Hard Times by Stephen Foster

Classic American composer Stephen Foster. Raw video!

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• stephen
• foster
• hard
• times
• alisha
• anderson
• david
• purcell
• folk
• songs
• american

[HeyRumors]

Stephen Foster was a a staple of original, true American tunes. Hard Times is, at its core, an intensely sad song and no, I didn't not witness the Great Depression, but I would do this video over and over if it introduced more people my age to the music, to this songwriter, because right now its in the process of being left behind.

[thehottub99]

Great version! Is it more difficult to play when you have an erection?

[afterglow2020]

listen to the Bob Dylan version and then get back to me

[bluenotetom]

Great job of this wonderful song.

[aristopus]

I think I was over-critical.

It's just that there's so much mediocrity out there. Let me ask you: do you know much about Stephen Foster's alcoholic suicidal life? Here he was one of America's greatest songwriters and he died in a NYC flophouse at the age of 37. He had three cents to his name.

It's understanding and compassion that adds poignancy to your performance. “Hard Times” isn't merely words on a music sheet; that's the point I was trying to make.

[aristopus]

I stand by my comment in spite of the insults. I once saw Pat Boone trying to sing "Proud Mary", with a light-hearted, sing-song "cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis, pumped a lot of pain down in New Orleans." What a travesty. What the heck does squeeky clean Pat know about cleaning plates?

In the above song, you're just mouthing words. Try to FEEL what you're saying. You have to tell the story like you've been there, otherwise you're not real.

[thejameslehman]

You two are a bit silly, but I like you. You have done Foster's song no injustice. I like your style, and thank you for sharing. By the way, did the a capella experiment not go so well...?

[thejameslehman]

@aristopus Why are you comfortable being so dismissive on the basis of their playful natures and youth? Why can you so confidently invalidate their connection with the music? Also, I don't like the implication of what you say--that one has to live through tangible suffering to express anything about it. Thoughtful people can feel beyond their own situations, and music can be a tool of such empathy and imagination. Spend your complaints more wisely, angry goat.

[Moondvoogel]

This is the best (and funniest) Version of this song!

I really love it!

[aristopus]

You can't enter a song like this so light-heartedly and except to be taken seriously. You have to create a mood from the first second.

Also, you're a kid. What the heck do you know about the Great Depression or WWII or even Viet Nam.

So if you're going to sing about Hard Times, try to do more homework. You have to have lived through Hard Times to sing this song. Otherwise you're not real.

[lindgrenland]

@thehottub99

haha i noticed that too