Tom T Hall - In Search Of A Song

Tall tales of smalltown folk

HHH As a songwriter in the 60s, Hall made a name for himself by addressing uncomfortable political and social issues. Hello Vietnam, a US country chart-topper for Johnnie Wright, was at the time the most controversial record ever to be played on Nashville radio, while Jeannie C Riley’s Harper Valley PTA brought dignity to unwed mothers.

In Search Of A Song, first issued in 1971, was an altogether cosier set of tunes: pocket portraits of honest homespun folk just trying to get by. There’s a comic edge to Tulsa Telephone Book and The Little Lady Preacher, although Hall hints at more serious concerns on Who’s Gonna Feed Them Hogs?, as a farmer struggles against poor health.

An eye for the tiniest of details adds to Hall’s charm, as does a knack for the kind of good-humoured storytelling that also marks out the best work of Jimmy Buffet or Waylon Jennings. His core audience clearly recognise themselves in his songs, and that’s a trick very few performers can pull off with such verve.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Hip-O Select/Universal Import B | 000424002

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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