Hang on to a Dream: The Verve Recordings

Hang on to a Dream: The Verve Recordings

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
An introspective, obsessive artist, Tim Hardin wrote songs that many better-known singers turned to--Marianne Faithfull, Astrud Gilberto, Rod Stewart, Johnny Cash; likewise his "If I Were a Carpenter" has become a virtual standard--but Hardin's own versions are uniquely moving and must be heard. His confessions are soaked in a hieratic, trembling moan, a soft piano or guitar, a keen way of seeing inside every line, and jazz- and blues-influenced phrasing (Hardin sounds like a more urgent, haunted Mose Alison). The Verve collection captures nearly all the great songs, and the visceral pain and illuminating wisdom that was Hardin's genius. --Roy Francis Kasten

Tracks:

Don't Make Promises
Green Rocky Road
Smugglin' Man
How Long
While You're On Your Way
It'll Never Happen Agian
Reason To Believe
Never Too Far
Part Of The Wind
Ain't Gonna Do Without
Misty Roses
How Can We Hang On To A Dream
If I Were A Carpenter
Red Ballon
Black Sheep Boy
Lady Came From Baltimore
Baby Close It's Eyes
You Upset The Grace Of Living When You Lie
Speak Like A Child
See Where You Are And Get Out
It's Hard To Believe In Love For Long
Tribute To Hank Williams
While You're On Your Way alternate version
It'll Never Happen Agian alternate version

Tracks:

Airmobile
Whiskey, Whiskey
Seventh Son
Danville Dame
House Of The Rising Sun
Bo Diddley
I Can't Slow Down
Hello Baby
Rolling Stone
You Got A Reputation
Keep Your Hands Off Her
Nobody Knows You (When You're Down And Out)
Hootchie Kootchie Man
So Glad You're Mine
You Can't Judge A Book By It's Cover
She Ain't Home
You Say You Love Me
How Time Flies
You Can Ruin A Man
If I Knew
She's Up To Something New
Who'll Be The Man
First Love Song

Amazon.com

An introspective, obsessive artist, Tim Hardin wrote songs that many better-known singers turned to--Marianne Faithfull, Astrud Gilberto, Rod Stewart, Johnny Cash; likewise his "If I Were a Carpenter" has become a virtual standard--but Hardin's own versions are uniquely moving and must be heard. His confessions are soaked in a hieratic, trembling moan, a soft piano or guitar, a keen way of seeing inside every line, and jazz- and blues-influenced phrasing (Hardin sounds like a more urgent, haunted Mose Alison). The Verve collection captures nearly all the great songs, and the visceral pain and illuminating wisdom that was Hardin's genius. --Roy Francis Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2006-11-09

Haven't heard this sound track for years. I am very happy to once again have it as part of my collection.

Very disappointing.......2005-04-30

I bought this album thinking it was a greatest hits compilation of Tim's Verve years. Instead, this seems to be a compilation of demo tapes. The audio quality isn't bad, but most of the cuts are a minute and a half long or so. Many have either very spare instrumention or odd ones, like string sections. Tim sounds fine, but if you're looking for the familiar versions of stuff on Tim Hardin 1-3 or so, forget it. This aint it.

an essential collection.......2002-03-21

this 2 cd set includes hardin's work for verve records, a sixties label that also featured some of the " bosstown sound" acts, as well as luminaries like the velvet underground and the blues project, among others. the second cd consists of outtakes and hardin's not so great tim hardin 4 album. it's alright, but nothing special
the first cd contains numerous classics. the man's work has been covered by bobby darin, the four tops, scott walker, robert plant, rod stewart, the small faces, the psychedelic band gandalf, zz top's frank beard and dusty hill's early outfit american blues, and numerous others. this shows how highly regarded hardin's work was by his contemporaries, bob dylan apparently claimed that hardin was either THE, or one of the, country's greatest living songwriters.
hardin's work is a model of simplicity, and that's why so much of his material is so great. his plaintive, yet powerful vocals are another testament to the importance of the material. this first cd is chock full of classic tunes. many of the best tunes can also be found on the various best of compilations out there, this 2 cd set is for big hardin fans. people with a mild interest in the singer would probably be better off buying a cheaper and briefer disc to start out with.
hardin isn't really a folk singer, his stuff is more jazzy and bluesy. his phrasing is excellent. there are too many classics to list,suffice it to say that the first two hardin records, tim hardin 1 and 2, are simply essential. the song i'm into lately are two that don't show up too often on best of hardin releases: never too far and part of the wind, from his debut. his work will be appreciated by those who like brevity ( most cuts are under three minutes, and many under two!), vocal clarity, and melancholy ballads with a jazzy flavor. little of this is topical, hardin was apparently rather apolitical. hardin is yet another musician who is more appreciated today than at the time, it's too bad he never had any real prolonged success in terms of reaching a large audience. sadly, hardin died in 1980, leaving us these two beautiful early recordings to remember him by.

IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.......2000-11-17

and it it just might not, worth the admission fee for two versions of the above title which remains a haunting beautiful ballad. Tim Hardin has touched everyone and his influence runs deeper than most, listening to disc one confirms this with Red Balloon, Black Sheep Boy,Reason To Believe, all popular covers these days by luminaries such as Paul Weller and Dr Robert. Buy it as an lntroduction to the man, like I did, or as a completist, either way just buy it!!

exotic when listened to in norwich, england..........1999-01-26

On the John Peel show in October, British band Quickspace led by the lo-fi king Tom Cullinan did a cover of Tim Hardins' "If I were a Carpenter." faster and repetitive in the Quickspace kinda way, It got me interested in checking out Hardin - so I did. Hang on to a dream is the perfect way into the world of Hardin, this twists my telescope.

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