(1) A country singer an… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists by this name:
(1) A country singer and songwriter from Texas.
(2) An alias of techno producer Thomas Wendel.
(1) Don Williams (Born May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas - Died September 8, 2017) spent much of his childhood in Corpus Christi, Texas. His father was a mechanic whose job took him to other regions, his mother played guitar and he grew up listening to country music. He and Lofton Kline formed a semi-professional folk group called the Strangers Two, and then, with the addition of Susan Taylor, they became the Pozo-Seco Singers, the phrase being a geological term to denote a dry well. Handled by Bob Dylan's manager Albert Grossman, they had major pop hits in the U.S. with "Time," "I Can Make It With You" and "Look What You've Done." Following Kline's departure, they employed several replacements, resulting in a lack of musical direction. After Williams had failed to turn the trio towards country music, they disbanded in 1971.
He then worked for his father-in-law but also wrote for Susan Taylor's solo album via Jack Clement's music publishing company. Clement asked Williams to record albums of his company's best songs, mainly with a view to attracting other performers. In 1973, Don Williams, Volume 1 was released on the fledgling JMI label and included such memorable songs as Bob McDill's apologia for growing old, "Amanda," and Williams' own "The Shelter of Your Eye." Williams' work was reissued by Dot Records, and Don Williams, Volume 2 included "Atta Way to Go" and "We Should Be Together." Williams then had a country No. 1 with Wayland Holyfield's "You're My Best Friend," which has become a standard and is the perennial sing-along anthem at his concerts. By now, the Williams' style had developed: gently paced love songs with straightforward arrangements, lyrics and sentiments. Williams was mining the same vein as Jim Reeves, but he eschewed Reeves' smartness by dressing like a ranch-hand. Besides having a huge contingent of female fans, Williams counted Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend among his admirers. Clapton recorded his country hit "Tulsa Time," written by Danny Flowers, a member of Williams' band.
Williams played a band member himself in the Burt Reynolds film W.W. & the Dixie Dance Kings and also appeared in Smokey and the Bandit 2. Williams' other successes include "Till the Rivers All Run Dry," "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend," "Lay Down Beside Me" and his only U.S. solo pop hit, "I Believe in You." Unlike most established country artists, he has not sought duet partners, although he and Emmylou Harris found success in 1981 with their version of Townes Van Zandt's "If I Needed You." Among the highlights of Williams' recording career is his interpretation of "Good Ol' Boys Like Me," McDill's homage to his southern roots. Moving to Capitol Records in the mid-'80s, Williams released such singles as "Heartbeat in the Darkness" and "Senorita," but the material was not as impressive. He took a sabbatical in 1988, but subsequent RCA Records recordings showed that nothing had changed.
In 1998, Williams released I Turn the Page on Giant Records, but the label soon closed its country music division. Following a live album in 2001, Williams retuned in 2004 with My Heart to You.
Maintaining his stress-free style, Williams continues to be a major concert attraction, especially in the U.K. and South Africa.
Williams initially started out as a songwriter for Jack Music Inc., since he lacked belief about going solo but then signed with JMI as a solo artist. His 1974 song "We Should Be Together" reached number five and he was signed on with ABC/Dot. His first single with ABC/Dot, "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me," became a number one hit, and was the first of a string of top ten hits he had between 1974 and 1991. In fact, only four of his 46 singles didn't make it to the Top Ten. Recently (as of 2012), he released the album And So It Goes.
From His Own Website.
They came to call Don Williams “the Gentle Giant” in the decades he was a dominating country hit maker because of his unique blend of commanding presence and that laid-back, easy style that has appealed to adult men and women alike—cutting across national and genre boundaries. If those personal and musical qualities stood out strongly across the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, they are all the more distinctive in 2012, when so many country and pop records seem to work as check off lists of somebody’s idea of how to be a man, or hard-sell attempts to indicate affection for a woman. Don Williams has never sounded like he felt the need to sell somebody something, or to prove anything.
On And So It Goes, available from Sugar Hill on June 19th, that winning, self-assured ease is again front and center, and the musical style that has made Don a ballad vocal model for performers ranging from Eric Clapton (with whom he’d traded songs—“Tulsa Time,” “Lay Down Sally”) to Keith Urban (who guests on this release). One listen to the characteristically right-on-target vocals on this first Don Williams recording in eight years and his admirers will be wondering what he’s done to maintain that strength over the hiatus.
“Well, there are things that I don’t do,” Don laughs. “I don’t do a whole lot of sitting around chit-chatting, laughing, and carrying on—especially when I’m on the road, where that just makes you tired, anyway. Even at home on the farm there are literally days on end that I may not say anything but for an hour or two a day.”
This man who so clearly loves the quiet home life can still fill an auditorium or stadium across the U.S., the U.K., Europe and Africa; his special role as an international ambassador for American country and pop music is ongoing and his musical appeal, he has long since been astonished to find, is about the same from the Central Time Zone to central Africa.
