It is a strange mix of themes ranging from the American West to the ballads and jigs of Celtic ancestors that somehow seems to make sense in the musical world Jack Hardy has created. And it is a separate world to which the listener is transported; a timeless place inhabited by tinkers and cowboys, saints and sinners, elves, virgins and crones. From his extensive travels and reading he has forged an endearing non-academic approach to literature, one that is more at home in the pub than in the classroom. "He clearly seems to enjoy making his listeners think. He may dare his audience to figure out what he is saying, but he also credits them with the intelligence to do so" (Tom Nelligan, Dirty Linen, 1998).
In Europe, where Hardy has toured extensively for over 20 years, he is accepted as an ambassador for American music. In an Italian encyclopedia of rock Jack has a larger entry than many prominent rock stars.
"Nothing adventuresome is created in a vacuum," Jack says, "you get people together and the creative sparks fly." The weekly songwriters workshop which he has hosted for many years taught and nurtured countless songwriters, not the least of which are Suzanne Vega, John Gorka, Shawn Colvin, Richard Shindell and David Massengill. The Fast Folk Musical Magazine, which he founded and edited, released the first recordings of most of the artists currently headlining folk festivals. This collection of over 100 compilation albums has now been taken over by the Smithsonian.
Gregarious and outgoing when talking about his songs and songwriting in general, Jack fiercely guards the privacy of his personal life. Jack Hardy was born in Indiana, his father a musician, his mother a painter. He grew up in New York, Colorado, and Connecticut, studied opera and literature in college.
In 1998, Prime CD reissued his first ten albums in a box set as well as his eleventh album The Passing. In 1996, BCN Records released a tribute album The Songs of Jack Hardy: Of the White Goddess, a collection of his Celtic ballads (all sung by women). In 1997, Jack was the recipient of The Kate Wolf Memorial Award, given yearly to "an artist who makes a difference through his music" by the World Folk Music Association. In 2000, Prime CD has released Jack's twelfth album Omens.
Omens was recorded live to 24 track analog in two days, using the vintage recording equipment of Prime CD's Theater 99 recording studio in New York City, with no overdubs. The fourteen songs range from the uptempo Celtic "Sile na gCioch" where a tinker finds a dress on the side of the road and gives it to a young lass, to the majestic "West of Dingle" where a woman faces a choice between her lover and her fiddle; from the biting barrage of juxtaposed media images of "I Ought to Know" to the romantic ballad "Only One Sky" and back to the uptempo humorous Clancy Brother-ish "The Boney Bailiff." This album takes you on quite a musical voyage with some of Jack's best poetic imagery, but it is the sweeping beautiful melodies that carry these songs directly into your memory. The players include Jack's current touring band: Tom Duval on electric guitar and harmony (also heard on Jack's albums The Hunter and Civil Wars), Mike Laureanno on Hofner bass and harmony, Dave Anthony on Drums (also heard on Jack's album The Passing), and Kate MacLeod on fiddle. The album also features a buried bonus track containing 19 minutes of Suzanne Vega interviewing Jack on the subject of songwriting. Hardy's 16th album, Rye Grass, arrived on Great Divide in 2009. Jack Hardy passed away on March 11, 2011.
source and more infos: http://www.jackhardy.com/
Porto Limon
Jack Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh who is my captain?
Can it be that there is nobody at the helm?
Can they dare call it reason
In the growing treason
When the king has somehow abdicated the realm
Chorus:
Will they crawl through the jungle at dawn
Will they put in in the west down at puntarenas
Or in the east at porto limon
I signed on in my youth,
Thinking there was but one truth
That this mission was sent for a merciful good
But when the port came in view
Came a far darker hidden truth
That the cargo of business was understood
Or they'll come through the banks
And the right-wing think tanks
Multinational only means the people they cry
In the face of the reaper
You know the people work cheaper
Keep a tight grip and squeeze all the freedom dry
Oh captain, my captain
Oh who is my captain?
Can it be that nobody here is my friend?
For this history lesson
We will pay in aggression
That in business the means justify the end
The song Porto Limon by Jack Hardy is a poignant commentary on the state of affairs in business and politics. The first verse talks about the absence of a true leader, and the growing sense of betrayal and treachery that pervades the kingdom. The line "Can they dare call it reason in the growing treason" speaks to the fact that even though people in power may justify their actions as rational, they are actually betraying their duty to serve the people.
The chorus then goes on to paint a picture of uncertainty - will the ones responsible for this chaos fall from the sky, or will they hide in the jungle? Will they reap their rewards in the west, or the east? The questions are rhetorical, but they hint at the confusion and fear that must have been rampant during the time this song was written.
The second verse is a lament for innocence, as the singer reflects on his youthful idealism and how it was dashed when he realized that the "cargo of business" was not as benevolent as he had been led to believe. The line "Multinational only means the people they cry" is especially powerful, as it distills the essence of how corporations often prioritize profit over people.
The final verse turns up the heat and points to the darker underbelly of capitalism. The people who are in charge "keep a tight grip and squeeze all the freedom dry". The last lines of the song is a stark reminder of the bitter lesson that will be learned - that in the world of business, the means justify the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh captain, my captain
Asking who is in charge and leading us
Oh who is my captain?
Asking again who is in charge and leading us
Can it be that there is nobody at the helm?
Questioning whether there's anyone leading or steering
Can they dare call it reason
Disputing the justification behind the actions and decisions made
In the growing treason
Describing the betrayal or disloyalty that's becoming more prevalent
When the king has somehow abdicated the realm
Suggesting that the person in charge has relinquished their power and control
Will they fall from the sky in the black of the night
Asking if those responsible will face repercussions or punishment
Will they crawl through the jungle at dawn
Asking if they'll escape or hide from facing the consequences
Will they put in in the west down at puntarenas
Asking where they'll try to evade consequences
Or in the east at porto limon
Asking if they'll try to hide on the other side of the country
I signed on in my youth,
Recalling when the singer took part in this mission or cause
Thinking there was but one truth
Reflecting on how they viewed the mission at the time
That this mission was sent for a merciful good
Believing that the mission had a positive or charitable purpose
But when the port came in view
Describing a turning point or revelation
Came a far darker hidden truth
Discovering a darker or more malicious side to the mission
That the cargo of business was understood
Realizing the true motive was for profit or financial gain
Or they'll come through the banks
Suggesting another way they could hide or run away
And the right-wing think tanks
Referring to a group that may defend or support the actions taken
Multinational only means the people they cry
Contesting the argument that those responsible are thinking about the welfare of the people
In the face of the reaper
Describing the looming presence of death or punishment
You know the people work cheaper
Implying that cheap labor is the motivation behind the actions
Keep a tight grip and squeeze all the freedom dry
Arguing that the actions taken eliminate people's freedoms and autonomy
For this history lesson
Acknowledging that this experience will serve as a lesson for the future
We will pay in aggression
Warning that there will be consequences or retaliation
That in business the means justify the end
Arguing that anything can be justified if it leads to financial gain
Contributed by Anthony J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.