John Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American rock guitarist, pianist, singer, and songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues and country. Hiatt has been nominated for several Grammy Awards and has been awarded a variety of other distinctions in the music industry. He remains one of the most respected and influential American singer-songwriters.
Hiatt was working as a songwriter for Tree International, a record label in Nashville, when his song "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" was covered by Three Dog Night. The song became a Top 40 hit, earning Hiatt a recording contract with Epic Records. Since then he has released 21 studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album. His songs have been covered by a variety of artists in multiple genres, including Bob Dylan, The Searchers, Delbert McClinton, Willy DeVille, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Joe Bonamassa, Willie Nelson, Three Dog Night, Joan Baez, Paula Abdul, Buddy Guy, the Desert Rose Band, Jimmy Buffett, Mandy Moore, Iggy Pop, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rosanne Cash, Suzy Bogguss, Jewel, Aaron Neville, Jeff Healey, Keith Urban, Joe Cocker, Chaka Khan, Paulini and many others. The Dutch singer/songwriter Ilse DeLange recorded the album Dear John with nine of his songs.
Hangin' around the observatory.
We were waitin' to see the moon.
Well we thought that we was all gypsies,
Come to escape these lousy ruins.
Well that telescope; that mighty eye.
It's bigger, Jack, that you or I.
Oh, it sees the stars, it sees the moon.
You might as well stay in the room.
Professor, Professor, I forgot how it looks.
Could I just take another peak?
Is there really a man who lives up there?
Is it all green cheese so to speak?
Well now listen boy. These are the facts.
The moon is white. The sky is black.
And you are a speck on this crummy Earth,
And a dollar and a half is all you're worth.
Why did I come here?
Let all the tender scientist,
Get lost in poetry.
And let all these moist romantic guys,
Turn back to history.
Hangin' around the observatory.
Waitin' to see the moon.
Well we thought that we was gypsies
Come to escape these lousy ruins.