“The weird thing about that is—no; I don’t change my show to go play England or Nairobi. I can pretty much choose anything from my repertoire and it works wherever I am, and that still amazes me, because you’re talking about different cultures, sometimes different languages, and the whole nine yards.”
The hundreds of memorable songs in that repertoire—over fifty of them major hits—whether contemplative ballads, affecting love songs or change-up rhythm numbers, have always been a core Don Williams strength and focus. Don and long-time producer Garth Fundis, who returns in that role on this new album, each credit the other with having contributed to their own song-picking and sequencing skills—skills well put to shared use again when Nashville’s finest writers submitted hundreds of songs for consideration for Don’s return to recording. They both knew what they were looking for in selections that would appear on And So It Goes:
“They’re very well written, they’re interesting, and the melody and the lyric are saying the same thing,” Don says. “Even when we’re starting looking for the songs, just experimenting, Garth and I are just in agreement; we just want to make good music that touches our hearts and, hopefully, touches others’ in the process. For many years, though, Garth has fussed at me about one thing— that we need to be sure and do whatever song that I wrote, because I would just pass over it. I get more excited about a new song that I’ve just heard than I do my own material!” (There are, in fact, two Don Williams co-writes among the ten outstanding songs on this new release.)
Riding and crossing the line between country and pop, and all the more distinctive for doing it, Don brought a sound and sensibility to the country charts that proved a smash—a development that was initially a surprise even to him.
“When I was just a wee lad,” he recalls, “I really appreciated people like Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash and Jim Reeves; all of those guys back then meant a lot to me, but at the same time, I really loved Brook Benton, and the Platters and all of those people. But even when I was ‘in pop’ myself, with everything that I wrote, the only people who really seemed to appreciate it were country fans. That has to tell you a little bit about where your heart’s at, whether your head agrees with it or not!”
Born in Floydada, Florida in 1939 and growing up near Corpus Christi, Texas, Don was playing guitar by age twelve, taught by his mother, and performed in folk, country and rock bands as a teenager. He first gained musical attention as a member of the pop folk trio The Pozo Seco Singers, which had six pop chart hits in 1966-’67, then was signed as a songwriter by Nashville’s Cowboy Jack Clement in 1971—the sort of songwriter whose demos demanded attention. Between 1974 and 1991, Don had at least one major hit every year, including such country standards to be as “ Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “Till the Rivers All Run Dry,” “It Must Be Love,” “I’m Just a Country Boy,” “Amanda” and “I Believe in You.” He also had a hit duet with Emmylou Harris on Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.” Don was the CMA Male Vocalist of the Year in 1978; his “Tulsa Time” was the ACM Record of the Year for 1979.
In 2010, Don received country music’s highest honor, with his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Don Williams died on 8 september 2017 after a short illness. He was 78 years old.
(2) Founder and owner of Mojuba & A.R.T.less Records and one half of the Tokomak Records company. He is the creative force behind these imprints and Tokomak's main founding member. His musical influences ranges from Classic, Funk and Jazz via Drum & Bass and Trip Hop to his beloved Detroit Techno and US House, which can be still enjoyed throughout his DJ-Sets. After a few releases on the legendary Pure Plastic imprint, he delivers tracks of his own brand of funk on labels like Rewired, Styrax Leaves and 100% Pure.
Stronger Back
Don Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I built towers of gold, watched em fall.
I tried my best
But I guess my best just wasn't good enough.
I made promises. Broke em.
I've laid loved ones lives wide open.
And I've got a broken heart but I've come this far
I pray for a stronger back.
I pray for a bigger heart.
I pray for the will to keep on walkin when the way is dark.
I follow that windin road just tryin to stay on track.
I don't pray for a lighter load I pray for a stronger back.
I've seen losers get a second chance
I've seen miracles from happenstance.
I've seen long shots come from way behind
To win the race.
And I've dreams blow up in a cloud of smoke.
It's a world of pain, it's a world of hope.
And it's dark right now but I know somehow
Some day the sun will find some way to shine down on my face.
I pray for a stronger back.
I pray for a bigger heart.
I pray for the will to keep on walkin when the way is dark.
I follow that windin road just tryin to stay on track.
I don't pray for a lighter load I pray for a stronger back.
I follow that windin road just tryin to stay on track.
I don't pray for a lighter load I pray for a stronger back.
The lyrics to "Stronger Back" by Don Williams express a sense of resilience and hope despite the hardships and setbacks that the singer has experienced. The first two lines of the first verse set up the theme of loss, as the singer acknowledges that they had everything, but lost it all. The towers of gold represent the worldly success that the singer had achieved, only to see it crumble before their eyes. The line "I tried my best but I guess my best just wasn't good enough" suggests that despite the effort put into building their success, it all fell apart. This can be a reflection of how life can be unpredictable and that things don't always go as planned.
