Locklin was one of country music's early honky tonk singers. He first recorded for Royalty, a small label in northeast Texas, but soon moved to 4 Star Records, a regional country music label, before signing a long contract with RCA Victor. He had an estimated 15 million record sales worldwide and his songs were recorded by many other artists, including Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Roy Rogers, Dwight Yoakam and Dean Martin. He regularly appeared on the Grand Ole Opry beginning in 1960, making his final appearance in 2007.
Locklin had 70 chart singles, including six No. 1s on Billboard's country chart. Locklin's biggest hits included "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On", "Geisha Girl" and his signature "Please Help Me, I'm Falling", which went to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music chart. Billboard's 100th anniversary issue listed it as the second most successful country single of the rock and roll era. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Other hits for Locklin included "Happy Journey" (1961), "Happy Birthday To Me" (1962) and "The Country Hall Of Fame" (1968).
Born in McLellan in the Florida Panhandle, Locklin grew up working in the cotton fields to supplement his family’s low income. He began playing the guitar at the age of nine after being seriously injured by a school bus.
His first marriage to Willa Jean Murphy ended in divorce. In 1970 he married Anita Crooks of Brewton, Alabama. He had a son and four daughters, 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and a few close great nieces and nephews such as Sarah Locklin.
In the 1960s, Locklin built a ranch house called The Singing L in the field in McClellan where he had picked cotton as a boy. He was later made the honorary mayor of the town.
Locklin had a strong following in Europe, and in Ireland. His popularity was such that in 1963 he recorded an album called Irish Songs Country Style. He has a fan club in Langeli, Bjerkreim, Norway. The obituary in The Times described Locklin as "the last remaining link between country music’s hillbilly roots and the lusher, modern pop sound of Nashville."
In 2006, Locklin appeared on the PBS special, Country Pop Legends in which he performed "Send Me the Pillow That You Dream On," and "Please Help Me I'm Falling". Until his death at the age of 91 in 2009, he was the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry. Hank had recently released his 65th album, By the Grace of God, a collection of gospel songs.
In 2007 he was inducted to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
He moved to Brewton Alabama, where he remained throughout his later years, and died there at home in the early morning on March 8, 2009.
Livin' Alone
Hank Locklin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I may be wealthy with more than my share
I may be able to go anywhere
I may own a kingdom and sit on a throne
Still I'll be lonely while I'm livin' alone
I can follow the bright lights
I can travel this whole world
But not get any place
I need you near me to stick by my side
Please give me true love and don't shatter my pride
If you should leave me all the dreams I have known
Will never come true while I'm livin' alone
I need you near me to stick by my side
Please give me true love and don't shatter my pride
If you should leave me all the dreams I have known
Will never come true while I'm livin' alone
Living alone
is a melancholic song by Hank Locklin about how having wealth, power, and success means nothing without someone to share it with. The lyrics start by acknowledging the singer's abundance and material possessions and how he has the freedom to go anywhere in the world. However, despite his possessions and freedom, he feels a sense of emptiness, as he is living alone. He realizes that he can follow the bright lights and travel the world, but it won't make a difference if there isn't anyone to share these experiences with.
The second verse emphasizes his need for a companion, as he implores them to stick by his side, give him true love, and avoid shattering his pride. The singer fears that if the person were to leave him, all the dreams that he's ever had would be crushed. He ends the song by repeating the same lines, emphasizing the importance of having someone to share his life with.
Overall, Living Alone is a heartfelt ballad that highlights the importance of human connections and how wealth and material possessions are insignificant without it. The song resonates with anyone who has ever felt lonely despite having everything they could ever want.
Line by Line Meaning
Living alone
Existing in solitude
I may be wealthy with more than my share
Monetary wealth does not compensate for emotional deprivation
I may be able to go anywhere
Geographic mobility is no substitute for human companionship
I may own a kingdom and sit on a throne
Societal status and power cannot fill the void of loneliness
Still I'll be lonely while I'm livin' alone
Solitude evokes feelings of isolation, even with abundance
I can follow the bright lights
Behaves unethically or recklessly as a form of escapism
Keep a smile on my face
Pretending to be happy despite feeling empty inside
I can travel this whole world
Excessive wandering or globetrotting cannot mask the emptiness
But not get any place
Unable to find satisfaction or fulfillment even after extensive travels
I need you near me to stick by my side
Recognizes a need for another person's emotional presence
Please give me true love and don't shatter my pride
Desires genuine, undeceiving romantic love and is afraid of rejection
If you should leave me all the dreams I have known
Losing someone will cause all their aspirations to crumble
Will never come true while I'm livin' alone
The individual won't accomplish their goals unless someone is there with them
I need you near me to stick by my side
Recognizes a need for another person's emotional presence
Please give me true love and don't shatter my pride
Desires genuine, undeceiving romantic love and is afraid of rejection
If you should leave me all the dreams I have known
Losing someone will cause all their aspirations to crumble
Will never come true while I'm livin' alone
The individual won't accomplish their goals unless someone is there with them
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: WAYNE P. WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
betty stephenson
a great song its a lovely version
Vikki Smith
Darling nothing short of a Blessing form above. I love you, babe!
George Johnstone
r i p hank locklin you were one of the best. tsukikage do you have any tracks from the album hank locklin and danny davis and the nashville brass thank you