[1] Van Ronk features some of his most elaborate recordings with many backing musicians.

It includes English language versions of songs by non-English speaking composers (Bertold Brecht and Jacques Brel).

Another release titled Van Ronk was issued as a double LP in 1972 by Fantasy Records by pairing Dave Van Ronk, Folksinger and Inside Dave Van Ronk.

That collection was later released on CD as Inside Dave Van Ronk.

Village Voice critic Robert Christgau wrote of Van Ronk: "He shoots his shot at big-label production here, and now and then the orchestration (not to mention the material) turns surprisingly schmaltzy, but for the most part this shouted melee of song collection is a riot.