Kent attended Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey. She graduated with a Degree in Comparative Literature from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, and moved to England after her graduation. While studying at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she met tenor saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson, whom she married on 9 Aug 1991.
Discography:
"Close Your Eyes" (1997), "The Tender Trap" (1998), "Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire" (2000),
"Dreamsville" (2001), "Brazilian Sketches" (2001), "In Love Again: The Music of Richard Rodgers" (2002),
"The Boy Next Door" (2003), "Collection" (2001), "Collection II" (2003), "Collection III" (2006),
"Breakfast On The Morning Tram" (2007), "Breakfast on the Morning Tram" (2008, limited edition boxset CD/DVD),
"Raconte-Moi..." (2010) , "Hushabye Mountain" (2011) , "THE CHANGING LIGHTS" (2013)
Kent has also featured in Tomlinson's 2006 album, The Lyric, which won "Album of the Year" at the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards.
Awards: British Jazz Award (2001) and BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist (2002).
Kent's album, Breakfast on the Morning Tram, was a nominee for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 51st Grammy Awards (2009).
Trivia: Novelist Kazuo Ishiguro wrote the liner notes to Kent's 2003 album, The Boy Next Door, and also co-wrote four of the songs on the 2007 album, Breakfast on the Morning Tram.
Sites: Discogs
Hard Hearted Hannah
Stacey Kent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The weather there is nice and warm!
The climates of a Southern brand,
But here's what I don't understand,
They got a gal there, a pretty gal there,
Who's colder than an Arctic storm,
Got a heart just like a stone,
Even ice men leave her alone!
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town,
Leather is tough, but Hannah's heart is tougher,
She's a gal who loves to see men suffer!
To tease 'em, and thrill 'em, to torture and kill 'em,
Is her delight, they say,
I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan,
There was Hannah pouring water on a drownding man!
She's Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, GA!
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
The vamp of Savannah,
The meanest gal in town,
Talk of your cold, refrigeratin' mamas,
Brother, she's a polar bear's pajamas!
To tease 'em, and thrill 'em, to torture and kill 'em,
Is her delight, they say,
An evening spent with Hannah sittin' on your knees,
Is like travelin' through Alaska in your B-V-D's.
She's Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah, GA!
Can you imagine a woman as cold as Hannah
She's got the right name, The vamp of Savannah
Any time a woman can take a great big pan
And start pouring water on a drownin' man
She's hard hearted Hannah
The Vamp of Savannah GA
Oh she's sweet as sour milk
The lyrics to Stacey Kent's song Hard Hearted Hannah describe a woman named Hannah who lives in Savannah, Georgia. Although the weather in Savannah is nice and warm, Hannah's heart is colder than an Arctic storm. She is tough and mean-spirited, enjoying the suffering of men. The lyrics describe her pouring water on a drowning man and causing him to suffer. The chorus repeats the moniker "Hard Hearted Hannah, the vamp of Savannah," highlighting her cruelty and reputation in the community.
The song is a playful commentary on the idea of a femme fatale or a woman who is irresistible to men, but also dangerous. The lyrics make it clear that Hannah is not interested in relationships or love, but rather enjoys toying with men for her own pleasure. The idea of a woman being "hard hearted" or emotionally unavailable is a common theme in popular music, and this song plays with that trope in a humorous way.
Line by Line Meaning
In old Savannah, I said Savannah
The singer is discussing Savannah, Georgia.
The weather there is nice and warm!
The climate in Savannah is warm and comfortable.
The climates of a Southern brand
The climate in Savannah is typical of the southern region of the United States.
But here's what I don't understand
Despite the positive aspects of Savannah, there is something puzzling the artist.
They got a gal there, a pretty gal there,
There is a woman in Savannah who is attractive.
Who's colder than an Arctic storm,
This woman, named Hannah, is extremely cold and unfeeling.
Got a heart just like a stone,
Hannah has a heart that is emotionless and unyielding.
Even ice men leave her alone!
Even men who work with ice all day find Hannah to be too cold to handle.
They call her Hard Hearted Hannah,
Hannah is commonly referred to as 'Hard Hearted Hannah'.
The vamp of Savannah,
Hannah is also referred to as a 'vamp', or a seductive and dangerous woman.
The meanest gal in town,
Hannah is known to be the cruelest woman in the area.
Leather is tough, but Hannah's heart is tougher,
Hannah is compared to leather, but her heart is even tougher than that material.
She's a gal who loves to see men suffer!
Hannah takes pleasure in causing men pain and distress.
To tease 'em, and thrill 'em, to torture and kill 'em,
She enjoys playing games with men and causing them harm, possibly even to the point of death.
Is her delight, they say,
According to rumors, causing pain and suffering to men is something that brings Hannah great pleasure.
I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan,
The artist witnessed Hannah at the beach with a large pan.
There was Hannah pouring water on a drownding man!
To illustrate Hannah's cruel nature, the artist witnessed her pouring water on a man in distress, rather than helping him.
Talk of your cold, refrigeratin' mamas,
Hannah is compared to other cold and distant women.
Brother, she's a polar bear's pajamas!
Hannah is even colder and more ruthless than a polar bear.
An evening spent with Hannah sittin' on your knees,
Being in the company of Hannah is extremely unpleasant.
Is like travelin' through Alaska in your B-V-D's.
The experience is compared to traveling through one of the coldest regions of the world in minimal clothing.
Can you imagine a woman as cold as Hannah
The artist poses a rhetorical question about the possibility of finding a woman as cold-hearted as Hannah.
She's got the right name, The vamp of Savannah
Hannah's nickname of 'The vamp of Savannah' is justified by her cruel and seductive nature.
Any time a woman can take a great big pan
The artist returns to the image of Hannah pouring water on a man in distress with a large pan.
And start pouring water on a drownin' man
This action is seen as proof of Hannah's lack of compassion for others.
She's hard hearted Hannah
This line reiterates that Hannah's heart is simply unfeeling.
The Vamp of Savannah GA
The combination of Hannah's nickname and her place of residence are repeated for emphasis.
Oh she's sweet as sour milk
This sarcastic remark is a comment on Hannah's unpleasant nature and behavior.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB BIGELOW, CHARLES BATES, JACK YELLEN, MILTON AGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind