In addition to his own albums, Eaglesmith frequently collaborated with the late Willie P. Bennett, a past member of Eaglesmith's band, who had to step down after a heart attack in spring 2007. Eaglesmith's fans are known as Fredheads because of the similarities to deadheads. He has appeared in several movies, including "The Gift" and "50 Odd Dollars." His band is known as The Flying Squirrels or The Flathead Noodlers. Both bands have the same lineup, but play different styles. The Flathead Noodlers play bluegrass, while the Flying Squirrels play more folk and rock. An early incarnation of the band was known as The Smokin' Losers. When Fred does solo appearances he bills himself as Fred J. Eaglesmith. In addition to the songs, a typical Fred Eaglesmith show includes several lengthy between-song comic monologues by Fred. Topics in the past have included stories about crossing the U.S./Canada border, Newfoundlanders, and some friends from an Indian reserve. Eaglesmith is the owner and president of A Major Label, which publishes his records.
Current band members
* Fred J. Eaglesmith - Guitars, Vocals
* Matt Simpson - Acoustic guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
* Kori Heppner - Drums
* Luke Stackhouse - Bass, Vocals
Former members
* Willie P. Bennett - Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals
* David Essig - Mandolin, Guitar
* Kevin Komatsu - Drums
* Roger Marin Jr. - Pedal Steel, Guitar, Vocals
* Ralph Schipper - Bass
* Jude Waldman - Drums
* Dan Walsh - Dobro, Guitar, Vocals
* Skip Wamsteeker - Drums
* Washboard Hank - Washboard, Dobro
* Darcy Yates - Bass
Discography
* Fred Eaglesmith (1980)
* The Boy That Just Went Wrong (1983)
* Indiana Road (1987)
* There Ain't No Easy Road (1991)
* Things Is Changin' (1993)
* Paradise Motel (1994)
* Drive-In Movie (1995)
* Lipstick, Lies and Gasoline (1997)
* 50 Odd Dollars (1999)
* Live: Ralph's Last Show (2001)
* Falling Stars and Broken Hearts (2002)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1' (2002)
* Balin (2003)
* The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 2' (2004)
* Dusty (2004)
* Milly's Cafe (2006)
* Tinderbox (2008)
www.fredeaglesmith.com
Mrs Hank Williams
Fred Eaglesmith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I head to stop the car
We've been driving all night long
And I didn't know where we were
And whatever I took to stay awake
It just gave me the chills
And she was going on about Mrs. Hank Williams
I had to put her on a plane
She was fighting with the band
And it was her
Or it was them
And they called in the cops
Cause we were fighting and yelling
And they were looking at her
Like she might be Mrs. Hank Williams
Mrs. Hank Williams crying all night long
Mrs. Hank Williams waiting up to dawn
When they talk about her
She's one in a million
And when they introduce her she's
Mrs. Hank Williams
She doesn't watch the show
She just stays in the car
And watches the young the young girls
Outside the stage door
And they're there to tell you how much
They'd be ready & willing
To take the place anyway
Of Mrs. Hank Williams
Mrs. Hank Williams crying all night long
Mrs. Hank Williams waiting up to dawn
When they talk about her
She's one in a million
And when they introduce her she's
Mrs. Hank Williams
The lyrics of Fred Eaglesmith's song "Mrs. Hank Williams" seem to be about a woman who is always referred to as "Mrs. Hank Williams" despite not being actually married to Hank Williams. She is portrayed as a sort of enigma, with people always talking about her and introducing her as such. The singer of the song is driving with her overnight and she is talking about Mrs. Hank Williams, while he is struggling to stay awake. They end up in Cincinnati, where she gets into a fight with a band and eventually gets taken away by the cops. Throughout the song, she seems to represent a lost dream or a faded glory, as she watches young girls outside the stage door who would be willing to take her place, and spends her nights crying and waiting for something that never seems to come.
In some ways, the song is a commentary on the nature of fame and the way it can consume a person's identity. The woman in the song is always defined in relation to someone else (Hank Williams) and seems to have lost touch with her own sense of self. The fact that she is never actually seen on stage or watching the show, but instead sits in the car watching the young girls, reinforces this sense of detachment from the music world she is supposedly a part of. At the same time, the song also expresses a deep sense of empathy for this woman, who is clearly struggling with her own demons even as she is constantly defined by her connection to someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
Forty miles out of Nashville
We were driving away from Nashville
I head to stop the car
I stopped the car
We've been driving all night long
We had been driving for the whole night
And I didn't know where we were
I didn't know our location
And whatever I took to stay awake
No matter what I did to keep myself awake
It just gave me the chills
It made me feel uncomfortable
And she was going on about Mrs. Hank Williams
She was talking about a woman named Mrs. Hank Williams
Well we got to Cincinnati
We arrived in Cincinnati
I had to put her on a plane
I had to take her to the airport
She was fighting with the band
She was arguing with the musical group
And it was her, Or it was them
Either she was at fault or they were
And they called in the cops
The police were called
Cause we were fighting and yelling
Because we were arguing loudly
And they were looking at her
People were staring at her
Like she might be Mrs. Hank Williams
As if she were the famous Mrs. Hank Williams
Mrs. Hank Williams crying all night long
A woman named Mrs. Hank Williams was crying all night
Mrs. Hank Williams waiting up to dawn
Mrs. Hank Williams waited until dawn
When they talk about her
When people speak of her
She's one in a million
She is a rare person
And when they introduce her she's
When they introduce her, she is
Mrs. Hank Williams
Called Mrs. Hank Williams
She doesn't watch the show
She doesn't watch the performance
She just stays in the car
She remains in the vehicle
And watches the young the young girls
She observes the young women
Outside the stage door
In the area around the entrance to the stage
And they're there to tell you how much
They are there to convey how much
They'd be ready & willing
They would be prepared and enthusiastic
To take the place anyway
To take her place, in any case
Of Mrs. Hank Williams
As Mrs. Hank Williams
Contributed by Maria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tim Duffin
on John Deere B
"The original B" s/b "The original paint"
"Then I saw I saw the mirror" s/b "Then I saw them narrow"