I love playing—on whistle and other instruments—and singing this old Stephen Foster chestnut. I don’t have any recorded versions of the song that do it justice though; just a barbershop quartet version from c.1930 and the McGarrigle extended family doing a respectable but slightly tired version recorded recently. I once heard an absolutely chilling and altogether outstanding gospel-style version of it that I loved but the radio announcer didn’t say who it was. Does anybody have any idea who that might be?
By the way, I think Mary Black does a version with De Dannan which I haven’t tracked down yet. But it’s that gospel version that I really want.
The Red Clay Ramblers have a version. I haven’t listened to that album (Hard Times) for a very long time and don’t remember their version but they sometimes did some great shape note hymns and they might have done it in a gospel quartet style. Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin have a nice down homey version but I doubt that it’s the one you’re after. Here’s a Red Clay link.
I just had a look at efolk to see if Hard Times was available there. It’s not but there’s a great deal. They have a CD combinint two LPs-Merchant’s Lunch and Twisted Laurel. Both great albums IMO.
Thanks a lot Steve. They didn’t have a clip, unfortunately, but if they’re generally good value I’ll probably check them out anyway. The version I’m thinking of sounded like black, southern baptist fare—well, a bit like that. Any other suggestions?
The Valley of the Dry Bones is an example of their gospel/hymn style. You can hear it at efolk. It’s probably faster and jazzier than Hard Times but you should be able to get some idea if you’re on the right track. Other than that I can’t help.
On 2002-12-03 09:59, SteveK wrote:
The Valley of the Dry Bones is an example of their gospel/hymn style. You can hear it at efolk. It’s probably faster and jazzier than Hard Times but you should be able to get some idea if you’re on the right track. Other than that I can’t help.
Steve
Thanks again Steve. I found the song but I don’t (yet) have the software installed to listen to it. As ever with questions like this you’ve been a great help. Maybe someone else knows of other versions but I’ll definitely check this out one way or another. They (Red Clay Ramblers) look like a mighty interesting group.
[ This Message was edited by: Wombat on 2002-12-03 10:15 ]
Well, I dug out my LP and played a bit of Hard Times. I didn’t remember it but there’s an instrumental introduction to the song and later an instrumental part where Jack Herrick plays trumpet. He also played bass and whistle with the band.
The Ramblers have gone through various incarnations and I don’t have any of their recent material although some of it sounds pretty interesting. The older albums are wonderful-Twisted Laurel and Merchant’s Lunch and another (can’t remember). Hard Times is not as good. Tommy Thompson, the original banjo player developed Alzheimer’s about 10 years ago or so. I listened to them a lot when I was just getting interested in old time and trad music so it brings back fond memories.
Steve
[ This Message was edited by: SteveK on 2002-12-03 10:22 ]
I don’t know the version you’re referring to, but that song is also one of my favorites. Tim O’Brien has a wonderful version of it on Songs from the Mountain, an altogether outstanding CD. Emmy Lou Harris recorded it, though I don’t like her version as much as O’Brien’s. Jay Ungar (who wrote Ashokan Farewell) and Molly Mason have a lovely version on Songs from the Civil War, or some such titled CD. And our band does it too. It’s the most requested number we perform, btw.
On 2002-12-03 11:15, cskinner wrote:
I don’t know the version you’re referring to, but that song is also one of my favorites. Tim O’Brien has a wonderful version of it on Songs from the Mountain, an altogether outstanding CD. Emmy Lou Harris recorded it, though I don’t like her version as much as O’Brien’s. Jay Ungar (who wrote Ashokan Farewell) and Molly Mason have a lovely version on Songs from the Civil War, or some such titled CD. And our band does it too. > > It’s the most requested number we perform, btw.
Carol
Wow, I’m going to have more versions of this than I’d ever imagined. And you remind me Carol: I do have a good version: the Ungar/Mason one. But that’s purely instrumental, isn’t it?
For this Aussie, there is one crucial question: may I change ‘cabin’ to ‘cottage’ when I sing it? No cabins in Australia you see, but plenty of hard times in rural areas.
For this Aussie, there is one crucial question: may I change ‘cabin’ to ‘cottage’ when I sing it? No cabins in Australia you see, but plenty of hard times in rural areas.
Yeah sure, Wombat. No problem. Go ahead and change it. Tell 'em I said you could.
