A girl in the eye

So if you need some loving
And you need it right away
Take a little time out
And maybe I’ll stay

[CHORUS]
But I got to ramble (rambling man)
I got to gamble (gambling man)
Got to, got to ramble (rambling man)
I was born a rambling, gambling man

Yeah, yeah, yeah….
Ha ha, bring it on
Come on down, yeah
All right, here we go
Now, now

I’m out of money
Cause you know I need some
Ain’t gone run out of loving
And I must run

Gotta keep moving
Never gonna slow down
You can have your funky world
See you round

Cause I got to ramble (rambling man)
I got to gamble (gambling man)
I got to ramble (rambling man)
Lord, I’m a rambling, gambling man

Oh, I’m just a rambler
Yeah, I’m just a gambler
Come on and sing along

Cause I’m just a rambler (rambling man)

Lord, I’m a gambler (gambling man)
I’m a rambler (rambling man)
Yeah, I’m a rambler…