Hard Ain't It Hard
Love's Turmoil in Woody Guthrie's "Hard Ain't It Hard
Lyrics
There is a house in this old town,
Refers to a house in the town.
And that's where my true love lays around.
Indicates that the speaker's true love spends time at that house.
And he takes other women right down on his knee
Suggests that the true love is unfaithful, taking other women onto his knee (showing affection).
And he tells them a little tale he won't tell me.
Highlights the lover's secrecy, as he tells tales to other women but not to the speaker.
It's a-hard and it's hard, ain't it hard
Expresses the difficulty (hardship) of the situation.
To love one that never did love you?
Ponders the challenge of loving someone who doesn't reciprocate.
It's a-hard, and it's hard, ain't it hard, great God,
Reiterates the hardship and emphasizes it with a plea to God.
To love one that never will be true?
Repeats the difficulty, questioning the possibility of true love.
First time I seen my true love
Recalls the first encounter with the true love walking by the speaker's door.
He was walkin' by my door.
Describes a subsequent sighting of the true love with no specific details.
The next time I saw his false hearted smile
Notes a change in the true love's demeanor, referring to a false-hearted smile.
He was layin' dead and cold on floor.
Reveals a tragic turn of events with the true love found dead on the floor.
Well, who's goin' to kiss your ruby lips,
Ponders who will have intimate moments with the true love.
And who's goin' to hold you to his breast?
Asks who will embrace the true love.
And who will talk your future over
Questions who will discuss the future with the true love while the speaker is away.
While I'm out ramblin' in the West?
References the speaker's absence and travels in the West.
Don't go to drinkin' or to gamblin',
Advises against resorting to drinking or gambling to cope with sorrows.
Don't go there your sorrows to drown.
Warns against drowning sorrows in a disreputable place.
That hard-liquor place is a low-down disgrace,
Labels the hard-liquor place as a disgraceful and mean establishment.
It's the meanest old place in this town
Characterizes the liquor place as the worst in the town.
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