Legends of Folk Music

Whenever old folk singers get together to reminisce about the glory days, one name always comes up: Ernest “Ramblin’ Doge” Slotnik. A staple of the Greenwich Village coffee-house scene in the early 1960’s, Ramblin’ Doge embraced the common man, with songs like “Just a Common Man,” “Common Man Blues,” “(We’ve Got) Something in Common” and the love song “Common Eileen.”

Which was later covered by Dexy’s Midnight Runners.

But after three hit albums and a string of tours, Ramblin’ Doge simply disappeared, his whereabouts a mystery even to this day. “A man’s got to keep ramblin'” he’d tell his audience, “otherwise, you’re just leashed to a post, and what good is that?”

Which brings me to my next number, “Leashed to a Post Blues.”

Via Twitter

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11 thoughts on “Legends of Folk Music

  1. allein ? April 25, 2018 / 9:54 am

    Sensing a theme, here…

    Earworm!!




    • Beth April 25, 2018 / 2:30 pm

      Allein! I just came here to say ‘thanks for the earworm, Mike’–just from reading the two words!

      And you hadda go and post this…which I love, and will watch probably more than once, possibly while dancing…so, um, thanks? Yeah, thanks. Worth it.

      • allein ? April 25, 2018 / 3:07 pm

        That song is probably the closest I’ll get to having my name in a song, unless someone writes one just for me.

      • Murray C April 28, 2018 / 9:44 pm

        ou guys – I feel so OLD!

  2. Ricky's Mom April 25, 2018 / 9:56 am

    Prime NTMTOM, just when I need it!

  3. Catwhisperer April 25, 2018 / 10:42 am

    Ramblin’ Doge cites hip hop artist, Typical, as one of him major influences.

  4. Gigi The cat lady April 25, 2018 / 11:53 am

    Oh yes Ramblin’ Doge, didn’t he tour with Petrrr, Paws and Meowry?

  5. Laura April 25, 2018 / 5:35 pm

    Earworm AND nostalgia fit at the sight of all the gorgeous bluebonnets in the field behind him. Ah, bluebonnets….the best thing about Texas in the spring!

    • fkaWaldenPond April 25, 2018 / 8:56 pm

      You mentioned the bluebonnets in another post and now I really want to see them in Texas! We have something similar up here in Southwestern Ontario called ‘Glory of the Snow.’ Instead of fields though they are found in woodlands, blanketing pockets with blue and green. They are so lovely and kinda magical, fairy-tale like.

      • Murray C April 28, 2018 / 9:45 pm

        oooh, I love those. We have them here in the Mid-Atlantic states – I tried naturalizing them but only a few came up this year.

  6. Alice Shortcake April 26, 2018 / 7:19 am

    I’d like to see Mr Slotnik attempt a feat frequently performed by British folk singers – holding a glass of beer in one hand whilst performing, and having a sip between verses.

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