Hard Times Come Again No More

"Hard Times Come Again No More" is an American folk song written by songwriter Stephen Foster and first published in 1854. The Longest Johns released their version on 20 October 2021 as the first single from their album Smoke + Oakum, on which it is track 1.

## Factoids

Foster based the melody on one he'd heard as a child in an African-American church in Lawrenceville, PA.

The song was widely popular throughout the United States in the latter half of the 19th century, spawning numerous parodies including a Civil War-era version attributed to Union soldier Josiah Fowler titled "Hard Tack Come Again No More".

The TLJ album version features fiddle playing by Sam Sweeney, but the fiddler seen in the music video is Alex Garden, who later also worked with the band on the Made of Ale Sessions recordings.

## Lyrics

>
> Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
>
> While we all sup sorrow with the poor
>
> There's a song that will linger forever in our ears
>
> Oh, hard times, come again no more
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> 'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary
>
> Hard times, hard times, come again no more
>
> Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
>
> Oh, hard times, come again no more
>
>
>
> While we seek mirth and beauty and music, light and gay
>
> There are frail forms fainting at the door
>
> Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
>
> Oh, hard times, come again no more
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> There's a pale weeping maiden who toils her life away,
>
> With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
>
> Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
>
> Oh hard times come again no more.
>
>
>
> {Chorus x3}
>
>
>
> Oh, hard times, come again no more
>
> Oh, hard times, come again no more
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Streaming/Purchase

* Amazon Music (Original version)
* Amazon Music (Sugar Free Mix)
* Amazon Music (Made of Ale version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Original version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Sugar Free Mix)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Made of Ale version)
* Deezer (Original version)
* Deezer (Sugar Free Mix)
* Deezer (Made of Ale version)
* Pandora (Original version)
* Pandora (Sugar Free Mix)
* Spotify (Original version)
* Spotify (Sugar Free Mix)
* Spotify (Made of Ale version)

#### YouTube Videos

* Music Video
* Album version
* Sugar Free Mix
* Made of Ale Sessions version

#### Gig Videos

* Old Songs (25 Feb 2022)
* Le Poisson Rouge, NYC (27 Feb 2022)
* The Studio at the Factory - Dallas, TX (23 Nov 2022)
* Jimmy's - Liverpool (9 Dec 2022)

#### Full Band Streams

* It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Streams-mas (16 Dec 2020)
* All Aboard the Stream Locomotive (2 June 2021)
* Desert Bus 2021
* Stream of Mushroom Soup (23 Nov 2021)
* Stream America (15 Mar 2022)
* Blue Stream of Death! (29 Jun 2022)
* Heinz Baked Stream (14 Sep 2022)
* Streamship Troopers (15 Mar 2023)
* Do Androids Stream of Electric Sheep (3 Aug 2023)
* Jingle Jam 2023 | Day 4 (4 Dec 2023)

#### Chill Streams

* Friday morning super folk music time with Andy! - 19/06/2020
* Can you survive the chilldome? Playing mostly folk music... - 26/06/2020
* Observe the Chilldome. Playing mostly folk music... - 17/07/2020
* Super Friday Morning Folk Music Time! - 23/10/2020
* Super Sunday Afternoon Folk Music Time! or SSAFMT for short. - 15/11/2020
* It's banjo time, come on grab your banjo related accessories... - 23/10/2021
* He do be banjin doe - 07/02/2022
* We'll all drink herbal tea in Chillbury Town - 14/04/2022 Stream Full VOD

#### Gaming Streams

* Sea of Sings, Arena edition! w/ KHARITES\_ & xSHUMBAx - 24/08/2020
* Super Monday Afternoon Singing Time On The Sea! - 07/09/2020
* Sea of Sings! Yarr and all that... - 16/10/2020
* Sea of Adventure with BehavingBeardly - 27/11/2020
* Galleon.........Galley off! - 05/07/2021
* The seas are alive, with the sound of cannons! with Kharites\_ and Krotukk - 30/07/2021
* Sea of Sings - Putting the rum in rumbustiousness since 1862 - 06/09/2021
* To the boatmobile! There's DROPS! - 01/10/2021
* Splashy splashy! Sea of Sings with Freyline - 11/10/2021
* Too many gosh darned BUCKETS!!!! ... - 18/10/2021
* Bananas! Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew... - 25/10/2021

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard\_Times\_Come\_Again\_No\_More
2. ↑ https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035606/
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard\_Tack\_Come\_Again\_No\_More