Topic: Lane Hardin's Lyrics

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I have a first pass at the lyrics to Lane Hardin's "Hard Time Blues", a blues from St. Louis and the most recent on-line lesson tune.  I feel like I have the main idea, but a lot of the details I am not confident are right.



 Now it's hard time, baby, hard times everywhere I go
 Hard times, baby, hard times everywhere I go
 Now these people keep cryin'  'bout hard times, they comin'  more and more

 Now I don't even see what these poor people is going to do
 Now I can't see what people, these poor people is going to do
 Keep cryin' about these hard times and they coming more and more

 Now I went to the factory this mornin' where I had worked ten years ago
 And I went to the factory this mornin' where I had worked ten years ago
 And the bossman told me that they ain't hirin' in here no more

 Hard times, boy, and it's hard times everywhere I go
 Hard times, boy, hard times everywhere I go
 These people keep crying 'bout hard times and there's no work in here no more

 Now if I was a bluebird, mama, had my trunk packed on my back
 Hey if I was a bluebird, had my trunk packed on my back
 I would fly away from this town, mama, and I'd swear I would never come back.

The front end of the second line of the first verse was really hard for me to hear.  Likewise, the end of the fourth verse.  Any help appreciated.  I love this song and I'd like to be able to play it out.

Edited, 10/23 to pick up corrections from dingwall
All best,
John
 

[Slack]

Hi John, looks like you got it to me - I hear just a few picky differences.

Hard times, by me, my baby, hard times everywhere I go

Hard times baby, hard times everywhere I go

Now I don't even see what the poor people is going to do

I hear 'these' instead of 'the'

Hey if I was a bluebird, mama, had my trunk packed on my back

Hey if I was a bluebird, had my trunk packed on my back

cheers,
slack

[Johnm]

Hi John D.,
Thanks for the help.  I have often wondered how you and Frank go back to versions of lyrics you've already posted and change them after the fact.  I just noticed the "Modify" button and am going to give it a shot.  If I can get it to work, I will post those modified lyrics as a final version.
All best,
John

[Slack]

Yep, you got it.  In fact I need to go back and modify my reply as I messed up the "quote" BBC tag.

cheers,

[frankie]

From the Sitting and Thinking Dept:

I was just listening to this tune back to back with a number of tunes by Hi Henry Brown - is it possible they're the same person?  The guitar approach seems remarkably similar.  Lane Hardin sounds like a less forceful singer, but the LH sides were recorded four years later than HHB (older & wiser?).  Since the HHB sides are duets (with Charley Jordan, I think?), it's tricky to pick out exactly what he's playing... 

Hmmm...

[Johnm]

Hi Frank,
I know what you mean about the similarities, especially in the guitar, between Hi Henry and Lane Hardin.? So many of the St. Louis guys of that generation seem to have had some version of Henry Spaulding's "Cairo" sound.? Vocally, they sound pretty different to me, though.? Lane had kind of a sweet or pretty voice, whereas Hi Henry really was a growler.? The person I think really sounds like Hi Henry vocally is Pat Conte.
All best,
John

[strngndr]

They played this one on Live 365 yesterday.  A good streamed blues station I recently discovered, thanks to this forum.

Jeff

[lindy]

Old topic, new thought.

I was listening to this piece for the first time in a long time this evening, and it really grabbed me. One thought that crossed my mind -- and this is obviously directed at you, JohnM -- is that the structure of this song may have served as an inspiration for your version of New Cairo Blues on your new CD, even though it's in a different tuning. Is that the case? Or am I restating something that has already been noted by other Weenies?

Great tune, I also didn't realize that it was the focus of an audio lesson, think I'll pony up a sawbuck for that one . . .

Lindy

[uncle bud]

Hah, I had been thinking exactly the same thing a week ago. All I can say is both tunes are brilliant.

