In the 1980s Russell made four albums credited to the Tom Russell Band. These featured Andrew Hardin and accordionist Fats Kaplin.
In the 1990s Russell made a number of solo albums, collaborated with blues singer Barrence Whitfield on two albums, and also recorded an acoustic album mixing original material with his favorite cowboy-themed songs. His albums include several guest appearances from other folk, country, and Americana artists, such as Chris Gaffney and Dave Alvin. His song "Outbound Plane", co-written with Nanci Griffith, became a Top Ten country hit for Suzy Bogguss. His most significant album from this period is the 1999 folk opera, The Man From God Knows Where.
His more recent albums include "Blood and Candle Smoke" (2009) and "Mesabi" (2011).
Dance Hall Girls
Tom Russell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They give you their bodies, but you'll never touch their minds
They'll fill you up, with lipstick lies
Then they put you down son
Don't be surprised
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
I held her mountains, I kissed her plains
I touched her sunshine, Lord then I drank her rain
But I went too far. Then I broke too fast
I thought I had a winner picked
I came in last, again
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
I must have chosen the wrong season to come down
I never realized they call this sacred ground
My sense of time, a-hell I'm a week behind
I sent a letter home, but this all takes time you know
I wanna get some money, I wanna go back home
But these dance hall girls
Know how to make a man feel alone
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
I must have chosen the wrong season to come down
I never realized they call this sacred ground
My sense of time, a-hell I'm a week behind
They give you their bodies, but you'll never touch their minds
They'll fill you up, with lipstick lies
These dance hall girls say
They can't stand to see a grown man cry
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
Is this the way it always is here in Montreal?
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
Tom Russell's song Dance Hall Girls is a melancholy reflection on the deceptive nature of a dance hall girl's company. The lyrics describe how these women, while kind and attentive to their clients, are quick to manipulate them with their seductive looks and false promises. The singer describes how they will "give you their bodies, but you'll never touch their minds", which speaks to the idea that these women offer physical pleasure but are emotionally distant. The chorus asks if this is "the way it always is here in Baltimore" and repeats the question for emphasis, suggesting that this trend of using men for profit is an ingrained part of the city's culture.
The verses detail the singer's personal experience with a dance hall girl who he believed was different from the rest. He describes how he explored her entire body ("mountains, plains, sunshine, and rain"), but ultimately this connection led to disappointment ("I thought I had a winner picked, I came in last, again"). The singer seems to be struggling to come to terms with the fact that he was unable to truly connect with the dance hall girl despite his efforts, and he wonders if his experience is unique or if this is simply the way things always go in Baltimore.
Overall, Russell's song Dance Hall Girls is a poignant exploration of the fleeting and ultimately empty experience men have with dance hall girls. The song's melancholy tone reflects the sense of disillusionment that comes with realizing that the relationships these women offer are shallow and unsatisfying, no matter how much one invests in them.
Line by Line Meaning
These dance hall girls, they treat you kind
Dance hall girls may seem hospitable but it's just a guise.
They give you their bodies, but you'll never touch their minds
Dance hall girls offer physical pleasure but refuse to engage in any intellectual conversation with you.
They'll fill you up, with lipstick lies
Dance hall girls will lie to keep you coming back for more.
Then they put you down son
After getting what they want, dance hall girls will make you feel small and insignificant.
Don't be surprised
It's not unexpected behaviour for dance hall girls.
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
The singer is asking whether Baltimore is always like this or if it's just the dance hall culture that is corrupt.
I held her mountains, I kissed her plains
The singer explored his dance hall girl's body and it's metaphorical terrain.
I touched her sunshine, Lord then I drank her rain
The artist indulged in the dance hall girl's best qualities and suffered through her worst.
But I went too far. Then I broke too fast
The artist took things too far and it all came crashing down.
I thought I had a winner picked
The artist believed he had found a special dance hall girl who was different from the others.
I came in last, again
The singer was disappointed and let down by yet another dance hall girl.
I must have chosen the wrong season to come down
The artist regrets making a mistake about when to visit Baltimore, which led to him being surrounded by corrupt dance hall culture.
I never realized they call this sacred ground
The singer had no idea that Baltimore was known for its corrupt dance hall culture, which is seen as sacred by some.
My sense of time, a-hell I'm a week behind
The singer is disoriented and out of sorts, both physically and mentally.
I sent a letter home, but this all takes time you know
The singer tried to reach out for help but was met with a slow response, which highlights his feelings of isolation and abandonment.
I wanna get some money, I wanna go back home
The artist wants to escape the toxic and corrupt dance hall culture in Baltimore.
But these dance hall girls
The artist laments the negative influence of dance hall girls on his life.
Know how to make a man feel alone
Despite offering physical pleasure, dance hall girls can leave a man feeling lonelier than ever.
They can't stand to see a grown man cry
Dance hall girls are immune to men's emotions and they see crying as a sign of weakness.
Is this the way it always is here in Baltimore?
The artist ends the song with the same question he began with, leaving listeners to wonder if the corrupt dance hall culture in Baltimore will ever change.
Is this the way it always is here in Montreal?
The artist adds another question at the end, asking if this is the way it always is in other cities with dance hall cultures like Montreal.
Contributed by Kennedy J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.