Hardin dropped out of high school at age 18 to join the Marine Corps. After his discharge he moved to New York City in 1961, where he briefly attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He was dismissed because of truancy and began to focus on his musical career by performing around Greenwich Village, mostly in a blues style.
After moving to Boston in 1963 he was discovered by the record producer Erik Jacobsen (later the producer for The Lovin' Spoonful), who arranged a meeting with Columbia Records. In 1964 he moved back to Greenwich Village to record for his contract with Columbia. The resulting recordings were considered a failure by Columbia, which chose not to release them and terminated Hardin's contract.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1965, he met actress Susan Morss (known professionally as Susan Yardley)[1][2], and moved back to New York with her. He signed to the Verve Forecast label, and produced his first authorized album, Tim Hardin 1 in 1966. This album saw a transformation from his early traditional blues style to the folk style that defined his recording career. This LP contained "Reason To Believe" and the ballad "Misty Roses" which did receive Top-40 radio play.
Tim Hardin 2 was released in 1967 and contained one of his most famous songs, "If I Were a Carpenter".
An album entitled This is Tim Hardin, featuring covers of "House of the Rising Sun", Fred Neil's "Blues on the Ceilin'" and Willie Dixon's "Hoochie Coochie Man", among others, appeared in 1967, on the Atco label. The liner notes indicate the songs were recorded in 1963-64, well prior to the release of Tim Hardin 1 by Verve Records. Tim Hardin 3 Live in Concert, released in 1968, was a collection of live recordings along with re-makes of previous songs; it was followed by Tim Hardin 4, another collection of blues-influenced tracks believed to date from the same period as This is Tim Hardin.
In 1969, Hardin again signed with Columbia and had one of his few commercial successes, as a non-LP single of Bobby Darin's "Simple Song of Freedom" reached the US Top 50. Hardin did not tour in support of this single and a heroin addiction and stage fright made his live performances erratic. Also in 1969 he appeared at the Woodstock Festival where he sang his famous "If I Were a Carpenter" song. He recorded three albums for Columbia — Suite for Susan Moore and Damion: We Are One, One, All in One; Bird on a Wire; and Painted Head — none of which sold well. His output as a songwriter decreased and eventually ceased during this period, a circumstance blamed on his ongoing drug problems.
During the following years Hardin moved between England and the U.S. His heroin addiction had taken control of his life by the time his last album, Nine, was released on GM Records in the UK in 1973 (the album did not see a US release until it appeared on Antilles Records in 1976). He died of a heroin and morphine overdose, and is buried in the Twin Oaks Cemetery in Turner, Oregon.
Never Too Far
Tim Hardin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will change you way
Like dark from day
Where you are
From day to day
Your lies will blame
Till you're away
But never too far
Do you feel more like going on
When i say i was alone, i choose you
Does it easy your heart to say
That tomorrow brings another way
I'll loose you
You might wonder since the time
I tried to do enough to rise
Your every changing life
Am i sliping sort of step
I try to do much better
But when i get
The things you sing
Will change you way
Like dark from day
Where you are
From day to day
Your lies will blame
Till you're away
But never too far
Do you feel more like going on
When i say i was alone, i choose you
Does it easy your heart to say
That tomorrow brings another way
I'll loose you
In Tim Hardin's song "Never Too Far," the lyrics explore the idea that words have power and can influence the way we perceive reality. Hardin suggests that the things we sing, or the things we say out loud, can change our perspective and ultimately alter our path in life. The line "like dark from day" alludes to the idea that these words can change the way we see the world, much like how darkness changes the appearance of things during the day.
The second verse delves into the theme of love and the uncertainty that comes with it. Hardin sings about choosing someone and feeling alone, but also knowing that tomorrow brings another opportunity to move on. The line "I'll lose you" suggests that he knows the relationship may not last but is willing to take the risk anyways.
The chorus of the song repeats the idea that words have power and can impact our lives, but we are "never too far" from changing our path and moving forward. Hardin suggests that lies have the ability to hold us back, but we can always overcome them and move on.
Overall, "Never Too Far" is a song about the power of words and the way they shape our lives. Whether it's the things we say to ourselves or the things we say to others, our words have the ability to change our perspective and ultimately alter our path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
The things you sing
The words you vocalize
Will change your way
Will alter the direction of your life
Like dark from day
Like night from day, abruptly and completely
Where you are
In your current situation
From day to day
Every day
Your lies will blame
Your deceptions will criticize you
Till you're away
Until you depart from this world
But never too far
However, you will never be too far gone
Do you feel more like going on
Are you encouraged to continue despite life's difficulties?
When i say i was alone, i choose you
Do my words of loneliness make you feel wanted?
Does it easy your heart to say
Does speaking of the future ease your concerns?
That tomorrow brings another way
That the future holds more possibilities
I'll lose you
I will eventually depart from your life
You might wonder since the time
You may ponder since the moment
I tried to do enough to rise
I attempted to do the necessary to succeed
Your every changing life
Your constantly shifting existence
Am i slipping short of step
Am I failing to keep up with your pace
I try to do much better
I strive to perform better
But when i get
Yet, when I receive
Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.