Poverty drove the Dickens to move to the Baltimore, Maryland area when Dickins was nineteen. There she met Mike Seeger, younger brother of Pete Seeger and founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers and became active in the Baltimore-Washington area bluegrass and folk music scene during the 1960s. During this time she also established a collaborative relationship with Mike Seeger's wife, Alice Gerrard, and as "Hazel & Alice" recorded two albums for the Folkways label: "Who's That Knocking (And Other Bluegrass Country Music) (1965)" and "Won't You Come & Sing for Me (1973)". In this regard, Dickens and Gerrard were bluegrass bandleaders at a time when the vast majority of bluegrass bands were led by men.
Dickens appeared in the documentary Harlan County, USA and also contributed four songs to the soundtrack of the same film. She has also appeared in the film Matewan.
Dickins continues to record and perform all of her life. Her voice is among the most powerful and moving of all bluegrass singers, male or female.
Hazel Dickens died April 22, 2011 at the Washington Home hospice in the District. She was 75 and had complications from pneumonia. Bless you old girl.
Here Today and Gone Tomorrow
Hazel Dickens Lyrics
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I thought how soon he'd be a man
But the day came last time
Rock his cradle he's
Oh here today, and gone tomorrow
That's how life in this world is
Oh here today and gone tomorrow
Daddy worked hard to raise a family
Then his time come
We gathered here for celebration
But God called him, his work is done
Oh here today, and gone tomorrow
That's how life in this world is
Oh here today and gone tomorrow
There's a better world than ths
Oh the bluebirds sing out in my garden
Summer days are here to stay
But autumn came and winter followed
My flowers died, the birds flew away
Hazel Dickens's song Here Today Gone Tomorrow is a poignant reflection on the ephemeral nature of life. The song opens with the singer's contemplation of a baby and how quickly the child will grow into a man, illustrating the fleetingness of human existence. The lyrics then shift to discuss the death of the singer's father and the inevitability of passing away. The repeated chorus emphasizes the central idea that life in this world is transient and temporary, and that there is a better world beyond this life. The final verse brings the message closer to home for the listener, evoking the passing of seasons and the natural ebb and flow of life.
Dickens's use of natural imagery is particularly effective in conveying the idea that everything in life has a predetermined lifespan. The bluebirds in the singer's garden represent the happiness and vitality of summer, but their departure at the onset of autumn illustrates the natural progression of life towards decay and eventual death. The flowers in the garden also serve as a metaphor for the transience of human life, paralleling their inevitable demise with that of the human lifespan. Through these poetic comparisons, Dickens draws attention to the beauty of life and its impermanence, urging listeners to appreciate the present moment and to strive for a better future beyond this life.
Overall, Hazel Dickens's Here Today Gone Tomorrow is a reflective and somber song that explores the fleetingness of human existence and the inevitability of death. The song's simple yet powerful lyrics and use of natural imagery make it a poignant reminder of the beauty and fragility of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Last week I played with a tiny baby
I spent time with a young child recently
I thought how soon he'd be a man
I reflected on how quickly time passes and how young people grow into adults
But the day came last time
However, the last occasion to visit him came immediately
Rock his cradle he's
I realized that he had grown up too fast and the time to bond with him as a baby has passed.
Oh here today, and gone tomorrow
Life is temporary and unpredictable
That's how life in this world is
This is the reality of the world we live in.
Oh here today and gone tomorrow
Life is passing quickly and not certain
There's a better world than ths
However, there could be a more permanent and stable world after this one.
Daddy worked hard to raise a family
My father worked hard to raise my family
Then his time come
However, his time on earth was limited
We gathered here for celebration
We came together to honor his memory
But God called him, his work is done
But eventually death took him and the duties that he had accomplished were fulfilled.
Oh here today, and gone tomorrow
Life is already quite uncertain and fleeting.
That's how life in this world is
The unpredictability and brevity of life is a certainty in this world.
Oh here today and gone tomorrow
Our existence is short-lived and passing by in a blur.
There's a better world than ths
However, hope sprouts in a world that is more lasting after this one.
Oh the bluebirds sing out in my garden
The bluebirds that live in my garden are quite vocal.
Summer days are here to stay
It seems that the summertime will last forever.
But autumn came and winter followed
However, the seasons change rapidly and won't last forever.
My flowers died, the birds flew away
The flowers withered away and the birds migrated in search for another location
Lyrics © JAMIE MUSIC PUBLISHING CO, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: LEE BAILEY, WILL SIMMS, YAZMIN GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind