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/
The Tailor
Jack Hardy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
he's underpaid he knows
tailor sew me a cloak of indigo
that will disguise me well
for the highwayman's game
no one will suspect evil
and the king's cross are the same
i will pay you dearly
No said the tailor
the tailor said no
a cloak will not hide
what your own eyes see
a cloak will not change
what is hidden underneath
just as mine does not confine
the idea of what I am
I am not a tailor I'm a man
The king's queen is hungry
for the pleasures adultery knows
tailor sew me a cloak of scarlet
that will disguise me well
for courting on the sly
that will make the fever
transparent to the night's eyes
i will pay you dearly
with favors and with sighs
No said the tailor
the tailor said no
a cloak will not hide
what your own eyes see
a cloak will not change
what is hidden underneath
just as mine does not confine
the idea of what I am
I am not a tailor I'm a man
The king he is frightened
with shadows behind his back
tailor sew me a cloak of sable
that will disguise me well
from the daggers of my foes
that will keep me far above
those that are below
I will pay you dearly
if you fail on the gallows
No said the tailor
the tailor said no
a cloak will not hide
what your own eyes see
a cloak will not change
what is hidden underneath
just as mine does not confine
the idea of what I am
I am not a tailor I'm a man
The lyrics of "The Tailor" tell the story of a king, his guardsman, his queen, and the tailor who refuses to help them disguise their true identities. The guardsman asks for a cloak that will allow him to commit highway robbery without being recognized, but the tailor refuses, telling him that a cloak cannot hide what is underneath. The queen asks for a cloak that will allow her to cheat on her husband without being caught, but the tailor refuses her as well, telling her that a cloak cannot change what is hidden underneath. Finally, the king asks for a cloak that will protect him from his enemies, but the tailor refuses once again, telling him that a cloak cannot confine the idea of who he truly is.
The overall message of the song is about the importance of being true to oneself and not trying to hide behind false identities. The tailor recognizes that a cloak can only provide a temporary disguise and cannot truly change who a person is on the inside. The king, guardsman, and queen are all trying to hide something about themselves, whether it be their greed, adultery, or fear, but the tailor is unwilling to help them in their deception.
Overall, "The Tailor" is a powerful commentary on the importance of honesty and authenticity in a world where people often try to hide their true selves. The lyrics are cleverly written and contain a strong message that is still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
The king's guardsman's greedy
The guardsman of the king is greedy and knows that he is being underpaid.
tailor sew me a cloak of indigo
The guardsman wants the tailor to create a cloak of indigo to hide his identity during his thieving activities.
that will disguise me well
The guardsman wants the cloak to be able to effectively hide his identity.
for the highwayman's game
The cloak is intended to aid the guardsman in engaging in thieving activities as a highwayman.
no one will suspect evil
The guardsman wants to be able to avoid suspicion while engaged in criminal activities.
and the king's cross are the same
The guardsman sees no distinction between his criminal activities and those of the king.
i will pay you dearly
The guardsman promises to pay the tailor well for creating the cloak.
with half of what i claim
The guardsman offers to pay the tailor half of the valuables that he steals.
No said the tailor
The tailor refuses to create the cloak for the guardsman.
a cloak will not hide
The tailor explains that a cloak is not sufficient to hide one's true identity.
what your own eyes see
The tailor states that one's true identity will still be visible to those who are observant.
a cloak will not change
The tailor asserts that a cloak cannot alter one's true nature.
what is hidden underneath
The tailor is referring to the true intentions and morals of an individual.
just as mine does not confine
The tailor's own cloak, used for his profession, does not define who he is as a person.
the idea of what I am
The tailor emphasizes that he is not merely a tailor, but a complex individual with his own identity.
I am not a tailor I'm a man
The tailor affirms that his profession does not solely define who he is as a person.
The king's queen is hungry
The queen of the king is craving the thrill of adultery.
for the pleasures adultery knows
The queen yearns for the excitement and satisfaction that comes with engaging in forbidden affairs.
tailor sew me a cloak of scarlet
The queen wants a cloak of scarlet to effectively conceal her infidelities.
that will disguise me well
The cloak is intended to conceal the queen's identity during her secret affairs.
for courting on the sly
The cloak is intended to aid the queen while engaging in secret affairs.
that will make the fever
The cloak is meant to disguise the passion the queen feels during her infidelities.
transparent to the night's eyes
The queen wants the cloak to effectively conceal her identity, even under the night sky.
i will pay you dearly
The queen promises to pay the tailor generously to create the cloak.
with favors and with sighs
The queen offers to reward the tailor with her favors and sighs of contentment.
The king he is frightened
The king is afraid of potential threats and dangers.
with shadows behind his back
The king feels like threats are lurking behind him and closing in.
tailor sew me a cloak of sable
The king wants a cloak of sable to help him conceal his identity and avoid danger.
that will disguise me well
The cloak is intended to effectively conceal the king's identity from those who pose a threat.
from the daggers of my foes
The cloak is meant to protect the king from potential attacks and assassination attempts.
that will keep me far above
The king wants the cloak to elevate him above the dangers and threats he faces.
those that are below
The king seeks to distance himself from those who pose a threat.
I will pay you dearly
The king promises to reward the tailor generously for creating the cloak.
if you fail on the gallows
The king threatens the tailor with punishment if the cloak fails to protect him from harm.
Contributed by Elena E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.