ADD: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Henderson)

Subject: Tune Add: RAKE AND A RAMBLING MAN (Don Henderson)
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 19 Aug 99 - 10:18 PM

I suspect that few at the Mudcat have heard of Don Henderson 1937 - 1991. Here's the tune to one of his many great songs. Hope that Alan or Bob might cough up the words. Best sung by someone who's lead a very hard life, preferably performed late at night. Regards, John.

MIDI file: rakeman.mid

Timebase: 192

Name: RAKE AND A RAMBLING MAN
Text: By Don Henderson (1937 - 1991)
Copyright: Sally Henderson 1994 Qld Folk Federation
Key: D
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Start
0096 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 66 110 0094 0 66 000 0002 1 66 110 0256 0 66 000 0032 1 68 110 0336 0 68 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0240 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 59 110 0256 0 59 000 0032 1 61 110 0160 0 61 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0336 0 64 000 0048 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0240 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 57 110 0256 0 57 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 59 110 0256 0 59 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 68 110 0094 0 68 000 0002 1 68 110 0432 0 68 000 0048 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 64 110 0336 0 64 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 61 110 0336 0 61 000 0048 1 54 110 0160 0 54 000 0032 1 59 110 0528 0 59 000 0048 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0256 0 62 000 0032 1 59 110 0336 0 59 000 0048 1 54 110 0160 0 54 000 0032 1 57 110 0094 0 57 000 0002 1 57 110 0432 0 57 000 0048 1 54 110 0336 0 54 000 0240 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0256 0 62 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 69 110 0432 0 69 000 0048 1 68 110 0336 0 68 000 0240 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 61 110 0256 0 61 000 0032 1 59 110 0336 0 59 000 0048 1 54 110 0160 0 54 000 0032 1 57 110 0094 0 57 000 0002 1 57 110 0432 0 57 000 0048 1 54 110 0336 0 54 000 0240 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 62 110 0256 0 62 000 0032 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 61 110 0160 0 61 000 0032 1 61 110 0336 0 61 000 0048 1 61 110 0336 0 61 000 0240 1 68 110 0160 0 68 000 0032 1 68 110 0094 0 68 000 0002 1 68 110 0256 0 68 000 0032 1 68 110 0336 0 68 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0240 1 68 110 0160 0 68 000 0032 1 68 110 0094 0 68 000 0002 1 68 110 0256 0 68 000 0032 1 68 110 0336 0 68 000 0048 1 68 110 0160 0 68 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0240 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 62 110 0256 0 62 000 0032 1 59 110 0336 0 59 000 0048 1 54 110 0160 0 54 000 0032 1 57 110 0160 0 57 000 0032 1 57 110 0336 0 57 000 0048 1 54 110 0336 0 54 000 0240 1 59 110 0160 0 59 000 0032 1 59 110 0094 0 59 000 0002 1 62 110 0256 0 62 000 0032 1 66 110 0336 0 66 000 0048 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 66 110 0160 0 66 000 0032 1 68 110 0160 0 68 000 0032 1 68 110 0160 0 68 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 66 110 0528 0 66 000 0048 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 64 110 0336 0 64 000 0048 1 61 110 0336 0 61 000 0048 1 54 110 0160 0 54 000 0032 1 57 110 0528 0 57 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:RAKE AND A RAMBLING MAN
M:3/4
Q:1/4=120
K:D
B,2B,2B,2|F2FF3|^G4E2|F6|B,B,3C2|F4D2|E4F2|
G6|B,A,3D2|B,B,3D2|^G^G5|F4B,2|F6|E4E2|C4F,2|
B,6|B,2DD3|B,4F,2|A,A,5|F,6|B,2DD3|F4D2|EA5|
^G6|B,2B,C3|B,4F,2|A,A,5|F,6|B,2B,D3|B,2B,2D2|
C2C4|C6|^G2^G^G3|^G4E2|F4F2|F6|^G2^G^G3|^G4^G2|
F4D2|F6|B,2DD3|B,4F,2|A,2A,4|F,6|B,2B,D3|
F4F2|A4F2|^G2^G2E2|F6|E2E4|C4F,2|A,11/2||

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GUEST
Date: 18 May 15 - 04:53 AM

Why not just post the lyrics and chords?. We don't need this crap.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 18 May 15 - 05:12 AM

Anonymous guest, the message you replied to was posted in 1999, when that was a common way to post tunes to this website. Please try to be civil here. I'll post the lyrics if I can find them, and if they aren't elsewhere on this site already.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GUEST
Date: 18 May 15 - 05:14 AM

OK TY

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GUEST
Date: 18 May 15 - 05:20 AM

It's very frustrating trying to find Australian lyrics and chords, we seem loath to share, it's pretty rare not to find American songs.
I don't have the ability to decipher chords from CD's, so it is a problem, a lot of music books don't chords only dots, as most folkies play ear and can't read music, I find this pretty silly.
Cheers Alan

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 18 May 15 - 05:28 AM

Regret to say that while I have both the Declan Affley and the Don Henderson recordings of this song, neither comes with lyrics, and I'm not up to listening and transcribing. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 18 May 15 - 07:35 AM

I have a CD copied from Declan's 1987 LP & the notes on track 16 mentions Don's songbook.

Until recently I had a copy of this songbook on my floor, but returned it to it's proper home - where I was earlier tonight!

