The Momma 'n' Daddy Collection 85

It's one of my aims in this series to be adding new voices and new themes to it. Of course, I like also to feature the regulars - Dolly, Ricky, Emmylou, Merle - and the traditional preoccupation with the parental home and the parental virtues. But to convey the full scope and wealth of the tradition and how many have contributed to it... like I say, new voices and new themes. One man I haven't introduced you to yet is Vince Gill - Vince Gill from Norman, Oklahoma, and manytimes host of the Country Music Association Awards. Today is his day in the M&D series, his theme the shifting of blame for the lack of stability in his relationships on to his old dad, who, it should be said, seems to have dished out some rather questionable advice regarding the effects of women on eyesight. Here's Vince singing 'Son Of A Ramblin' Man':

Have you ever had a thing for a woman
A thing that makes you lose your mind?
Every time I start to think about her
Sends shivers up and down my spine.

My daddy was a bit of a rounder
Said those women gonna make you go blind
I told my old man I'm right over here
Like the way I see just fine.

Chorus
I'm the son of a ramblin' man
Son of a runnin' kind
I'm the son of a ramblin' man
Come from a long long line

Well, I'm just a hillbilly gypsy
Ain't much for settlin' down
If I thought somebody might miss me
Maybe I'd hang around

So I better keep on driftin'
Cos every town's just a little too small
Ain't nothin' in the world like a woman
I'm going to try to love 'em all

Repeat chorus

In truth, the chorus is repeated so many times at the end here, you can only conclude that the singer wants to give emphasis to the multi-generational origin of his own fickleness.

[The Momma 'n' Daddy Archive, containing all the details of the series, is here.]