As a teen, Hall put together a band called the Kentucky Travelers that performed before movies for a travelling theater. During a stint in the Army, Hall performed over the Armed Forces Radio Network and wrote comic songs about Army experiences. His early career included being a radio announcer at WRON, a local radio station in Ronceverte, West Virginia.
Hall's big break came in 1963 when singer Jimmy C. Newman recorded his song "DJ For a Day." In 1964 Hall moved to Nashville, TN, and within months had songs climbing the charts. Nicknamed "The Story Teller", he has written songs for dozens of country stars such as Johnny Cash, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, and Alan Jackson.
One of the most popular songs, "Harper Valley PTA", was originally recorded in 1968 by Jeannie C. Riley, sold over six million copies, and won both a Grammy and CMA award. The song later would inspire the motion picture and television program of the same name.
Hall's own recording career took off after that and he had such hits as "A Week in the Country Jail," "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine," "I Love," "Country Is", "The Year Clayton Delaney Died," "The Old Side of Town," and "I Like Beer." He was also noted for his children's songs, the most popular being "Sneaky Snake".
He also hosted the syndicated country music TV show Pop Goes the Country.
His son, Dean Hall, is also a singer and is member of the MuzikMafia.
A hard-rock adaptation of his song I love was featured in a series of successful television commercials for Coors beer.
Hall largely retired from writing new material in 1986 and from performing in 1994; his final public performance, which was also his first in several years, was in 2011.
Discography
Singles Written and Performed By Tom T. Hall
* "I Washed My Face in the Morning Dew" (#30, 1967)
* "Ain't Got The Time" (#68, 1968)
* "The World The Way I Want It" (#66, 1968)
* "Ballad of Forty Dollars" (#4, 1969)
* "Homecoming" (#5, 1969)
* "Strawberry Farms" (#40, 1969)
* "Day Drinkin'" (#23, 1970)
* "Salute to a Switchblade" (#8, 1970)
* "Shoeshine Man" (#8, 1970)
* "A Week in a Country Jail" (#1, 1970)
* "Ode to Half a Pound of Ground Round" (#21, 1971)
* "One Hundred Children" (#14, 1971)
* "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died" (#1, 1971) (also reached #42 on the Pop Singles Chart)
* "Me and Jesus" (#8, 1972) (also reached #92 on the Pop Chart)
* "More About John Henry" (#26, 1972)
* "The Monkey That Became President" (#11, 1972)
* "Old Dogs, Children, And Watermelon Wine" (#1, 1973)
* "Ravishing Ruby" (#3, 1973)
* "Spokane Motel Blues" (#16, 1973)
* "Watergate Blues" (#16, 1973)
* "Country Is" (#1, 1974)
* "I Love" (#1, 1974) (also reached #2 on the Adult Contemporary Chart and #12 on the Pop Singles Chart)
* "Sneaky Snake" (#69, 1974) (reached #55 on the Pop Singles Chart the following year)
* "That Song Is Driving Me Crazy" (#2, 1974) (also reached #63 on the Pop Singles Chart)
* "Deal" (#8, 1975)
* "I Care" (#1, 1975)
* "I Like Beer" (#4, 1975)
* "Faster Horses (The Cowboy And The Poet)" (#1, 1976)
* "Fox On The Run" (#9, 1976)
* "Negatory Romance" (#24, 1976)
* "It's All in the Game" (#12, 1977)
* "Your Man Loves You, Honey" (#4, 1977)
* "What Have You Got to Lose" (#9, 1978)
* "Son of Clayton Delaney" (#14, 1979)
* "You Show Me Your Heart (And I'll Show You Mine)" (#11, 1979)
* "Back When Gas Was Thirty Cents a Gallon" (#36, 1980)
* "Jesus On the Radio (Daddy On the Phone)" (#9, 1980)
* "Solder Of Fortune" (#51, 1980)
* "The Old Side of Town" (#9, 1980)
* "Everything From Jesus To Jack Daniels (#42, 1983)
* "P.S. I Love You" (#8, 1984)
* "A Bar with No Beer" (#40, 1985)
* "Down At The Mall" (#65, 1986)
Singles Written By Tom T. Hall But Performed By Other Artists
* "Mad" performed by Dave Dudley (#6, 1964)
* "Artificial Rose" performed by Jimmy C. Newman (#8, 1965)
* "Back In Circulation" performed by Jimmy C. Newman (#13, 1965)
* "City of the Angels" performed by Jimmy C. Newman (#37, 1965)
* "What We're Fighting For" performed by Dave Dudley (#4, 1966)
* "Back Pocket Money" performed by Jimmy C. Newman (#10, 1966)
* "California Uptight Band" performed by Flatt & Scruggs (#20, 1967)
* "Dropping Out of Sight" performed by Jimmy C. Newman (#32, 1967)
* "Louisiana Saturday Night" performed by Jimmy C. Newman (#24, 1967)
* "Town That Broke My Heart" performed by Bobby Bare (#16, 1968)
* "Anything Leaving Town Today" performed by Dave Dudley (#12, 1968)
* "There Ain't No Easy Run" performed by Dave Dudley (#10, 1968)
* "Harper Valley PTA" performed by Jeannie C. Riley (#1, 1968) (also reached #1 on the Pop Singles Chart and #4 on the Adult Contemporary Chart)
* "Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman" performed by Jim & Jesse (#49, 1968)
* "(Margie's At) The Lincoln Park Inn" performed by Bobby Bare (#4, 1969)
* "George (And the Northwoods)" performed by Dave Dudley (#10, 1969)
* "One More Mile" performed by Dave Dudley (#12, 1969)
* "Boo Dan" peroformed by Jimmy C. Newman (#31, 1969)
* "That's How I Got To Memphis" performed by Bobby Bare (#3, 1970)
* "Pool Shark" performed by Dave Dudley (#1, 1970)
* "If I Ever Fall in Love (With a Honky Tonk Girl)" performed by Faron Young (#4, 1970)
* "Second Handed Flowers" performed by George Jones (#5, 1972)
* "You Always Come Back (To Hurting Me)" performed by Johnny Rodriguez (#1, 1973) (also #86 on the Pop Singles Chart)
* "I Can Still Hear the Music in the Restroom" performed by Jerry Lee Lewis (#13, 1975)
* "I'm Not Ready Yet" performed by George Jones (#2, 1980)
* "Dropping Out Of Sight" performed by Bobby Bare (#35, 1981)
* "Little Bitty" performed by Alan Jackson (#1, 1996)
* "That's How I Got To Memphis" performed by Deryl Dodd (#36, 1996)
Cloudy Day
Tom T. Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In summertime the place was hot in wintertime I'd sit around and freeze
I never did like that apartment seems to me it always smell like food
People down the hall complained because I liked to pick and sing
And anyway the rent was overdue
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day
One for you and one for him one for her and one for them
This looks like a cloudy day for me
I've been here for seven months and still I do not know my way around
Well I'd like to find a quiet place and trouble is I don't know where it's at
I don't know which way is best but I think I'll be headin' west
So I'll be walkin' where the land is flat
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day...
