Really Hard is track six on the 1986 James album Stutter and track eleven on the 1989 live album One Man Clapping.
Originally titled Riddley Ya because of the phonetics Tim uses frequently when writing lyrics, Really Hard was performed on a John Peel Session in 1985.
It has made returns to the setlist on a number of tours, most notably the 2007 reunion tour and the 2011 orchestra tour.
Details
LyricsListenReleaseAvailable OnGigsGuitar Tabs
To be loving when the knives are out
Takes much courage and a mind without doubt
I'm just some robot, wind up the clock
Work jerk
Trying to impress is the nature of my work
And it's so hard to remain open
If it's true, it can't be spoken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Rhetoriticans think they're running this show
Words as power is all they'll ever know
I'm just some reflex
When struck, the knee will jerk
Trying to impress, trying to impress is the nature of our work
And it's so hard to remain open
If you bend, you won't get broken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Wake up from this dreaming state
Her lungs scream out, it's not too late
I am dying to begin
I am dying to begin again
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Takes much courage and a mind without doubt
I'm just some robot, wind up the clock
Work jerk
Trying to impress is the nature of my work
And it's so hard to remain open
If it's true, it can't be spoken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Rhetoriticans think they're running this show
Words as power is all they'll ever know
I'm just some reflex
When struck, the knee will jerk
Trying to impress, trying to impress is the nature of our work
And it's so hard to remain open
If you bend, you won't get broken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Wake up from this dreaming state
Her lungs scream out, it's not too late
I am dying to begin
I am dying to begin again
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
| Song: | Really Hard |
| Released: | 21st July 1986 |
| Main Associated Album (or Single): | Stutter |
| First Heard Live: | London Hammersmith Riverside – 12th May 1985 |
- Stutter acetate :Promo, Album, 1986
- Stutter promo tape :Promo, Album, 1986
- Stutter :Studio, Album, 1986
- One Man Clapping :Live, Album, 1989
- The Gathering Sound :Compilation, Box Set, 2012
- Justhipper (Compilation) :Compilation, Album, 2017
- Gateshead Sage – 2nd November 2011
- Liverpool Philharmonic – 28th October 2011
- Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – 25th October 2011
- Birmingham Symphony Hall – 24th October 2011
- Cardiff Millennium Centre – 23rd October 2011
- Manchester Hilton Cloud 23 Bar – 11th May 2007
- Manchester Club Academy – 30th April 2007
- Manchester HMV Market Street – 30th April 2007
- Birmingham Academy – 24th April 2007
- Carlisle Sands Centre – 18th April 2007
- London Nambucca – 12th April 2007
- London Hoxton Bar And Grill – 16th March 2007
- Dublin Olympia – 30th November 1999
- Leeds Town And Country Club – 14th December 1992
- Nottingham Trent Polytechnic – 2nd December 1989
- Bath Moles Club – 16th November 1988
- Bath Moles Club – 15th November 1988
- Bath Moles Club – 14th November 1988
- Bristol Bierkeller – 26th October 1988
- Newcastle Riverside – 12th October 1988
- Manchester Ritz – 11th October 1988
- Warrington Legends – 5th October 1988
- Manchester International 2 – 30th May 1988
- Manchester Ritz – 12th April 1988
- London Town And Country Club – 10th April 1988
- Birmingham University – 3rd October 1987
- London Astoria – 2nd October 1987
- Manchester Green Rooms – 10th August 1987
- Glasgow Fury Murrays – 6th August 1987
- Birmingham Burberries – 28th July 1987
- Sheffield University – 28th May 1987
- Northampton Old Five Bells – 10th January 1987
- Manchester Capri Rooms – 1st December 1986
- Cologne Luxor – 17th November 1986
- Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre – 9th November 1986
- Burnley Mechanics Club – 27th October 1986
- London ICA – 8th October 1986
- Blackburn King George’s Hall – 19th September 1986
- Dundee Dance Factory – 17th August 1986
- Aberdeen The Venue – 16th August 1986
- Glasgow Daddy Warbucks – 14th August 1986
- Manchester PSV Club – 15th July 1986
- London LSE – 26th June 1986
- Leeds Ritzy – 24th June 1986
- Manchester Town Hall – 7th June 1986
- London Porchester Hall – 27th March 1986
- BBC Radio 1 John Peel – 20th January 1986
- Manchester Boardwalk – 15th December 1985
- Leeds Astoria – 23rd November 1985
- Bristol Ashton Court Festival – 3rd August 1985
- London Bloomsbury Theatre – 17th July 1985
- Glastonbury Festival – 23rd June 1985
- London Hammersmith Riverside – 12th May 1985
James - Really Hard
Taken from the album Stutter
Written and performed by James
Opening Riff:
e----------109--75--------------------------------
B--5/10---------------5/7-7-5/7-75--5-5/7-7/10-10--
G--------------------------------------------------- x 2
D---------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------
e-------------------------------------------9----------------------------------------
B--10-109-109--7-7-5/7-75--5-5/7-7/10-10---10-10-109-109-7-7-5/7-75--5-52-2---
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-
D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Song Structure:
Something that sounds like the Opening Riff opens the song, and something that sounds like it also runs throughout the song and appears after the first chorus. After the second chorus it appears to take in some notes based around the chord of F. Indeed, the whole song changes from an A D E progression to an A F progression at that point, before returning to A D E for the last chorus.
Lyrics/Chords:
A D E
To be loving when the knives are out
A D E
Takes much courage and a mind without doubt
A D E
I'm just some robot, wind up the clock, work jerk
A D E
Trying to impress is the nature of my work
And it's so hard to remain open
If it's true, it can't be spoken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Rhetoriticans think they're running this show
Words as power is all they'll ever know
I'm just some reflex
When struck, the knee will jerk
Trying to impress, trying to impress is the nature of our work
And it's so hard to remain open
If you bend, you won't get broken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
A F
Wake up from this dreaming state
A F
Her lungs scream out, it's not too late
A F
I am dying, dying to begin
A F
I am dying, dying to begin again
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.
alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
Taken from the album Stutter
Written and performed by James
Opening Riff:
e----------109--75--------------------------------
B--5/10---------------5/7-7-5/7-75--5-5/7-7/10-10--
G--------------------------------------------------- x 2
D---------------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------
e-------------------------------------------9----------------------------------------
B--10-109-109--7-7-5/7-75--5-5/7-7/10-10---10-10-109-109-7-7-5/7-75--5-52-2---
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-
D------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Song Structure:
Something that sounds like the Opening Riff opens the song, and something that sounds like it also runs throughout the song and appears after the first chorus. After the second chorus it appears to take in some notes based around the chord of F. Indeed, the whole song changes from an A D E progression to an A F progression at that point, before returning to A D E for the last chorus.
Lyrics/Chords:
A D E
To be loving when the knives are out
A D E
Takes much courage and a mind without doubt
A D E
I'm just some robot, wind up the clock, work jerk
A D E
Trying to impress is the nature of my work
And it's so hard to remain open
If it's true, it can't be spoken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Rhetoriticans think they're running this show
Words as power is all they'll ever know
I'm just some reflex
When struck, the knee will jerk
Trying to impress, trying to impress is the nature of our work
And it's so hard to remain open
If you bend, you won't get broken
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
A F
Wake up from this dreaming state
A F
Her lungs scream out, it's not too late
A F
I am dying, dying to begin
A F
I am dying, dying to begin again
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Really hard, really hard, really hard, really hard
Transcribed by Alex Carter 2001.
alex@shandy3000.fsnet.co.uk
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