Hard Hearted Hannah 1924

Lowry possibly refers to the above song in a letter to Carol Brown dated May 1926 when he compares the song to the Reveler's song 'Oh Miss Hannah!'; "If ever you'e going to get a new record there, get 'Oh Miss Hannah!' - great fun, believe me. And think of me while you play it if you can and reflect that it has a better moral than H.H.H." (Collected Letters Vol 1 Pg. 27); this reference comes after Lowry had recalled; "You accuse yourself of being a Vamp from Savannah. Why?...."  (Collected Letters Vol 1 Pg. 25)

"Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)" is a popular song from Tin Pan Alley. The music was written by Milton Ager, the lyrics by Jack Yellen, Bob Bigelow, and Charles Bates. 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." Read more on Wikipedia

Lowry reference to the lyrics centre around him realising that his love for Carol Brown is not being reciprocated. Perhaps Lowry recall the song about Hannah as he muses on his lost love while writing to Carol. Feeling guilty he prefers to recall the Revelers song 'Oh Miss Hannah! rather than the harsh sentiment contained in the lyrics of 'Hard Hearted Hannah' below:


In old Savannah, I said Savannah
The weather there is nice and warm
The climate's of the 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 arctic 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
( From: http://www.elyrics.net )

The call her, "Hard hearted Hannah"
The vamp of Savannah
The meanest gal in town
Talk of your cold refrigerating mamas
Brother she's a polar bears 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

Ooh, she's sweet as sour milk

Lowry again refers to the subtitle of the song in another letter to Carol Brown dated May