Johnny recorded as a member of the 1980's southern rock band The Johnny Van Zant Band which released albums in 1980, 1981 and 1982. The band shortened its name to Van Zant for the release of its fourth album in 1985, the eponymous Van Zant, which saw some chart success with "You've Got to Believe in Love" and "I'm a Fighter". However, this band was not the same as the current version of Van Zant and did not include brother Donnie.
Johnny released another album under his full name in 1990, but spent most of his time in that period singing for the Lynyrd Skynyrd reunion group. He joined up with Donnie, and they revived the Van Zant name to release an album in 1998, which led to a follow up album in 2001. They have also released two albums to the country music format: 2005's Get Right with the Man and 2007's My Kind of Country. Overall, the group has had two singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks charts (the prior incarnation of Van Zant also had two), and six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.
The Hardest Thing
Van Zant Lyrics
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There's been three generations that's been workin' the land
Here's his granddaddy's ghost sayin'
?Son, everyone gotta face the long hard truth?
And it might be up to you to do
The hardest thing you'll ever have to do
You do your best and leave the rest
To chance, fate, God or grace
Whatever gets you through
She can't stand the fear in her little boy's eyes
Dad has come home actin' crazy too many times
My mamma's on the telephone line saying
?Child, sometimes you gotta think about mournin' you?
And you might be forced to chose
The hardest thing you'll ever have to do
Holdin' on, lettin' go, right or wrong, it's hard to know
You do your best, leave the rest
To chance, fate, God or grace
Whatever gets you through, whatever gets you through
Now everybody's gonna find themselves a fork in the road
No clear direction, wondering which way to go
And it hurts like hell, your conscience burns
Any way you turn you lose
Sometimes just getting through might be
The hardest thing you'll ever have to do
Holdin' on, lettin' go, right or wrong, it's hard to know
You do your best and leave the rest
To chance, fate, God or grace
Whatever gets you through, whatever gets you through, yeah
The hardest thing
(The hardest thing, the hardest thing)
It might be your hardest thing to do, yeah
(The hardest thing, the hardest thing)
The hardest thing, the hardest thing
The hardest thing, the hardest thing
(You just might face your own truth)
The hardest thing, the hardest thing
The Van Zant song "The Hardest Thing" explores the themes of making difficult decisions and facing the consequences of those decisions. The lyrics describe two separate individuals who are facing difficult situations. The first individual is dealing with the harsh realities of life, such as financial problems and generational obligations. The second individual is coping with family issues, such as the aftermath of an abusive parent. Both individuals are presented with the option to either hold on or let go, with no clear answer to which would be the right decision.
The chorus repeats the phrase, "The hardest thing you'll ever have to do," which emphasizes the theme of the song- that life is full of difficult decisions that require courage and strength to face. The repetition of the chorus also creates a sense of unity between the two separate individuals, as both are equally faced with hard choices.
The song's structure also reflects the theme of the song. The verses are structured similarly, with the first two lines introducing the individual and their situation and the next two lines offering advice or reminders from "ghosts" of previous generations or from other loved ones. This repetition of structure reinforces the idea that regardless of the situation, hard decisions must be made.
Overall, "The Hardest Thing" by Van Zant is a poignant reflection on the challenges of life. Through the use of its lyrics and structure, the song provides a sense of unity and courage for individuals facing difficult situations.
Line by Line Meaning
He's got a mountain of bills, he's got dirt on his hands
He has a big pile of expenses to pay off and his hands are covered in soil, indicating that he's a hardworking man
There's been three generations that's been workin' the land
His family has been cultivating this farmland for more than three generations
Here's his granddaddy's ghost sayin',
"Son, everyone gotta face the long hard truth"
The grandfather's apparition appears to provide guidance, pointing out that everyone must accept the harsh reality eventually
And it might be up to you to do
The hardest thing you'll ever have to do
It could be decided that he has to make a challenging decision that will take a lot out of him
Holdin' on, lettin' go, right or wrong, it's hard to know
You do your best and leave the rest
To chance, fate, God or grace
Whatever gets you through
It's difficult to decide whether to hold on or let go and to know which choice is correct. It's advised to do one's best and let the rest be resolved by destiny or a higher power.
She can't stand the fear in her little boy's eyes
Dad has come home actin' crazy too many times
My mamma's on the telephone line saying
"Child, sometimes you gotta think about mournin' you"
The woman can't tolerate the terror in her youngster's eyes as a result of their father's erratic behaviour, and her mother is counselling her to put herself ahead of her husband's mental health
And you might be forced to choose
The hardest thing you'll ever have to do
She may be compelled to make a difficult decision that would take a lot out of her
Now everybody's gonna find themselves a fork in the road
No clear direction, wondering which way to go
And it hurts like hell, your conscience burns
Any way you turn you lose
Everyone will eventually come upon a point in their lives where they have to make a tough decision without a clear answer, and no matter what they pick, it will be difficult to deal with.
Sometimes just getting through might be
The hardest thing you'll ever have to do
Surviving the tough times may be the most difficult challenge someone will face in their life
The hardest thing
(The hardest thing, the hardest thing)
It might be your hardest thing to do, yeah
(The hardest thing, the hardest thing)
The hardest thing, the hardest thing
The hardest thing, the hardest thing
(You just might face your own truth)
The hardest thing, the hardest thing
Doing the right thing at a moment of difficulty may be the most gruelling challenge someone will encounter in life, but accepting one's reality may also be part of it.
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
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