The second half of the first verse describes the singer's failures and regrets. They made promises that they couldn't keep and hurt loved ones. These lines capture the human experience of making mistakes and living with the consequences. The line "And I've got a broken heart but I've come this far and I ain't giving up" shows the tenacity and perseverance that the singer possesses despite the difficulties they have faced.
In the chorus of the song, the singer prays for a stronger back, a bigger heart, and the will to keep walking when the way is dark. The winding road represents the journey of life, with its ups and downs, twists and turns. The singer recognizes that the load may be heavy at times, but they don't pray for it to be lighter. Instead, they ask for the strength to carry it.
Line by Line Meaning
I had everything, lost it all.
I experienced success and abundance, but eventually lost it all.
I built towers of gold, watched em fall.
I created structures of wealth and prosperity, only to witness their eventual collapse.
I tried my best
But I guess my best just wasn't good enough.
I put forth my greatest effort, but it did not lead to the success I had hoped for.
I made promises. Broke em.
I made commitments to others, but failed to follow through on them.
I've laid loved ones lives wide open.
I have made myself emotionally vulnerable to those close to me.
And I've got a broken heart but I've come this far
And I ain't givin up.
Though I have experienced emotional pain, I have persisted through it and will not give up.
I pray for a stronger back.
I pray for a bigger heart.
I pray for the will to keep on walkin when the way is dark.
I ask for the physical and emotional strength to persevere through difficult times.
I follow that windin road just tryin to stay on track.
I continue on my life's journey, striving to remain on the path towards my goals.
I don't pray for a lighter load I pray for a stronger back.
Rather than wishing for an easier life, I ask for the fortitude to handle life's challenges.
I've seen losers get a second chance
I've seen miracles from happenstance.
I have witnessed individuals who experienced defeat receive another opportunity, and unexpected positive outcomes.
I've seen long shots come from way behind
To win the race.
I have observed underdogs emerge victorious despite facing significant obstacles.
And I've dreams blow up in a cloud of smoke.
It's a world of pain, it's a world of hope.
I have had dreams and aspirations fizzle out, acknowledging that life can bring both pain and hope.
And it's dark right now but I know somehow
Some day the sun will find some way to shine down on my face.
Though I may be going through a period of darkness, I hold onto hope that joy and brightness will eventually return to my life.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DOUG GILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pondy Hsu
I had everything, lost it all.
I built towers of gold, watched them fall.
I tried my best
But I guess my best just wasn't good enough.
I made promises and broke them.
I've laid loved ones lives wide open.
And I have got a broken heart but I've come this far
And I ain't giving up.
I pray for a stronger back.
I pray for a bigger heart.
I pray for the will to keep on walking when the way is dark.
I follow that winding road just trying to stay on track.
I don't pray for a lighter load
I pray for a stronger back.
**************
I've seen losers get a second chance
I've seen miracles from happenstance.
I've seen long shots come from way behind to win the race.
And I have dreams blow up in a cloud of smoke.
It's a world of pain, it's a world of hope.
And it's dark right now but I know somehow
Someday the sun will find the way to shine down on my face.
I pray for a stronger back.
I pray for a bigger heart.
I pray for the will to keep on walking when the way is dark.
I follow that winding road just trying to stay on track.
I don't pray for a lighter load
I pray for a stronger back.
I follow that winding road just trying to stay on track.
I don't pray for a lighter load
I pray for a stronger back.
David Hanshaw
Beautiful song, pure poetry sung by a master.
n1umj
I've never heard this before but I love it. Anything Don sings I love though, I can listen to him all day. That man could truly sing.
Susan Majury
I found Don Williams music after his death. Gives me strength to keep going. Thank you! RIP Don Williams ❤
02Walter Coverin
Hi Susan hope you’re okay?
Dennis Biggs
I was reminded of this song through memories on Facebook, and I realized that I had sent it to my wife at the time.
Knowing in my heart that she never accepted me for me, and I was doing everything I could to be the man she wanted.
Ridiculous to even think about it how she married someone who she wanted to mold into something else.
Well I have remarried and I only thought that I knew how a womans love could ever feel.
Signed my marriage certificate exactly 1 year from the day I signed divorce papers.
Prayers were answered that I would keep on strutting in life.
Just a little while longer and I'll be home
Nga Tafao Alofa
Thank you Don Williams
For your beautiful music.
Though you’re not here, your beautiful light shines through your music, through your voice.
Peace.
💎🌷🕊
Revina Makhura
Uncle Don your songs brings light when my days are dark. May Your soul keep resting in peace🙏 ❤
chrispen chidewu
The best country musician of all time!
Charlie 47
The best, l don't know... But one of the best.... Sure!! From France.
Marial Iglesias
First time I heard this song. Listening to Don Williams while in deep thought and I heard this song. Well feels like he is talking to me. He knows my heart today. Thanks Don Williams. Thank you for uploading.