At the time of his death, Hartford was also working on the biography of the blind fiddler Ed Haley. Hartford's album Wild Hog in the Red Bush is a collection of Haley's tunes. Hartford also provided narration for several of Ken Burns' documentaries.
Hartford was given a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Hartford recorded more than 30 albums in his life, ranging across a broad spectrum of styles--from the traditional country of his early RCA recordings, to the new and experimental sound of his early newgrass recordings, to the traditional folk style to which he often returned later in his life. Hartford's albums also vary widely in formality, from the stately and orderly "Annual Waltz" to the rougher and less cut recordings that typified many of his later albums.
"Aereo-Plain" and "Morning Bugle" are often considered to be Hartford's most influential work, coming as they did at the very beginning of a period in which artists such as Hartford and the New Grass Revival, led by Sam Bush, would create a new form of country music, blending their country backgrounds with influences from another of other sources. His later years saw a number of live albums, as well as recordings that explored the repertoire of old-time folk music. He sketched the cover art for some of his mid-career albums, drawing with both hands simultaneously.
From the 1980s onwards, Hartford struggled with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On June 4, 2001 at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, at age 63, he died of the disease.
Hartford is remembered as an influential and pioneering artist. Never bound by the limitations of one genre, he recorded wherever his interests led him. Performing and recording until his illness rendered him incapable of continuing, Hartford contributed a vast and unique body of work to the library of American music.
The Vamp From Back In The Goodle Days
John Hartford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
all the good people done gone on
pass my life away singin this song
about back in the goodle days
In John Hartford's song "The Vamp From Back In The Goodle Days", the singer reflects on a time long gone by, reminiscing about the people and events of those days. The lyrics suggest a sense of nostalgia and yearning for a simpler time, and the use of the word "vamp" evokes a bygone era of jazz music and flapper culture. The repeated refrain of "back in the goodle days" emphasizes the theme of looking backwards to a time that is now past.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of melancholy and regret, as the singer suggests that "all the good people" have gone on and the "goodle days" are gone forever. The lyrics seem to suggest that the singer is stuck in the past, unable to move on from this idyllic time and perhaps even wishing to return to it. The line "pass my life away singin this song" suggests a kind of existential malaise, as the singer seems to be stuck in a cycle of singing about the past, unable to move forward into the present or future.
Line by Line Meaning
the goodle days are past and gone
The days of the past, where life was simpler and better, are no longer present.
all the good people done gone on
All the good-hearted people from those times have passed away and left this world.
pass my life away singin this song
Spending my entire life singing about the past and reminiscing about the memories associated with it.
about back in the goodle days
This song talks about the 'goodle' days or the times which were filled with joy and happiness.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind