Música

A dupla caipira contemporânea Gillian Welch and David Rawlings se apresenta normalmente assim: dois violões ou violão e banjo e duas vozes.  Como toda a boa canção parece que ela fala comigo, apesar da história sobre um lavrador miserável e sua mula amada dando duro o dia inteiro não ter nada a ver comigo. "Quando o dia encomprida como ele tem encompridado esses dias" eu também me lembro do refrão dessa canção tão simples e tão tocante: "esses tempos difíceis não vão tomar conta da minha cabeça". O lavrador perdeu sua mula e já não canta mais, diz a canção, então chegou a hora de outros vozes humildes, exaustas, vivendo de vinho e lágrimas pegar os instrumentos e cantar essa canção e dançar até "tirar a poeira das rachaduras do chão".  

Hard Times

Gillian Welch and David Rawling

There was a camp town man. 

Used to plow and sing

'n he loved that mule and the mule loved him
When the day got long as it does about now
I'd hear him singing to his mule cow

Calling, "Come on my sweet old girl, and I'll bet the whole damn world
That we're gonna make it yet to the end of the row"
Singing "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind.
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, Bessie.
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more."

Said it's a mean old world, heavy in need.
And that big machine is just picking up speed.
And we're supping on tears, and we're supping on wine.
We all get to heaven in our own sweet time.

So come all you Asheville boys and turn up your old-time noise

And kick 'til the dust comes up from the cracks in the floor
Singing, "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, brother.
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind.
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more."

But the camp town man, he doesn't plow no more.
I seen him walking down to the cigarette store.
Guess he lost that knack and he forgot that song.
Woke up one morning and the mule was gone.

So come on, you ragtime kings 

and come on, you dogs, and sing
And pick up a dusty old horn and give it a blow,
Playing, "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, honey
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, sugar
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more."