Hurley's debut album, First Songs, was recorded for Folkways Records in 1965 on the same reel-to-reel machine that taped Leadbelly's Last Sessions. He was "discovered" by blues and jazz historian Frederick Ramsey III, and subsequently championed by boyhood friend Jesse Colin Young, who released his 2nd & 3rd albums on The Youngbloods' Warner Bros. imprint, Raccoon. In the late 70's, Hurley made three albums for Rounder, all of which have since been reissued on CD. His 1976 LP Have Moicy, a collaboration with the Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffrey Frederick & The Clamtones, was named "the greatest folk album of the rock era" by the Village Voice's Robert Christgau.
In 1996, Koch Records released Wolfways with Hurley backed by Mickey Bones - Drums, Gus Ziesing - percussion, Jill Gross - Harmony Vocals, Jim Harvey - Trombone, Dan Archer and Bob Jordan - Guitars and Mike Boise - Bass. Tours with Son Volt and high praise from younger performers like Lucinda Williams, Vic Chesnutt, Calexico, Cat Power and Robin Holcomb followed.
Greg Weeks of Espers noted in an eBay auction in July 2006 that the band has begun work on a collaborative album with Hurley.
Gnomonsong released the Michael Hurley album titled "Ancestral Swamp" on September 18, 2007. Backing was provided by longtime Hurley associate David Reisch of the Holy Modal Rounders and new friends Tara Jane O'Neil and Lewi Longmire.
In 2021 Hurley released "The Time of the Foxgloves".
Be Kind to Me
Michael Hurley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why be mean when you can be nice?
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I hardly feel like a mustard seed
'cause your love is what I need
Come on, be kind to me!
I'm the ace of hearts and she's my queen,
the best old girl you ever seen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I told you, child, when you were sixteen,
I wanted you, girl, to be my queen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
A bull frog sitting on a lily pond
And I was holding her in my arms
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I call you on the telephone
Tell me why you're never home
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
[trumpet solo ;-) ]
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misereeeeeeeee?
The song "Be Kind to Me" by Michael Hurley is a simple yet poignant plea for love and empathy wrapped in a gentle folk tune. The repeated chorus, "Come on, be kind to me! Can't you see I'm in misery?" is a universal cry of anyone who has ever felt unloved and alone. The lyrics also explore the singer's feelings of inadequacy, as he compares himself to a mustard seed and asks for love from the object of his affection.
The reference to "ace of hearts and she's my queen" is a nod to the traditional playing cards, where the ace of hearts and queen of spades are often depicted as playing together. The line "I told you, child, when you were sixteen, I wanted you, girl, to be my queen" suggests a long-standing love, perhaps one that has never been fully realized.
The imagery of the bullfrog sitting on a lily pond and holding his love in his arms adds a whimsical touch to the song. It's a reminder that even in the midst of heartache, there can be moments of beauty and joy.
Overall, "Be Kind to Me" is a plea for love and understanding, a reminder that despite our flaws and differences, we all need kindness and compassion from our fellow human beings.
Line by Line Meaning
Told you once and I told you twice:
I have asked you twice already
Why be mean when you can be nice?
What is the reason for being cruel to me when you can be gracious?
Come on, be kind to me!
Please be generous to me
Can't you see I'm in misery?
Can you not comprehend that I am unhappy?
I hardly feel like a mustard seed
I do not feel significant in any way
'cause your love is what I need
Since I require your love
I'm the ace of hearts and she's my queen,
I am the highest valued card (in a deck of cards) whereas she is my most prized possession
the best old girl you ever seen
She is the finest woman I have ever met
I told you, child, when you were sixteen,
I informed you, when you were sixteen years old
I wanted you, girl, to be my queen
I wished for you to be my queen
A bull frog sitting on a lily pond
A male frog sitting on a pond covered with lily pads
And I was holding her in my arms
And I was embracing her
I call you on the telephone
I attempt to reach you using the telephone
Tell me why you're never home
Please inform me why you are never present
Come on, be kind to me!
Please be generous to me
Can't you see I'm in misery?
Cannot you perceive that I am unhappy?
[trumpet solo ;-)]
A trumpet temporarily plays solo
Come on, be kind to me!
Please be generous to me
Can't you see I'm in misereeeeeeeee?
Cannot you perceive that I am in extremely tragic or pitiable circumstances?
Contributed by Adam P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ChuckDeFuque
[Verse 1]
Told you once and I told you twice:
Why be mean when you can be nice?
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 2]
I hardly feel like a mustard seed
‘cause your love is what I need
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 3]
I’m the ace of hearts and she’s my queen
The best old girl you ever seen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 4]
I told you, child, when you were sixteen
I wanted you, girl, to be my queen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 5]
A bullfrog sitting on a lily pond
And I was holding her in my arms
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 6]
I call you on the telephone
Tell me why you’re never home
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Outro]
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misereeeeeeeee?
@erickcaetano2388
Told you once and I told you twice:
Why be mean when you can be nice?
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I hardly feel like a mustard seed
'cause your love is all I need
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I'm the ace of hearts and she's my queen,
The best old girl you ever seen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I told you, child, when you were sixteen,
I wanted you, girl, to be my queen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I'm a bull frog sitting on a lily pond
I was holding her in my arms
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
I call you on the telephone
Tell me why you’re never home
Come on, be kind to me!
Can't you see I'm in misery?
Oh, can't you see I'm in misery?
@fos6872
Told you once and I told you twice:
Why be mean when you can be nice?
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 2]
I hardly feel like a mustard seed
‘cause your love is what I need
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 3]
I’m the ace of hearts and she’s my queen
The best old girl you ever seen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 4]
I told you, child, when you were sixteen
I wanted you, girl, to be my queen
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery?
[Verse 5]
A bullfrog sitting on a lily pond
And I was holding her in my arms
Come on, be kind to me!
Can’t you see I’m in misery
@janepiepes2243
For decades we've loved Michael Hurley. He even stayed at our house once in Charlottesville Virginia
and played my piano.
@blueherringjw93
Jane Piepes what a rascal!
@jacobeck4220
Randomly heard this song today on Spotify while going to school at UVA. Cool to hear he was right around here at some point!
@aidanfrench7255
this is epic, man’s was a corner stone of my childhood
@justinspivey8728
@jacob he used to live in Richmond, VA in a place called Oregon Hill 😃
@Scorpyishere
Nice
@aDogNamedHandsome
I was in a restaurant tonight. The singer covered this and I asked him who wrote it.
"Michael Hurley" he explained. Easy enough to remember. I was in Hurleyville, New York.
@kevinchambers547
What Venue? Who Was The Singer. I don't live that far from Hurleyville !
@JS-nw7xf
Hurley's version is wonderful... but he didn't write this song. Dave Bartholomew and Earl King did, the great Smiley Lewis recorded the original version for Imperial in the '50s. Testament to Hurley's deep and abiding love of NOLA R&B.
@KrisHarsh
@@JS-nw7xf I want you to be right so i went in search of the Smiley Lewis version and song writing credits for Dave Bartholomew. I can't find either. Could you link? I found smiley Lewis' entire Imperial recrordings (or so they say) on Discogs and unless the song was renamed, it's not there either.