Hard Times Come Again No More

Infobox Standard
title=Hard Times Come Again No More
comment=Foster's Melodies No. 28


image_size=
caption=Cover, sheet music, 1854
writer=Stephen C. Foster
composer=
lyricist=
published= 1854
written=
language=English
form=
original_artist=
recorded_by=
performed_by="Hard Times Come Again No More" is an popular song written by Stephen C. Foster in 1854. Well-known and popular in its day, [R.J., "The Fields of June", p. 503: "Among these may be mentioned that sad plaintive beautiful melody of Foster's—'Hard times come again no more.' Have you heard it? What an echo of sadness in it!:'Tis the song the sigh of the weary—:Hard time! hard times!:Many days you have lingered:Around my cabin door,:But hard times come again no more!"] both in America and Europe, [Sanford, "The Girls' Reading-Book", p. 201: "It was in a sewing-school in Lancashire, during the latter part of the Cotton Famine, that the well-known song 'Hard times, hard time, come again no more!' first became familiar to my ears."] [Hubbard, "History of American Music", p. 80: "Other songs beside those designated as plantation melodies, but all more or less impregnated with sentiment, now came rapidly from his pen and obtained a wide popularity not only in America but in Europe as well. Such songs as ... "Hard Times Come Again No More," ... have become familiar to many nationalities."] it was a favorite of both sides in the American Civil War. The song has been parodied many times. The first audio recording was a wax cylinder by the Edison Company (Edison Gold Moulded 9120) in 1905. It has been recorded numerous time since.

"Hard Times Come Again No More" begins with "Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears while we all sup sorrow with the poor," and portrays sympathy for those who find themselves in a hard position. The refrain begs, "Hard times, come again no more."

Lyrics

Stephen Foster's original lyrics: [Foster, "Hard Times Come Again No More" (Sheet music).] : Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,: While we all sup sorrow with the poor;: There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;: Oh Hard times come again no more.: "Chorus:":: Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,:: Hard Times, hard times, come again no more:: Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;:: Oh hard times come again no more.

: There's a song, the sigh of the weary,: Hard Times, hard times, come again no more: Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;: Oh hard times come again no more.: "(Chorus)"

: While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,: There are frail forms fainting at the door;: Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say: Oh hard times come again no more.: "(Chorus)"

: There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,: With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:: Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,: Oh hard times come again no more.: "(Chorus)"

: Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,: Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore: Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave: Oh hard times come again no more.: "(Chorus)"

Recordings

* De Danann, on "Song for Ireland", 1983
* Bob Dylan, on "Good as I Been to You", 1992
* Emmylou Harris, on "At the Ryman", 1992
* 2nd South Carolina String Band, on "Southern Soldier", 1997
* Kate McGarrigle and her family, on the compilation "Songs of the Civil War", 1991
* James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor, on "Appalachian Journey", 2000
* Johnny Cash, on "Unearthed, Volume Three", 2003
* Mirah with the Black Cat Orchestra, on "To All We Stretch the Open Arm", 2004
* Nanci Griffith, on "Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful)", 1998
* Renée Fleming on "Haunted Heart", 2005
* Ralph McTell, on "National Treasure, 2002
* Laura Love, on "You Ain't Got No Easter Clothes", 2004
* Willie Nelson with David Grisman, on Darol Anger's "Heritage", 2005
* Jennifer Warnes, on "Shot Through The Heart", 1979
* Eastmountainsouth, used in the film " Elizabethtown"
* Side by Side, on "Side by Side by Song"

Parodies

* "Hard Tack Come Again No More"

Further reading

# "The Digital Tradition", HRDTIMES*
# Roud #2659

References

Bibliography

*Foster, Stephen C. "Hard Times Come Again No More" (Sheet Music). New York: Firth, Pond & Co. (1854).
*Hubbard, W.L. (ed.). "History of American Music". New York: Irving Squire (1908).
*R.J. "The Fields of June". "Southern Literary Messenger" Vol. XXI No.8 (August 1855) Richmond, Va.
*Sandford, Henry, Mrs. "The Girls' Reading-Book". London: W. & R. Chambers (1876).

External links

* [http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/2000/2874/cusb-cyl2874d.mp3 "Hard Times Come Again No More"] , Edison Male Quartette (Edison Gold Moulded 9120, 1905)—" [http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/index.php Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project] ".
* [http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiHRDTIMES;ttHRDTIMES.html "Hard Times Come Again No More" lyrics and score] at a Digital Tradition mirror site
*