No: The Ungar/Mason is vocal, and with very sweet harmonies, at least the one on my CD…
Cottage, eh? Here in the US it calls to mind little vacation dwellings along a lake. But if the Hard Times down under are in cottages, then that’s where the song needs to be…
I don’t know that there is another opening line to a song I love as much as this one (for those who don’t know it):
Let us pause in life’s pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
Emmy Lou Harris changes it (for the worse I feel strongly) to: While we all share in sorrow with the poor.
She also sidesteps the cabin issue by singing: Many days you have lingered too long around my door…
For this Aussie, there is one crucial question: may I change ‘cabin’ to ‘cottage’ when I sing it? No cabins in Australia you see, but plenty of hard times in rural areas.
Yeah sure, Wombat. No problem. Go ahead and change it. Tell 'em I said you could.
Steve
As a Canadian, Steve, you must have some incling of my problem. We run the risk of getting mocked if we sing with American accents; we run the risk of getting mocked if we don’t sing with American accents. Now don’t you have a subtle version of the same problem?
So, nice and all as your offer is, I’m not entirely sure that it’s in your gift.
No: The Ungar/Mason is vocal, and with very sweet harmonies, at least the one on my CD…
I’m probably thinking of the line or two that got played in the TV series from time to time. I’ll listen again as soon as I can find that CD.
Cottage, eh? Here in the US it calls to mind little vacation dwellings along a lake. But if the Hard Times down under are in cottages, then that’s where the song needs to be…
Cottage isn’t perfect but it does suggest a humble abode. Try fitting ‘mud brick shack’ into that space though, or ‘wattle and daub shanty’. They’d be the real thing.
I don’t know that there is another opening line to a song I love as much as this one (for those who don’t know it):
Let us pause in life’s pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor.
Emmy Lou Harris changes it (for the worse I feel strongly) to: While we all share in sorrow with the poor.
She also sidesteps the cabin issue by singing: Many days you have lingered too long around my door…
Carol
Beautiful opening to be sure. Lots of other beautiful lines too, albeit very sad. Now why would Emmy Lou have to change the words—cabins and supping out of fashion in the States these days? I’m like totally supped out.
Perhaps Steve has a point. It’s just that one word that worries me. But singing is in part role playing so why not just take on the role neat?
Connie Dover performed a knock-out version of the tune live last summer. I do not know if Connie has recorded it, but it was nicer than any I’ve heard.
As a Canadian, Steve, you must have some incling of my problem. We run the risk of getting mocked if we sing with American accents; we run the risk of getting mocked if we don’t sing with American accents. Now don’t you have a subtle version of the same problem?
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I’m not sure how changing one word to suit your local situation is like singing with an American accent. If people already know the song they might appreciate the original word. If they don’t they can’t mock you for changing it.
I don’t know if it’s the version she did with De Dannon, but Mary Black does a beautiful rendition of “Hard Times” on her “Collected” album. I learned the tune by ear from her album when one of the fellows I work with, who had heard me whistling on break, asked me if I knew any Foster tunes.
As a Canadian, Steve, you must have some incling of my problem. We run the risk of getting mocked if we sing with American accents; we run the risk of getting mocked if we don’t sing with American accents. Now don’t you have a subtle version of the same problem?
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I’m not sure how changing one word to suit your local situation is like singing with an American accent. If people already know the song they might appreciate the original word. If they don’t they can’t mock you for changing it.
Steve
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You’re talking sense Steve, but I wasn’t trying to make a sharp observation here so much as floundering around in an area in which Australians feel especially uncomfortable. As with people in the US and Canada, most of our ancesters brought European folk and high culture with them when they settled, and here, as elsewhere, local variations started to develop. But Australia was settled by Europeans much later than the US and Canada, so, before we had a chance to develop deep folk traditions, mass media exposed us to American culture by the truck load. What we got was sort of familiar, but not fully so, by people like us, but not quite like us. Where in other places folk traditions just took root and developed, and now the issue is how to preserve them without being entirely backward looking, here we feel we have to make conscious policy decisions or we will lose our sense of cultural identity. As an example, for years Australian pop groups were told never to mention Australian place names or topical incidents in songs because it would be impossible to market them to America. To say any more would be to change the topic of the thread.
My favorite version of the song is sung by James Taylor. He makes a guest appearance on the CD Appalachian Journey by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O’Connor.
It’s the most requested number we perform, btw.