Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine by Tom T. Hall

Tom T. Hall's, "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine", has been at the top of my favorite songs list for decades. There has always been a somewhat soulful melancholic feeling to the song. One of regret, or perhaps a remembrance of past mistakes or misplaced priority. A shedding of all things that no longer seem important. In many ways, this is a man's song. It speaks to the heart of a man that has lived a full life.

I have placed two separate renditions of "Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine". The two performance take place at different times in Hall's career. Both are outstanding but it is in the second video, performed in 2011, that a much older Hall really shows the depth of his understanding of his old song. It is a deeply poignant song made all the richer by a voice that has developed a patina of sorts, weathered by the years and a lifetime of experience. The performance is a simple one, devoid of theatrics and distractions. Just a man and his guitar but it is a moving performance.You can see it in the audience. They are spellbound. The song strikes an emotional chord with me. I consider this song to be, not only one of the all time great Country & Western songs but one of the great songs.of any genre. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.



On the second video Hall chats with the audience for a few minutes. If you want to skip the talk go to the 3:50 minute mark on the video.