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I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Hank Williams Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome I could cry

I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide its face and cry

Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die
That means he's lost the will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry

The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry

Overall Meaning

Hank Williams's "I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry" is a melancholy ballad that relates the despair of the narrator. The song is a deeply affecting portrait of a lonely man who is overwhelmed by heartbreak, sorrow, and the longing for a lost love. The opening lines, "Hear that lonesome whippoorwill, He sounds too blue to fly," evokes an image of a bird that is similarly sad and alone, unable to take flight.


Throughout the song, Williams employs a series of metaphors and similes to convey the depth and intensity of his anguish. He compares his loneliness to the mournful whine of a midnight train, the weeping of a robin as leaves begin to wither, the darkness of a moonless night, and the silence of a falling star. By describing his desolation through these vivid images and symbols, Williams underscores the power and universality of the human experience of loneliness.


The last two lines of the song, "And as I wonder where you are, I'm so lonesome I could cry," are particularly poignant. These lines reveal that the source of the narrator's pain is the absence of a loved one. The song is a moving testament to the pain of separation and the eternal human yearning for connection and intimacy.


Line by Line Meaning

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
Listen to the sound of that lonely whippoorwill bird


He sounds too blue to fly
The bird sounds so sad that it cannot even fly


The midnight train is whining low
The train passing in the night is making a sad, mournful sound


I'm so lonesome I could cry
I am extremely lonely and sad, to the point where I could cry


I've never seen a night so long
This night seems endless and never-ending


When time goes crawling by
Time seems to be passing very slowly and painfully


The moon just went behind the clouds
The moon disappeared behind the clouds


To hide its face and cry
As if it is ashamed and crying at the same time


Did you ever see a robin weep
Have you ever witnessed a robin crying?


When leaves begin to die
When the leaves of the trees start to wither


That means he's lost the will to live
The robin has lost its desire for life and feels hopeless


I'm so lonesome I could cry
I am extremely lonely and sad, to the point where I could cry


The silence of a falling star
The stillness that follows a shooting star


Lights up a purple sky
Creates a moment of fleeting beauty on the dark sky


And as I wonder where you are
In my loneliness and despair, I cannot help but think about where you are


I'm so lonesome I could cry
I am extremely lonely and sad, to the point where I could cry




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Todd

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome, I could cry
I've never seen a night so long
And time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide its face and cry
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
Like me, he's lost the will to live
I'm so lonesome, I could cry
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome, I could cry
That's a good one
It's a lonesome song, ain't it?
Ain't that lonesome, woo
Now you can't get any much lonesome right, can you?
Want to whip a will so lonesome it can't fly
He done got lonesome, man



Pre-Debut Era

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly.
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome I could cry.
I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by.
The moon just went behind a cloud
To hide its face and cry.
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves began to die?
That means he's lost the will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry.
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky.
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry.



All comments from YouTube:

Mina

One of my dad all time favorites... he’s in late stage Alzheimer’s I’m playing him all his favorites while I sit with him... love you daddy...

Laurie B

God bless you! It's so hard... My heart is with you sweet girl ❤️

TheDrakenZ

THC and CBD studies show to not only stop, but reverse the effects of alzheimers..... my grandfather passed from it two years ago.... too bad canada didnt legalize it sooner, he may still be here.

Crackerjack

You are a good soul

Ray White

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm very sorry I'll say some prayers. I'm small till I could cry is a very very sad song and beautiful at the same time. There is only one person can make that song Justice. And that's Elvis Presley. Hank Williams Senior would have been very proud of Elvis Presley recording I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry.
Because Hank Williams Senior was very lonesome. And according to Elvis Presley even though he could have any woman in the world he was still lonesome. God bless you and your dad.

Martha McIntyre

I did the same thing with my Daddy. Hank's music still has the power to speak to the soul. Daddy has been gone over two years, and I am still listening to Hank. God Bless, and no regrets.

251 More Replies...

Hazbojangles

I’m 16 years old and this song hits harder than anything I’ve ever heard before. I can really relate to the lyrics. I’ve found a new passion in Hank Williams.

magadc1

Glad you joined the club

Shaun Elijah

You GO young man. You've got GREAT taste in music.....

Hazbojangles

@Shaun Elijah Thank you sir! Can you recommend any other similar songs by different artists?

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