For the Sake of the Song: John Hartford “In Tall Buildings”

Who would have thought such an innocuous title could resonate so deeply?  I first heard this song when Hannah Read performed it as she opened for John Smith at 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 well-recognised and decorated composer, musician, singer, and songwriter of countless such gems. Perhaps his most successful and well-known work being three-time Grammy winner ‘Gentle on My Mind’, 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 since been covered an untold number of times. Artists who have covered it other than Hannah Read, to name but 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 critiques the conventional path of modern life, notably the transition from youth to adulthood and retirement. The first verse begins with a young person contemplating their future as an adult and the ensuing loss of freedom and individuality that conforming to the corporate world is perceived to mean. “Someday, my baby, when I am a man, and others have taught me the best that they can, they’ll sell me a suit, they’ll cut off my hair and send me to work in tall buildings“. Such thought-provoking and universal concerns continue through the second verse with the words: “When I’m retired, my life is my own, I made all the payments, it’s time to go home, and wonder what happened betwixt and between, when I went to work in tall buildings“, showing a sense of regret that pursuing a career may have led to missing out on other more meaningful life experiences.

Hartford’s use of simple, evocative language, the charming melody, and the recurring chorus drive home the emotional weight of the transition as it captures 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 cost of personal well-being. “I’m off to the subway, I must not be late, I’m going to work in tall buildings“, symbolising an environment that demands punctuality, routine, and even, at times, a sense of urgency.

Written at a time when the US economy was emerging from a recession, you would think having work 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 it is at the expense of personal fulfilment and connection with nature. Furthermore, though, it is an insightful analysis of the values and priorities that drive modern life for the masses, perhaps urging a balance between professional ambitions and preserving one’s inner self. Something, it would seem, musicians in their droves ascribe to, given not least to the number of covers that are out there.

Please take a moment to listen to it by Hartford, any of the performers mentioned above or below, or any of the myriad others who have covered it, for that matter. Admire its beauty and wonder why it is largely under the radar – that is one of life’s many mysteries.