Lyr Add: Times Is Hard (Loudon Wainwright III)

Subject: Lyr Add: TIMES IS HARD (Loudon Wainwright III)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 08:35 PM

On NPR, All Things Considered today:

Loudon Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'

Times Is Hard
(Louden Wainright III)

Times is hard. Times is tough.
Nothin's easy. It's all rough.
There's not much right; so much gone wrong.
All I can do is play this song.

You're watchin' the news. It all looks bad.
The worst half-hour you ever had.
What in God's name is goin' on?
All I can do is play this song.

You're losin' your job, your house and your car.
Hittin' rock bottom don't feel that far.
Nothin' good is gonna come along.
All I can do is play this song.

Folks are scared watchin' that news.
Folks feel bad. They're gettin' the blues.
My poor stomach, it ain't that strong.
All I can do is play this song.

Times is rough. Times is hard.
Take a pair of scissors to your credit card.
Circuit City just said, 'So long.'
All I can do is play this song.

Who's at fault? Who gets the blame?
Let's string up Bernie what's-his-name.
And ask Alan Greenspan to come along.
All I can do is play this song.

They want your gold, and they'll pay cash.
The only silver lining is the price of gas.
Money's short and the odds are long.
All I can do is play this song.

The factory's closed. The bank is bust.
On the money it says, 'In God We Trust.'
So pray for all your stocks and bonds.
All I can do is play this song.

Outta luck. Outta hope.
I'm wonderin' why I even cast that vote.
I took that sign offa my front lawn.
All I can do is play this song.

There's a new man down there in D.C.
They say he's gonna help you and me.
They sure know how to bang the gong.
All I can do is play this song.

Last man in D.C., he had eight years.
Now the whole damn country is in arrears.
We got two, three, four wars goin' on.
All I can do is play this song.

Times is hard. Times is rough.
I guess you folks need some cheerin' up.
Well it ain't me babe. You got that wrong.
All I can do is play this song.

You heard it here. I sang it first.
Don't feel so bad; things are gonna get worse.
Consider yourselves all strung along.
All I can do is play this song.

All I can do is ...

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 08:52 PM

I caught it on NPR, and it was really all right. Not my style of song to sing, but that's all right, I loved it!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: open mike
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 11:18 PM

sounds like today's version of Hard times come again mo more...
Stephen Foster

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: topical tom
Date: 04 Feb 09 - 11:51 PM

Maybe not his best song but it beats "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road".Nevertheless, a captivating, entertaining performer.

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: Brakn
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 07:00 AM

It's Loudon!

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: Cool Beans
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 06:45 PM

That's a good song, also a very new one. I saw Loudon Wainwright in Toronto just a couple of months ago and he wasn't singing it. I thought he might play a Lowden but he doesn't.

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: MaineDog
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 07:30 PM

Yes, I heard it on the radio. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. When they said it was LWIII, I said to my dog, yea, but I prefer the Dead Skunk. I don't like self-referential songs very much.
MD

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 05 Feb 09 - 08:45 PM

Apparently a commissioned work: "Songwriter and actor Loudon Wainwright III has composed numerous musical commentaries for NPR over the past two decades" (from the linked page).

Subject: RE: Louden Wainwright III: 'Times Is Hard'
From: GUEST,Golightly
Date: 06 Feb 09 - 06:31 AM

Hmmm, that's a lot of verses to say not very much. Disappointing from the man who wrote the exquisite 'School Days' in which every word counted.