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)
Shoeshine Man
Tom T. Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was waitin' on a bus and he was shinin' shoes and I heard him say
I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land
A shoeshine man make you shine where you stand
Leave me a tip if you can I'm a shoeshine man
Well I can sing I can dance I can play the harmonica too
I got a brand new thing on the South Side Montgomery Blues
I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land...
Well I learned my trade from that rag-poppin' daddy o'mine
He shined twelve alligators made a hundred dollar bill one time
And when the meat gets scarce I shine two or three pairs for a dime
I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land...
I had a girl that helped me she had a lotta hoochy coochy ways
She was bumping and grinding paid that girl a dollar a day
But she was shy on age and the law come and took her away
I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land...
Tom T. Hall's song "Shoeshine Man" tells the story of a man the singer encounters while waiting for a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The man makes a living by shining shoes and claims to be "number one in the land" at his trade. He is not only skilled at his job but also a talented entertainer, boasting that he can sing, dance, and play the harmonica. He also shares with the singer the story of how he learned the trade from his own father, who once shined shoes for a hundred-dollar bill. The lyrics take a bit of a darker turn when the man reveals that he used to employ a young girl to help him shine shoes but was forced to let her go when she proved to be underage and ran afoul of the law.
The song is a tribute to the hard work and resilience of those who make a living through traditional trades such as shoe shining. The singer is proud of his abilities and the work he does and is determined to entertain and bring joy to those around him. However, the song also hints at the difficulties faced by those in such professions, such as the young girl who was brought into the business before she was ready. Ultimately, "Shoeshine Man" is a celebration of the human spirit and the determination of individuals to find success whatever their chosen profession.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I met a man in Montgomery Alabama
I encountered an individual in Montgomery, Alabama.
I was waitin' on a bus and he was shinin' shoes and I heard him say
I was waiting for transportation and observed him cleaning footwear while vocalizing.
I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land
I hold the esteemed rank of top shoe cleaner within the region.
A shoeshine man make you shine where you stand
I am capable of providing a thorough luster to your shoes right where you stand.
Leave me a tip if you can I'm a shoeshine man
If you have the means to do so, kindly provide me with a gratuity for my services as a shoe cleaner.
Well I can sing I can dance I can play the harmonica too
I possess the talents of vocalizing, dancing, and playing the harmonica.
I got a brand new thing on the South Side Montgomery Blues
I have developed a new style of musical entertainment in the Southern portion of Montgomery, referred to as the Blues.
You better stick around and watch me cause I'm an entertainin' fool
I suggest remaining nearby to observe my act since I have overwhelming entertainment value.
I learned my trade from that rag-poppin' daddy o'mine
My father taught me how to properly execute the techniques of shoe cleaning.
He shined twelve alligators made a hundred dollar bill one time
He cleaned twelve alligator skin shoes for a single customer and was compensated one hundred U.S. dollars.
And when the meat gets scarce I shine two or three pairs for a dime
Whenever resources become scarce, I charge a reduced rate of ten cents to clean two or three pairs of shoes.
I had a girl that helped me she had a lotta hoochy coochy ways
A female previously assisted me with my work, and she exhibited a variety of suggestive behaviors.
She was bumping and grinding paid that girl a dollar a day
She was performing suggestive movements and I paid her a daily wage of one U.S. dollar.
But she was shy on age and the law come and took her away
However, she was underage which led to her being taken into custody by law enforcement.
I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land...
I hold the esteemed rank of top shoe cleaner within the region.
Lyrics © MARTIN COOPER MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Tom T. Hall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@billwhite7099
Tom T, don't get the credit he deserves. What a songwriter.
@richard345
This song is so integral to one of my favorite memories with my family as a child....pops had this on 8 track and had it playing in our dodge travco motorhome driving from Mass to Maine for Thanksgiving. Revisiting it over 45 years later it's no surprise because it's a phenomenal song.
@claymarston8764
THE INCOMPARABLE TOM T. HALL SADLY DEPARTED THE SCENE AT THE AGE OF 85 ON FRIDAY 20 AUGUST 2021 NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN AND REMEMBERED MOST FONDLY FOREVER BY ALL OF THOSE WHO EVER KNEW HIM, MET HIM OR SAW HIM PLAY LIVE - THANKS FOR EVERYTHING TOM - WE WILL REMEMBER. = REMEMBRANCE =.
@vergiemoore9209
Love this song
@TheresaRichard
My daddy loved Tom T and he taught me to love Tom T too
@rose473
I used to sing this song to my little girls and rock them. they loved it. I thought they had forgotten all about it. Then last night on FB, my daughter put this song on her page, saying it made her think of her mom! I love Tom T Hall
@williamrobinson9800
❤
@Burts81chevy
one of the absolute best songwriters ever bar none !!!!!!!
@briang6040
My grand dad and I use to listen to Tom T. Hall on his 8-track all the time when I was young. Real country!
@perrynay1533
My son turned me on to Tom T Hall. And I'm thankful..