Hard Hearted Hannah

About Hard Hearted Hannah

”Hard Hearted Hannah, the Vamp of Savannah” is a popular song with words by Jack Yellen, Bob Bigelow, and Charles Bates, and music by Milton Ager. The song was published in June 1924 by Ager, Yellen & Bornstein, Inc., New York. “Hard Hearted Hannah” tells in humorous fashion the story of a "vamp" or femme fatale from Savannah, Georgia "the meanest gal in town." Hannah is "a gal who loves to see men suffer." Popularized by vocalist Margaret Young, it also had early recordings by vocalists Lucille Hegamin and Dolly Kay, Vernon Dalhart in 1924, Herb Wiedoeft's band (1924) and by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra. A quarter century later Peggy Lee revived "Hannah" very successfully for Capitol Records, and the Ray Charles Singers made a hit version for Decca. The song has been recorded numerous times by such performers as Patti Austin, Belle Baker, The Bronson Singers, The Buffalo Bills, Jim Croce, Bobby Darin, Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards, Ella Fitzgerald, Sue Keller, Stacey Kent, Julie London, Joyce Moody, Turk Murphy, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Nancy Sinatra, Kay Starr, Pat Suzuki, The Temperance Seven, Toni Tennille, Mary Testa, Sophie Tucker and Margaret Whiting. Memorable television or film performances of the song include those by Carol Burnett, Peggy Lee, Dorothy Loudon, Ella Fitzgerald (on Pete Kelly's Blues), and Beatrice Arthur on Maude and The Golden Girls. The song was performed by vampire Bill Compton (played by Stephen Moyer) in the sixth episode of the second season of the HBO show True Blood, also called Hard-Hearted Hannah; Dolly Kay's recording of the song plays over the final credits. It is known that the Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky was fond of this song. He heard it during his first trip to the United States and later referred to it in his influential essay How to Make Poems. He also asked his friend, the translator Rita Rait-Kovaleva, to translate the song for him, but due to his heavy accent, she couldn't understand a word of what he was singing. In season 1 of American Idol, contestant Nikki McKibbin sang this song in the finals where she ended up in the Bottom 3. more »

Year:

2001

3:00

23 Views

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In old Savannah
I said Savannah
The weather there is nice and warm
The climate`s of a southern brand

But here`s what I don`t understand
They`ve got a gal there
A pretty gal there
Who`s colder than an artic storm

Got a heart just like a stone
Even nice men leave her alone
They call her "hard hearted Hannah"
The vamp of Savannah

The meanest gal in town
Leather is tough, but Hannah`s heart is tougher
She`s a gal who loves to see men suffer
To tease them and thrill `em

To torture and kill `em
Is her delight they say
I saw her at the seashore with a great big pan
There was Hannah pourin` water on a drownin` man

She`s hard hearted Hannah
The vamp of Savannah, G-A
The call her "hard hearted Hannah"
The vamp of Savannah

The meanest gal in town
Talk of your cold, refridgerating mamas
Brotha she`s a polar bear`s pajamas
To tease them and thrill `em

To torture and kill `em
Is her delight they say
An evening spent with Hannah sitting on your knees
Is like travelin` through Alaska in your BVDs

She`s hard hearted Hannah 
The vamp of Savannah, G-A
Can you imagine a woman as cold as Hannah?
She`s got the right name "the vamp of Savannah"

Anytime a woman can take a great big pan
Start pourin` water on a drownin` man
She`s hard hearted Hannah
The vamp of Savannah, G-A

Spoken: Ooh! She`s sweet as sour milk.

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Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella", was an American jazz and song vocalist. With a vocal range spanning three octaves (D♭3 to D♭6), she was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. more »

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