Today’s post was written by Paul.
When I was little and Pap would sit around and sing random songs to pass the time, “My Tears Have Washed ‘I Love You’ from the Blackboard of My Heart” is one that he would sometimes sing, though he only remembered the first verse.
When I started to pick and sing, I asked him who sang that song, and he told me that it was Hank Thompson.
Hank Thompson was once one of the biggest acts in country music, known for having an exceptionally good, exceptionally large band. They played western swing style, and Hank wrote some really good, really catchy songs.
Pap was an admiring fan of Thompson, for his songs, and for his solid, clear, baritone vocal. Unlike me and most of my favorite country singers, Hank Thompson used no vibrato when he sang. I bet he would have made an excellent disc jockey because of the deep clarity of his voice. He sang with a lot of personality and did not seem to copy anyone.
Sometime when I was in my early 40’s, someone bought me a Hank Thompson 2-disc collection for Christmas. I think it might have been Tipper. It had “My Tears Have Washed ‘I Love You’ from the Blackboard of My Heart” on it.
A quick glance online seems to indicate that Hank put out this song in the early to mid ’50’s, if not before, though he recorded it again in the 60’s. Hank had another song that was kind of based on a nursery rhyme about three men in a boat. I wonder if the success of that song could have inspired him to write this song, which starts out with a brief focus on childhood things. That’s just a guess or curiosity on my part, though, because I haven’t checked to see which of the two songs came first.
Most kids today would have no idea what a blackboard or chalk board is.
Hank had a great song called “Crying in the Deep Blue Sea.” It had all sorts of catchy lines. One of them was in 2nd person to the speaker of the song from the lady who was leaving him. It said, “‘Cause I’m a hot wire and you’re a flat tire, and I’m letting you go, you see.”
I used to make a lot of tapes for my nephew, Ben, when he was young. I guess you would call them mix tapes of classic country music. Apparently, I made one for him that had “Crying in the Deep Blue Sea” on it. It made me laugh and shake my head when I learned that his little sister, April, who was only in grammar school at the time, had used the “flat tire” line to rebuff a little boy in her class who was pursuing her romantically on the bus. 🙂 Her parents, Steve and Kim, didn’t know where in the world she had gotten that line. I knew immediately.
I hope you enjoyed this old timey song that I first heard from Pap. Maybe one day I’ll fully learn it and work out a better arrangement. I really like the song, and I think the right audience might like it too.
Follow this link for mine and Ben’s cover of Hank’s song “I Cast a Lonesome Shadow.” And you can hear Pap and I sing another Hank Thompson song here—”Today My World Ended.”
Paul
Original singles released on Spotify.
Shepherd of My Soul (Album released in 2016).
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Hank’s Brazos Valley Boys was always a group of top notch musicians!! I believe at one time the legendary Merle Travis was his lead guitar player..
Happy Sunday!
Fun toe tapping tune!
You sang it well, Paul.
In grammar school I was often called upon to write out questions and math problems on the blackboard. I am left handed but I write better than the right handed writers write.
Your singing and playing in this song was great. I never heard it before, but it was a sweet little song. Hope you and everyone here have a blessed Sunday.
Loved the songs. I must tell you something. Your granny does make the best tater cakes. I’ve been in search of my mothers way of making them for about 50 years and I’ve never matched hers. But today I made them following your mothers recipe and way of cooking. What do you know, I found the same tastes I remember from the 60’s. Thank you and bless you and yours.
Gary-that is wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Great job Paul! I agree most of today’s generation are not familiar with a blackboard or chalkboard. I remember how in the lower grades we raised our hands at the end of the day to go and beat the easers outside against an old building so they would be ready for the next day. Hands didn’t go up as quick to wash the blackboards, lol. Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!!
Happy Sunday Paul, Granny and all the family – blessing to each of you – and thank you for sharing this old timey.
The only punishment I can think of worse than the death penalty or life in prison would be to have to wear Hank Thompson’s (or Porter Wagner’s, et al) suit for the rest of your life.
“Country Music” evokes thoughts of a maid humming as she sits on a milking stool or a young lad whistling as he’s pitching hay.
I don’t see a correlation between the two! Is that a fault of mine?
Not only would today’s students not know what a blackboard is neither would most of the younger teachers. We had a tech glitch at school shutting down the internet and WiFi for two days. The younger teachers panicked. It’s always great to hear Paul play and sing.
I certainly remember the big old black boards with the chalk and eraser tray below and a band of cursive alphabet above. I also remember us boys liked to get the assignment to go outside and dust the erasers. What a thrill! Out of the classroom, on our own outside while everybody else just envied you. I remember class exercises of doing long division on the blackboard with your back to the room and sweating bullets about getting it right. To this day, the smell of chalk dust is like a time machine – takes you right back to those old buildings and hot rooms before air conditioning. And in my case, the smell of linseed oil in the sawdust on the oak floors.
I remember that green sawdust!
God bless you friends thank you for praying for me, the doctor has given me antibiotics, I’m waiting on the Lord’s healing, God bless you Paul, thank you for the song, God bless you and your family in Jesus name
Yes, I’m afraid many of today’s generation are unfamiliar with the words chalk and blackboard. I imagine today it would be something like “My Tears Have Deleted I Love You From The Inbox of My Heart” lol.
Dear Paul,
Your voice soundly especially smooth and beautiful in this song! I’d never heard this song before, but I really like it. I always enjoy your commentaries, which are so well written and give a wonderful insight into the songwriters and the singers. Thank you so much!! I love listening to you and Granny also! God bless you both and keep you happy and healthy.
Blessings, Jackie
Anytime I think of Hank Thompson, I think of his song “The Wild Side of Life.” I like the line about the flat tire, my deceased daughter was named April, I can picture her saying something like that. I joke and say when I was going to school, it was sand piles, chalk boards and erasers, none of today’s modern technology. If we had got caught caught with a calculator we would have been sent to the office. By the way we would have probably called it an “adding machine.”
Fun song!! Enjoyed it!
Randy—ok, now you have to tell me April’s favorite flower/color!! My purple snapdragon came back from seed last month and is blooming beautifully now. Also, I started growing a lavender plant which I have been wanting to do for several years.
I must tell you my stepson passed in 2016 and some time later one of his friends planted a tree in his backyard for his family. It brings me joy when I see it or think of it still. So sorry your two very special ladies are no longer with you but I guess God has plans for you yet!
Carol, my daughter died from an ATV accident on Sept.15, 2012, she was 32 years old. Nothing like Daddy’s girl. She left me two grandsons. One is 25 years old and the younger one is 19 and he spent this weekend with me. I am very proud of both of them, both are working and doing real well, none of this wild running around. Her coworkers told about how April could keep them laughing with some of the remarks she would say. I guess she learned that from me and her Granddaddy. Farther’s Day will be coming up soon, I remember and have the card put up from the last Father’s Day before she died, it said I am who I am because of you, I teased her and told her she was not blaming it on me. She thought that was so funny.
She also liked the color purple, so the flower you planted or have can be for both her and my wife. I am glad your flower is doing good. Your wanting to do this means more to me and my son and grandsons mean more to use than any words I might say or write. Thank you
I am sorry about your stepson, is there anything I can do for you?
Nothing really, thanks! We so enjoyed seeing the grandsons at our other son’s wedding in March. Their dad would be so proud of them!! But oddly, he died in an ATV accident as well.