I can check it out on the weekend.

sandra

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 May 15 - 09:31 PM

Disc 2. Hear it sung by Affley.

http://donhenderson.com.au/tracks.html

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 19 May 15 - 02:48 AM

Thanks, #, I've pulled it off the shelf to listen to it sometime soon

sandra

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GerryM
Date: 16 Oct 20 - 01:09 AM

Here are lyrics that I found somewhere, I didn't keep a record of just where I found them. This isn't exactly the way Declan Affley recorded it, but maybe it's the way Don Henderson wrote it.

RAKE AND A RAMBLING MAN
(Don Henderson)

Chorus
I am a rake and a rambling man
Fortune I fall to when I can
Could I be, would I be, other than
A rake and rambling man

I travel far, I travel wide
From where winds spring to where winds blow
And if I walk or if I ride
Won't matter only that I go
Stay with the friends that I have made
I stay with the rich and the poor
No welcome has been overstayed
I never linger too long for
I'm a rake but a rambling man

With the police, I know the score
Seldom we meet, but now and then
I'm called to mind that there are more
Police than ever were rambling men
Once as I got, I quickly returned
I am a man and free
Long nights go by and the lesson learned
That in jail no one can be
A rake or a rambling man

Women know men and that talk of the day
Pries at the secrets silent nights hold
Two thousand miles and ten towns away
Names fade and fall from the story that's told
Walked into wind whips at the foot fall
Night breeze is soft and soon spent
Who can't love one might better love all
What cares the road of the farewell that went
With a rake that's a rambling man

I travel far, I travel wide
From where winds spring to where winds blow
For every hill has an unseen side
Cross roads that quarrel the four ways to go
I'll take by chances with fortune and fame
Heads and tails fall as they will
If some know my song who do not know my name
It will not matter if I am still
A rake and a rambling man

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Oct 20 - 08:08 PM

GM, it is the way Henderson wrote it - page 62 Don Henderson 'A Quiet Century'. The lyrics, as recorded by Affley, were posted on 02 Sept to the Australian folksong thread for which you are the supposed mediator.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Hender
From: GerryM
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 12:10 AM

Stewie, thanks.

Subject: RE: ADD: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Henderson)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Oct 20 - 01:31 AM

I've been trying to post links to YouTube videos when I find them. Didn't have any luck finding this one. Can anybody find it?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: ADD: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Henderson)
From: GerryM
Date: 04 Nov 20 - 11:02 PM

Stewie, the lyrics you posted to the other thread on 2 September 2020 are **not** the lyrics Declan Affley recorded. Here's what I've transcribed from the Affley recording on the Don Henderson double CD, CD 2, Track 1:

RAKE AND A RAMBLING MAN
(Don Henderson)

Chorus
I am a rake and a rambling man.
Fortune I fall to where I can.
Could I be, would I be, other than
A rake that's a rambling man.

I travel far, I travel wide,
From where winds spring to where winds blow,
And if I walk and if I ride,
It doesn't matter as long as I go.
Stay with the friends that I have made,
Stay with the rich and the poor.
No welcome has been overstayed.
I never linger too long for
I'm a rake that's a rambling man.

To the police, I owe no score. [??]
Seldom we meet, but now and then
I bear in mind that there are more
Policemen than ever were rambling men.
Once as I took, I quickly returned.
I am a man and free.
Long years go by, and the lesson is learned
That in a jail no one can be
A rake that's a rambling man.

Chorus

Women know men and they talk of the day.
Pries [??] at the secrets silent nights hold
Two thousand miles and ten towns away
Names fade and fall from the story that's told.
Walked into wind, whips at the foot fall,
Night breeze is soft and soon spent.
Who can't love one might better love all.
What cares the road for a farewell that went
With a rake that's a rambling man

Chorus

I travel far, I travel wide,
From where winds spring to where winds blow,
For every hill has an unseen side,
Cross roads all quarrel their four ways to go.
Perhaps it will be that I'll never know fame,
Maybe again I will.
Bright lights might never write out my name,
But it won't matter if I am still
A rake that's a rambling man

Chorus

Note there are two places, indicated by [??], where I'm not sure
of my transcription.

Joe, I haven't been able to find a video, either.

Subject: RE: ADD: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Henderson)
From: Stewie
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 06:27 PM

Gerry, you are correct. I went to Peter Mann recording 'The Rake and Rambling Man' and the brief sleeve note related to praise of Henderson. I did not listen to the recording, but incorrectly assumed that Affley faithfully followed Henderson's text. I copied the text from the Henderson song book 'A Quiet Century'. I even repeated what is obviously a typo in the song book - 'pries' should be 'prise' (pull at, open). Affley makes some minor changes, particularly 'that's a rambling man'. He also alters the final stanza. I reckon he also misremembered the Henderson line 'With the police I know the score' which makes more sense than ' I owe no score'.

What is the story with you and Joe and 'the other thread'? The Mudcat songbook is obviously a fizzier but R-J, Sandra and I are at least creating a worthwhile database of Australian and NZ songs that includes lesser-known regional songs as well as the warhorses.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: ADD: Rake and a Rambling Man (Don Henderson)
From: Stewie
Date: 07 Nov 20 - 06:30 PM

Typo in my previous post - 'fizzer' not 'fizzier'.

--Stewie.