I've know people higher up the ladder who can always pick and choose
Anything they want to be or anyplace they go to just can't lose
It doesn't matter who you are we all must have a cloudy day some time
Days that we can't seem to win days that we ain't got a friend
We all have days and I guess this is mine
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day...
One for you and one for him one for her and one for them
This looks like a cloudy day for me
The song Cloudy Day by Tom T. Hall speaks about the singer’s discontent with his living situation in an apartment that he finds uncomfortable and unpleasant. The lyrics are melancholic and express his sense of isolation and uncertainty as he struggles to find his place in a new town. He describes how his apartment was too hot in summer and cold in winter, giving him no respite from his discomfort at any time of the year. He also mentions how the place always had a lingering smell of food which he found unappealing.
The singer portrays himself as a lonely and misunderstood figure in his apartment building. He recalls how his neighbors would complain about his habit of singing and playing music. He also mentions his overdue rent, perhaps indicating his financial struggles. He talks of his difficulty in finding direction, both literally in the new town he has moved to and metaphorically in his life. He feels lost, hopeless, and unsure of what the future holds for him. The reference to people ‘higher up the ladder’ could suggest that he feels inferior and lacks the opportunities that others have.
Overall, Cloudy Day is a poignant reflection on the struggles and challenges that we all face, particularly during times of change and transition. The song speaks to a deep sense of loneliness and isolation that can sometimes overwhelm us, but also reminds us that it is something that we all experience at some point in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I never did like that apartment it was not a place I like to be
The singer disliked their apartment due to the temperature conditions and the smell of food.
In summertime the place was hot in wintertime I'd sit around and freeze
The apartment was too warm during summer and too cold during winter.
I never did like that apartment seems to me it always smell like food
The apartment had a constant odor of food that the singer did not like.
People down the hall complained because I liked to pick and sing
Neighbors were annoyed by the artist's habit of playing and singing music loudly.
And anyway the rent was overdue
The artist owed overdue rent for the apartment.
Cloudy day this is my cloudy day
The singer expresses that they are going through a tough time.
One for you and one for him one for her and one for them
Everyone goes through difficult times, not just the singer.
This looks like a cloudy day for me
The artist is experiencing hardship at the moment.
I've forgot the number of the Interstate that brought me to this town
The artist is lost and doesn't remember the route they took to reach the town they currently live in.
I've been here for seven months and still I do not know my way around
Even after living in the town for seven months, the artist is still unfamiliar with the area.
Well I'd like to find a quiet place and trouble is I don't know where it's at
The singer is searching for a peaceful place to live, but is unsure of where to find it.
I don't know which way is best but I think I'll be headin' west
The artist is making a decision to travel towards the west in search of a better place to live.
So I'll be walkin' where the land is flat
The singer intends to walk on flat land while traveling west.
I've know people higher up the ladder who can always pick and choose
The singer knows people with higher social standing who have more options in life.
Anything they want to be or anyplace they go to just can't lose
These privileged people have an easier time succeeding in life.
It doesn't matter who you are we all must have a cloudy day some time
Everyone experiences difficult times, regardless of their social status.
Days that we can't seem to win days that we ain't got a friend
These difficult times can make it feel like we are struggling to win and have no one to support us.
We all have days and I guess this is mine
The singer acknowledges that everyone goes through hard times, and this is simply their turn.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TOM T. HALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jayjay nella
Great song. Done so well TTH style!!
uronthehill
Thanks for stoppin' by. :)
Mikey Thompson
DELTA19ACTUAL
So much love for the man from Franklin, TN
uronthehill
Thanks for stoppin' by. :)
Mikey Thompson
Bodegabreath
Again, TY. Ditto for the others. Now that we’re pretty much sequestered for the duration, got lots of time to catch up on the things I either never had time for or was too dumb to know I should have been listening to instead of whatI was listening to.
uronthehill
Thanks for stoppin' by... I posted 10 Tom T. songs today. :) Mikey Thompson
Bodegabreath
uronthehill
And I listened and saved to list all of them. TY! Tom T is a fav.