[Johnm]

Hi guys,
I'm not aware of "Hard Time Blues" serving as a model for "New Cairo Blues" in any way that I could put my finger on, but on the other hand, it would be difficult to hear "Hard Time Blues" and NOT be influenced by it in some way if you love and play this music.  I love a lot of the blues that came out of St. Louis in that period, and for me, "Hard Time Blues" and "Cairo Blues" are right at the top of the heap.  They would both make my shortest list of favorite Country Blues tracks.
All best,
Johnm   

[dj]

I really don't hear anything directly from "Hard Time Blues" in there.  I hear a few of what I think are explicit references to Henry Spaulding's "Cairo" in the guitar, but for the most part, I just hear a very good synthesis of what Lane Hardin, Henry Spaulding, Henry Townsend, and J.D. Short were doing on the guitar right around 1930.  Whatever I'm hearing, I like it - "New Cairo Blues" is one of my favorites on "This Old Hammer".         

[dingwall]

Hi, Johnm, here's what I hear from Lane Hardin.

1.2 Hard times, BABY, baby,----(very clear slowly, then same normally)
2.2 ----see what PEOPLE, these poor people----
3.1/2/3 ----mornin'/mornin'/hirin'----
4.3 ----no work FOR THEM HERE NO MORE.

[Johnm]

Hi dingwall,
Thanks for the help.  I still only hear one "baby" in the second line of verse one, and don't hear any "for them" in the third line of verse four, but have made the other changes.
All best,
Johnm

[Johnm]

Hi all,
We worked on the lyrics for Lane Hardin's "Hard Time Blues" a while ago, but never got those of its flip side, "California Desert Blues".  Here they are.  He was tuned so low, it sounds like all his strings were unwound.  He was a beautiful singer and player.



   Now, just sittin' here wonderin', why the goin' gets so mean
   I was just sittin here wonderin', mama, why would goin' get so mean
   Now I'm goin' back to Californy so I can do just as I please

   Crossin' that old desert, mama, just like breakin' the Hindenburg Line
   Crossin' that old desert, just like breakin' the Hindenburg Line
   Now, if you get ditched off'n that freight train, you know that will be the end of the line

   Whoa, yes, I know, I know, yes, I know, I know
   Whoa, yes, I know, mama, yes, I know, I know
   Now the train's at the station and my mind is made up to go

   When I reach old Los Angeles, Californy, you oughta heard me jump and shout
   When I reach old Los Angel', you oughta heard me jump and shout
   Now the people in Los Angel', they didn't know what it was all about

Edited 12/15 to pick up correction from LD50

All best,
Johnm
   

[LD50]

I've always thought California Desert Blues was amazing. When I first heard it on the Mamlish LP ~22 years ago, the guitar reminded me of a sitar.

I see you interpreted the first 2 lines really differently from me. I never thought of your interpretation before, tho it's interesting! I'm by no means sure I'm right, but I've always thought the first line was "Now, just sittin' here wonderin', where I could go and get some[thing to] eat". (Or even "where I could go and get some meat", tho that's pretty silly sounding.) I really do hear the 'k sound' of 'could' in there -- it really does sound like 'where I could'.

The funny thing is, tho, with the second line, *your* interpretation sounds more correct.  Oh well.

However, for "Now, if you get ditched off a night freight train", I pretty clearly hear *that* line as "Now, if you get ditched off'n that freight train".

Hi all,
We worked on the lyrics for Lane Hardin's "Hard Time Blues" a while ago, but never got those of its flip side, "California Desert Blues".  Here they are.  He was tuned so low, it sounds like all his strings were unwound.  He was a beautiful singer and player.

   Now, just sittin' here wonderin', why the goin' gets so mean
   I was just sittin here wonderin', mama, why would goin' get so mean
   Now I'm goin' back to Californy so I can do just as I please

   Crossin' that old desert, mama, just like breakin' the Hindenburg Line
   Crossin' that old desert, just like breakin' the Hindenburg Line
   Now, if you get ditched off a night freight train, you know that will be the end of the line

   Whoa, yes, I know, I know, yes, I know, I know
   Whoa, yes, I know, mama, yes, I know, I know
   Now the train's at the station and my mind is made up to go

   When I reach old Los Angeles, Californy, you oughta heard me jump and shout
   When I reach old Los Angel', you oughta heard me jump and shout
   Now the people in Los Angel', they didn't know what it was all about

All best,
Johnm