John Hartford - Learning To Smile -05 In Tall Buildings

[fractuss]

Check out the spats. Nice.

[fractuss]

He was a banjo and fiddle player who was a better guitar player than I will ever be.

[BLARNEYBLARNEY]

I have always thought it a song about conformity .... and how fast life passes by while we are working " In Tall Buildings" ..... how true.

[Jemmo999]

Tears in my eyes!

[themasternazgul]

I have to say, this is one of my favorite songs in existence. It's so so beautiful! I think this, of all things, will be the song played at my funeral. May it never come.

[runningwild984]

Miss you John, you are great!

[YaroandNightshade]

just too good

[RandyTheBee]

Lordy-- I heard this song in mid-70's in college. Stayed OUT of cities from then on! Have heard this song changed many lives by we who decided to NOT 'work in Tall Buildings.' Thank you, John!

[alwayslooking4space]

Why does this guitar lick remind me of Mr. Bojangles? At least the opening part.

[ilovechugs]

this guy, he's a legend. way to bring back newgrass john. RIP

[xgi36]

Wonderful talent taken away far too soon. R.I.P. John

[dutchdreams831]

very nice

[hindview]

Hello,China,Hello, Israel..

[hindview]

geeee this makes me depressed, cause i used think that yanks owned & controlled us all ??

[DelbyC]

lol, im a yank, sort of, my parents are from the carribean, but anyways, i find myself drawned to this kind of music, i mean im 20,latin and from NY, were not suppose to like music like this but it just fufills my soul!! lol well what john is describing is what i see everyday, pitiful souls rushing in the subway to get to some cubicle in one of those "tall buildings", it makes you see how ridiculous people are, how were so caught up in modern life, there's always change,[in the end it'll be o.k]

[danbencsik]

@DelbyC you need to come to the Philadelphia Folk Festival in August, there is some John Hartford on youtube from when he played the festival in the 70's.

Its the 50th anniversary this year and you won't be dissapointed there is a great amount of this kind of music!

[danbencsik]

@DelbyC and it just so happens the John Hartford String Band is performing this year, that is the last band John performed with before he passed.

[hindview]

John r i p, my dear friend !

[ilovechugs]

this song makes me depressed. i think because it is telling me to grow up, and feel the weight of the world.

[johnny85er]

it is a very sad song indeed, but the emotion rings so true. Growing up isn't fun :(

if you listen to the lyrics to 'railroad street', it too carries a great message w/in the lyrics.

[roniac]

It is meloncholic, but i think it's too beautiful to be depressing. It kinda pokes fun at the ridiculous idea of working in TALL buildings as well. This makes me want to go live off the land, but it also makes me feel that one way or another, everythings gonna be alright. :-)

[thesanantoniokid]

Yeah, exactly. It's about the saddest song in the world, but the fact that it's being sung by a lanky banjo-playing nutcase in a derby and wingtips who clearly managed to avoid going to work in tall buildings quite successfully kind of cheers me up.

[Macangusagain]

@thesanantoniokid Exactly my sentiment, one of America's most under-rated but greatest performers,characters,cloggers­,songwriters,singers , traditional musicians, and altogether a great tribute to the very best of America,gone but never forgotten,RIP!!! John,I am listening to one of your CDs again today with much pleasure due to your quirky folksy and wholesome perspectives on life

[Banjomountain]

@ilovechugs I always thought this song was about having to adapt to the hussle and bussle of the modern world and leave the old country lifetstyle behind, just my opinion. I've heard somewhere that John wrote this song about his grandad, who had no real education and had to go get a 'city' job just to survive. Still kinda depressing.

[Rasulis]

@ilovechugs I take it the complete opposite. I feel that John is telling us what happens society expects us to do when we "grow up," but asJjohn shows us, we don't have to conform to those societal archetypes and norms. It is still sad also because he brings forth the things we must confront as we grow older.

[DiRiddles]

I love John Hartford - grew up with him and the Glen Campbell Hour. BUT, in the late 70's or early 80's - I saw just a tiny bit of a video of his - I think it was 'Piece of My Heart' - and he did his little signature ending with the hat trick. Can anybody please help me find this? Would love to have it.

[johnny85er]

I have searched high & low for 'piece of my heart' official music video, and I just simply can't find it.

I'll try to ask Hotze if he has it again :)

[KillerXY01]

What a beautiful little video this is,....what a treasure he was!!!

[VictorianRose7]

So beautiful!!

[muserwood]

I'm looking for John's version of "Little cabin home on the hill" . Anybody ?

[reliablebow]

Great to see John again...

[nllleonard]

Thanks for sending this, Michael. John has a special place in my heart, beside Steve Goodman. What a wonderful video!

[alisterhrae]

what a treasure! fantastic job, thanks very much for posting this, i wish i could get it on dvd!

[natube972]

I adore

[siddyx]

Fantastic!! Takes someone very special to pull this kind of uncomplicated music off, one voice and one instrument, pure!!!