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Hard Times, Come No More (Please use the alternative link at bottom of page if you have SC issues. Thanks) Hard Times, Come No More was written by Stephen Foster in 1853 (obviously putting it in the Public Domain  ) He wrote it as a plea to the more fortunate to be more understanding of those less fortunate. A plea that continues to resonate through the years. It has been recorded by countless artists with the first wax cylinder version appearing in 1905. We did a version years ago with our bluegrass band and have often thought of it after becoming introduced to BiaB. Since the vast majority of interpretations have been folk versions we decided to try something a bit edgier while attempting to maintain the melancholy feel. Toward that end we also placed it in a minor key. We slightly tweaked the lyrics here and there to make it a bit less Victorian in style. Tom agreed to dust off his reso-guitar and play the lead track…and we are glad he did! We always appreciate both your time to listen and your comments. Janice: Lead vocal via Rodes NT1 Tom: Reso-guitar Drums: RD BluesRock 12-8 Bass: RT 733 Jazz Ballad (very simple option) several comped generations R Guitar: RT 1923 Texas Blues 12-8 Piano: Super midi 1886 12-8 All pre-mastering effects via Ozone 6 and Nectar 2 Mixing: Logic Pro X Mastering: Ozone 6 HARD TIMES, COME NO MORE © 2015 Trad. Arr. Janice & Bud Merritt LET US PAUSE IN LIFE’S PLEASURES AND COUNT IT’S MANY TEARS FOR WE ALL SHARE SORROW WITH THE POOR THERE’S A SONG THAT WILL LINGER FOREVER IN OUR EARS OH, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE (turnaround) WHILE WE SEEK FUN AND BEAUTY AND THINGS MUSIC CAN SAY THERE ARE FRAIL FORMS WAITING AT THE DOOR THOUGH THEIR VOICES ARE SILENT, THEIR PLEADING EYES WILL PRAY HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE IT’S THE SONG, THE SIGH OF THE WEARY HARD TIMES, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE MANY DAYS YOU’VE LINGERED AROUND MY DOOR OH, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE (turnaround) IT’S A SIGH THAT HAS DRIFTED ACROSS THE WINTRY PLAINS IT’S A WAIL THAT IS HEARD UPON THE SHORE IT’S A DIRGE THAT IS MURMURED ACROSS THE LONELY GRAVE HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE IT’S THE SONG, THE SIGH OF THE WEARY HARD TIMES, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE MANY DAYS YOU’VE LINGERED AROUND MY DOOR OH, HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE HARD TIMES, COME AGAIN NO MORE Alternative play link: Here
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Nice interpretation of the song. Vocals, instrumentation, mix and arrangement are stellar.
Charlie
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
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A beautiful job by all!! I know this from Eastmountain South. You guys took it a completely different direction and did so expertly. Vocal is wonderful, Resonator sings the painful emotion, and everything works as it should. Another real treat!! Take care. Greg
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Nice interpretation of the song. Vocals, instrumentation, mix and arrangement are stellar.
Charlie Thanks Charlie. These minimalist production we've been doing lately make it a lot easier to mix and master. J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Very cool! Janice sounds great. As does Tom's resonator track. The mix is very nice... everything sits nicely. I especially like how the piano sits & sounds.  Great Job, Greg
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Love it. Especially the way you sing "weary". Beautiful arrangement and resonator.
Josie
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Very nice trad type blues. Excellent guitar work.
My goodness you people are prolific with the quality productions.
Cheers.
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J & B
Really top delivery.
Agree with Josie's comment about the 'weary' sounding vocals. Perfect for this number.
Tom certainly got the dust off his reso-guitar, too.
