Some songs just seem to go right to the heart of what connects us all, especially when the subject is hard times.
This song from a recent Flood rehearsal is often considered a classic example of the old notion of singing the blues to get rid of the blues. Historically the tune also represented liminal moments for two distinctively different musical artists.
About the Song
As noted in an earlier Flood Watch article, Ray Charles wrote and recorded “Hard Times (Who Knows Better Than I?)” in the mid-1950s during a period of heavy creative output at Atlantic Records.
But the song languished in the Atlantic vault until the September 1961 release of The Genius Sings The Blues, a highly praised compilation of some of Charles’s earlier singles along with some previously unreleased stuff.
While Brother Ray rarely spoke at length about composing these tracks, the origin of “Hard Times” seems deeply rooted in his personal history, especially his relationship with his mother, Aretha Robinson, who died when he was still a teenager.
The song also is another marker for those who follow the Ray Charles story. By the early 1960s, Charles had largely stopped writing his own material to focus on interpreting others’ work, making “Hard Times” one of his last significant original compositions.
The Eric Clapton Connection
Three decades later, “Hard Times” marks a period of transition for a great artist of the next generation.
Eric Clapton, having recently overcome his battles with drug addiction, viewed his 1989 Journeyman recording sessions as a way to further master his craft, focusing on his love for blues.
The lyrics of “Hard Times,” which deal with personal struggle and perseverance, resonated with that personal journey.
The song has stayed in the Clapton repertoire. It was later featured on his 1991 live album 24 Nights, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. More recently in 2025, he revisited it, playing on a cover for Nathan East’s collaborative album with his son Noah, titled Father Son.
For more of the back story of ”Hard Times,” check out this earlier Flood Watch article.
