Origins: Hard Times not S. Foster's the other one

Subject: Origins: Hard Times not S. Foster's the other one
From: GUEST,Miguel
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 03:11 AM

Hi all,

I'm finishing a double compilation CD of folk singers in Sydney Australia and would like help sourcing one of the songs.

I'm told that Jim Ringer sang it, but am not sure who wrote it. These are the lyrics:

"We'll play guitar all night long when the good old days come back
When the Wabash Cannonball comes steamin' down this rusty track
We'll sing along with the bluebirds' song in the cold clear air for sure
There'll be a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more

Oh hard times come again no more!
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Oh hard times come again no more!

All I see is poverty when I look for a brighter day
The good Lord knows where the good times go, the good times sure go away
I'll make a damn good wealthy man, I ain't done good as poor
And there'll be a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more

I'm tired of singin' sad songs, I wanna dance an old time jig
I recall when the bills were small a Cadillac was big
A government bond was as good as gold, a handshake meant for sure
Oh there'll be a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more

I hope I'm here to stand and cheer when nobody has the blues
When you watch TV and all you see is nothin' but good news
I wanna see the old SP kick an Amtrak out the door
I wanna see a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more"

Clearly the chorus is borrowed from Stephen Foster but the reference to Amtrak dates the song to after 1970. Any ideas?

Miguel Heatwole

Subject: RE: Origins: Hard Times not S. Foster's the other one
From: JennyO
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 07:43 AM

Hi Mig,

I know the song you mean. Alan Murray sings it at the Friday night sessions fairly often. His email address is probably somewhere on the session list I suppose. Maybe he will know.

If you can't find him on the list, ask Amalina or Sandra..

Jenny

Subject: RE: Origins: Hard Times not S. Foster's the other one
From: Jim Colbert
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 08:45 AM

I heard Jim and Mary McCaslin do this live on TV on a show about American Music back circa 83, 84 or 85- judging by when my father was still alive, cause he taped over the show! (the nerve- just cause he paid for the vcr- a beta!- and it was his tape and I hadn't asked him not to!) if anyone knows of a recorded source for it please pass it along!

Jim

Subject: RE: Jim Colbert's lost video
From: GUEST,Miguel
Date: 18 Jul 03 - 10:11 PM

Hey Jim,

Uncannily, within hours of your post lamenting the loss of your video of Jim Ringer et al, I opened a package that Alan Murray had sent me and what do you suppose was in it? A VHS video tape of what I assume is the same program your Dad taped over.

It took me a while - launching my album got in the way a bit, check it out, The People Have Songs - http://www.users.bigpond.com/mheatwole
- but I've had a copy made and would like to send it to you. My address is [e-mail]

Hope to hear from you soon!

Miguel

Subject: RE: Origins: Hard Times not S. Foster's the other one
From: maeve
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 02:19 PM

Another thread on this subject is: elsewhere on Mudcat



A source for Jim Ringer's "Hard Times Come No More" is Folk Legacy, here. . My copy is gone so I can't help with source information.