Really well presented,
Thanks
Trevor
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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A beautiful job by all!! Vocal is wonderful, Resonator sings the painful emotion, and everything works as it should. Another real treat!! Take care. Greg Hi Janice and Bud, Greg said it well! Blues performing is not easy! You three are catching the essence! Loved your interpretation, loved Toms guitar playing! Grts Fred
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Very cool! Janice sounds great. As does Tom's resonator track. The mix is very nice... everything sits nicely. I especially like how the piano sits & sounds. Great Job, Greg Thanks Greg. And thanks for mentioning the piano. FJ has schooled me on mixing them! J&B Love it. Especially the way you sing "weary". Beautiful arrangement and resonator.
Josie Thanks Josie! Janice
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Hi Janice, Bud and Tommy,
wonderful vocals and emotional resonator guitar. That piano is nice, too.
Very enjoyable listen.
Guenter
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Yep... just want to say ditto...
Nice work.
I don't know this song, but I like your interpretation of it.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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I don't know how it could get any better than that.
The production is perfect. The mix is perfect. Every instrument strong, yet all joining together as a perfect whole.
The vocal is perfect. Emotive. Sounding effortless...natural.
The dobro - perfect. A very talented man...
This should be held up with/against the best versions of the song...
Ya'll are GOOD.
fj
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Another great work from your team. As always the vocal is just amazing; but there is no weak link in this one. thanks for sharing
My TunesPsalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
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Very nice trad type blues. Excellent guitar work.
My goodness you people are prolific with the quality productions.
Cheers. Thanks! We're having a lot of fun with this thanks to great collaborators, this community and BiaB! J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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I always love blues in a minor key with a mournful dobro and believably blue vocals!
Janice, part of what makes your blues so good is that you have a way of traversing that middle ground between sounding defeated and feeling hopeful. Maybe it's that elasticity in your voice that makes it a little bit sure and a little bit in transition... much like the thinking of somebody struggling to stand up under the pressures of life... which is the blues in a nutshell.
Tommy... I'm hoping you give lessons! Your talent manifests in yet another way! Not surprisingly, you nailed it! But more importantly than nailing a technique is nailing the perfect accompaniment for a specific vocal. Your sliding notes echo Janice's sliding voice better than any other accompaniment yet! I'm betting that's exactly what Bud had in mind when he asked you to play Dobro.. ?
Bud, once again your interpretation of a classic shows what a good sense you have for what makes a song enjoyable. All of these different songs you've arranged, all of them different yet you haven't missed a lick yet. Every one has hit the mark.. and IMO, that's quite an achievement.
As a collaboration, my hat is off to each of you and all of you! Thanks for sharing such good music with the rest of us!
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Do you guys ever do anytning that is not good? I don't thinks so. I like everything I have heard you post. I like what Pat said, Janice - you do have that expression in your voice that points out defeat, but somehow brings hope.
And Tommy, you really shine on this one, too (as you do on everything I've heard you do).
Great job, guys!
Steve
Steve Young Music"In order to compose, all you need to do is remember a tune that nobody else has thought of." - Robert Schumann
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J & B
Really top delivery.
Agree with Josie's comment about the 'weary' sounding vocals. Perfect for this number.
Tom certainly got the dust off his reso-guitar, too.
Really well presented,
Thanks
Trevor
Thanks y'all. We are delighted that the "weary" feel worked for you. And, yes, Tom did a wonderful job of complementing the vocal. We had a lot of fun with this one and we most appreciate the comments. J&B
Last edited by Janice & Bud; 01/29/15 11:12 AM.
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Low down done right! Super job on the arrangement.
much enjoyed!
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A beautiful job by all!! Vocal is wonderful, Resonator sings the painful emotion, and everything works as it should. Another real treat!! Take care. Greg Hi Janice and Bud, Greg said it well! Blues performing is not easy! You three are catching the essence! Loved your interpretation, loved Toms guitar playing! Grts Fred Thanks! Glad you liked this bluesy version. Hi Janice, Bud and Tommy,
wonderful vocals and emotional resonator guitar. That piano is nice, too.
Very enjoyable listen.
Guenter Thank you Guenter. I was lucky to stumble upon that piano track! J&B
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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