John Hartford – In Tall Buildings

Thinking about Glen Campbell last week got me thinking about John Hartford.

Hartford wrote “Gentle on My Mind.”

Campbell made it famous.

Hartford came from St. Louis.

He went to a fancy private secondary school — the kind of place that breeds lawyers and doctors and business executives.

There’s nothing wrong with that. It just wasn’t Hartford’s thing.

He was the guy with the banjo slung over his shoulder, playing at hootenannies, forging a different path.

I know some of this because my Dad told me.

He and John were classmates.

I have their 1956 yearbook, the year Dad and John “Harford” graduated.

Chet Atkins later told John to add the “t” to his last name. I’m not sure what that accomplished. But the “t” stuck.

John Hartford is remembered as an exceptional, multi-talented old-time musician who influenced progressive country music and the string music revival. And, for a while, he worked as a riverboat captain (I’m not kidding).

So, of course, John Hartford never worked as a lawyer, doctor, or business executive.

But he wrote a great song from the perspective of someone who did…

Today’s Song 

Title: In Tall Buildings
 

Artist: John Hartford
 

Album: Nobody Knows What You Do (1976)
 

YouTube Link: youtu.be/vWqG1ySAc4g

Lyrics

Someday my baby, when I am a man, 

And others have taught me 

The best that they can 

They’ll sell me a suit 

They’ll cut off my hair 

And send me to work in tall buildings
 

So it’s goodbye to the sunshine 

Goodbye to the dew 

Goodbye to the flowers 

And goodbye to you 

I’m off to the subway 

I must not be late 

I’m going to work in tall buildings
 

When I’m retired 

My life is my own 

I made all the payments 

It’s time to go home 

And wonder what happened 

Betwixt and between 

When I went to work in tall buildings
 

So it’s goodbye to the sunshine 

Goodbye to the dew 

Goodbye to the flowers 

And goodbye to you 

I’m off to the subway 

I must not be late 

I’m going to work in tall buildings
 

So it’s goodbye to the sunshine 

Goodbye to the dew 

Goodbye to the flowers 

And goodbye to you 

I’m off to the subway 

I must not be late 

I’m going to work in tall buildings 

Here are the Playlists:  

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204 

Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj

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