I saw Tom T. Hall at the Arizona State Fair right before he retired from performing in the 1990s. He was drunk -- but then, so were we all. I loved him.
Reports of his death this week at age 85 always mention that he wrote "Harper Valley P.T.A." which became a hit for Jeannie C. Riley in 1968. Admonished for wearing miniskirts, the mother in the song outs her very hypocritical attackers.
But Hall's most memorable song, in my opinion, was "(Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine," which recites the wisdom of an elderly janitor Hall meets in a bar.
"Ever had a drink of watermelon wine?" he asked
He told me all about it, though I didn't answer back
"Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime
But old dogs and children and watermelon wine"
He said, "Women think about they-selves, when menfolk ain't around
And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down"
He said, "I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime
Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine"
"Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes
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