Tom T. Hall, the legendary country music songwriter and performer, has passed away at the age of 85. His son, Dean Hall, confirmed that Tom died at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. Tom composed hundreds of songs and was known as “the storyteller” for the way he was able to use lyrics to help listeners connect with the characters in his songs. He will be most remembered by the smash hit, Harper Valley PTA (lyrics below), which was made popular by Jeannie C. Riley’s performance (video below).
Hall began his career in the 1960s and is credited with ushering in the literary era of country music in the 1970s along with Kris Kristofferson, John Hartford and Mickey Newbury.
Some of his songs were political and others just told fun stories. He said in an interview in 1986: “In all my writing, I’ve never made judgments. I think that’s my secret. I’m a witness. I just watch everything and don´t decide if it’s good or bad.”
Some of his other hits included Watergate Blues, The Monkey That Became President, and The Year Clayton Delaney Died.
Jason Isbell performed Hall’s song Mama Bake A Pie (Daddy Kill A Chicken) when Hall was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2019. Upon hearing the news of Tom’s passing, Isbell said, “The simplest words that told the most complicated stories. Felt like Tom T. just caught the songs as they floated by, but I know he carved them out of rock.”
Here are the lyrics to one of his biggest hits, Harper Valley PTA. Scroll down to see a video of it being performed by Jeannie C. Riley.
I wanna tell you all a story ’bout
A Harper Valley widowed wife
Who had a teenage daughter
Who attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well, her daughter came home one afternoon
And didn’t even stop to play
And she said, “mom, I got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA”
Well, the note said, “Mrs. Johnson
You’re wearin’ your dresses way too high
It’s reported you’ve been drinking
And a-running ’round with men and goin’ wild
And we don’t believe you oughta be a-bringin’ up
Your little girl this way”
And it was signed by the Secretary
Harper Valley PTA
Well, it happened that the PTA was gonna meet
That very afternoon
And they were sure surprised
When Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard
I can still recall the words she had to say
She said, “I’d like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA
Well, there’s Bobby Taylor sittin’ there
And seven times he’s asked me for a date
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lotta ice
Whenever he’s away
And Mr. Baker can you tell us why
Your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn’t widow Jones be told to keep
Her window shades all pulled completely down
Well, Mr. Harper couldn’t be here
‘Cause he stayed too long at Kelly’s Bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson’s breath
You’ll find she’s had a little nip of gin
And then you have the nerve to tell me
You think that as the mother I’m not fit
Well, this is just a little Peyton Place
And you’re all Harper Valley hypocrites”
No, I wouldn’t put you on because it really did
It happened just this way
The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
The day my mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
Rest in peace, Tom. You will be missed.