John Hartford - Learning To Smile -05 In Tall Buildings

Shot in a studio with TV cameras, and no audience, John sings many favorites on this video.
Never released on DVD, and no longer produced on VHS, this OOP video is getting harder to find.
I was lucky enough to obtain a sealed copy and encode off the 1st play of the tape.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• John
• Hartford
• Live
• Learning
• To
• Smile

[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.

[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 :)

[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]

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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!

[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

[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