John Hartford “In Tall Buildings” – Americana UK

Who would have thought that such an innocent title would make such a deep impression?
I first heard this song when Hannah Read sang it as the opening act for John Smith at the Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, in September 2021, and it was utterly captivating. With a delicate and thoughtful intro and simple yet poignant, profound and reflective content.
Of course, John Hartford is the recognized and decorated composer, musician, singer and songwriter of countless such gems. Perhaps his most successful and well-known work is the three-time Grammy winner ‘Soft for my spirit’, made famous by Glen Campbell.
But back to ‘In tall buildings.
First released in 1972 on Hartford’s ‘Radio John album, ‘In tall buildings has been covered countless times since then. Artists who have covered it, besides Hannah Read, to name a few, include Max Gomez, Gillian Welch, Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle. There is also an exceptionally sentimental duet by Nanci Griffith with Jamie (son of John) Hartford.
‘In tall buildings sentimentally criticizes the conventional path of modern life, especially the transition from youth to adulthood and retirement. The first verse begins with a young person contemplating his future as an adult and the subsequent loss of freedom and individuality that is seen as conforming to the corporate world.
“One day, my baby, when I am a man and others have taught me the best they can, they will sell me a suit, cut my hair and send me to work in tall buildings..”
Such thought-provoking and universal concerns are continued in the second verse with the words: “When I retire, my life is mine, I’ve made all the payments, it’s time to go home and wonder what happened in the meantime, when I went to work in high rise buildings“, which shows a sense of regret that pursuing a career has resulted in missing out on other, more meaningful life experiences.
Hartford’s use of simple, evocative language, the charming melody and the recurring chorus emphasise the emotional weight of the transition, while capturing the daily grind of urban life: “It’s goodbye to the sunshine, goodbye to the dew, goodbye to the flowers and goodbye to you“ – all things that are at the expense of personal well-being.”I’m going to the subway, I can’t be late, I’m going to work in tall buildings“, which symbolizes an environment that requires punctuality, routine and sometimes even a sense of urgency.

Written at a time when the American economy was emerging from a recession, you’d think that having a job to go to would be considered a good thing. But the song is about more than that. Yes, it critiques modern societal expectations to follow a conventional career path, suggesting that this comes at the expense of personal fulfillment and connection to nature. Beyond that, though, it’s an insightful examination of the values ​​and priorities that drive modern life for the masses, and perhaps advocating for a balance between professional ambition and preserving one’s inner self. Something that musicians seem to hold dear in droves, not least given the number of covers out there.
Take a moment to listen to Hartford, one of the artists mentioned above or below, or one of the countless others who have covered it. Admire its beauty and wonder why it largely flies under the radar – that is one of life’s many mysteries.

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