Thompson's musical style, characterized as Honky Tonk Swing, is a mixture of big-band instrumentation, fiddle and steel guitar that supports his distinctive, gravelly baritone vocals on songs he often writes himself. His backing band, The Brazos Valley Boys, was voted the No.1 Country Western Band for 14 years in a row by Billboard Magazine.
He decided to pursue his musical talent after serving in the U.S. Navy in World War II as a radioman and studying electrical engineering at the university level. His first single was "Whoa Sailor" in 1946. The year 1952 brought his first #1 disc, "The Wild Side of Life", which contained the memorable line "I didn't know God made honky-tonk angels" (which inspired the Kitty Wells response, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels"). Other hits followed in quick succession in the 1950s and 1960s. Although not as prominent in later decades, he has remained an active and respected performer in the field, finding new audiences as a result of the resurgence of a harder-edged sound in country music.
Hank Thompson was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997. He was born 3 September 1925 in Waco, Texas, and passed away at home in Keller, Texas, on 6 November 2007, just four days after cancelling his final tour.
I Wasn't Even In The Running
Hank Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I figured I was way out in the front in the number one position
Then someone stole your love from me like a thief so sly and cunning
Then I realized that all along I wasn't even in the running
I thought the odds were all with me I had a winning combination
Then I received to my dismay your wedding invitation
We were sweethearts for so long the sudden loss was stunning
I was the favorite for so long that folks just took for granted
That you and I would tie the knot and in a love nest we'd be planted
But there was a dark horse in the race from nowhere he came gunning
And the way he won your love from me I wasn't even in the running
I thought the odds were all with me I had a winning combination...
The song I Wasn't Even In The Running, performed by Hank Thompson, is a lament about a heartbreak caused by a stolen love. The singer is expressing his shock and disbelief upon learning that he never really stood a chance with his romantic interest, despite believing that he was the front-runner for her affections. His confession that he knew of the presence of other suitors is juxtaposed with his assurance that he had the winning combination to win her over. But all his hopes and dreams were dashed when he received her wedding invitation.
The song is about the painful realization that one was never really in the race for love, despite believing they had the edge over other potential partners. The singer's use of racing imagery highlights the theme of competition and how it ultimately resulted in his defeat in the game of love. The line "And the way he won your love from me I wasn't even in the running" further accentuates the singer's feelings of inadequacy.
Overall, I Wasn't Even In The Running is a relatable song that captures the pain of unrequited love and how it can catch one off guard.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew there were others after you I knew I had competition
I was aware that there were other people who were also interested in pursuing a relationship with you.
But I figured I was way out in the front in the number one position
I believed that I was ahead of everyone else and had the best chance of being chosen by you.
Then someone stole your love from me like a thief so sly and cunning
Another person managed to win your affection without my knowledge or expectation, which was quite surprising.
Then I realized that all along I wasn't even in the running
I finally came to the realization that I never really had a chance with you and was never truly considered as a contender for your heart.
We were sweethearts for so long the sudden loss was stunning
We had been together for a significant amount of time, so the sudden end of our relationship was quite shocking and painful.
But here's the catch coming down the stretch I wasn't even in the running
As things progressed, I eventually realized that I was never actually a serious contender for your love, despite my initial beliefs.
I was the favorite for so long that folks just took for granted
Many people assumed that I would be the one to win your heart, based on our history and the assumptions they made about us as a couple.
That you and I would tie the knot and in a love nest we'd be planted
People expected that we would eventually get married and start our life as a couple together, based on their perceptions of our relationship.
But there was a dark horse in the race from nowhere he came gunning
Unexpectedly, someone else came into the picture and became a serious competitor for your love, seemingly out of nowhere.
And the way he won your love from me I wasn't even in the running
The other person came out on top and managed to win your heart, leaving me far behind and out of the competition entirely.
Contributed by Owen K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Darryl Preston
Of course, Hank was very definitely IN the running as one of the greatest country singers of the Golden Fifties.
Brian M
Never heard this song before " what a gem " hank was one of the best country singer in his day "Brian
Pondy Hsu
I knew there were others after you
I knew I had competition
But I figured I was way out in the front
In the number one position
Then someone stole your love from me
Like a thief so sly and cunning
Then I realized that all along
I wasn't even in the running
I thought the odds were all with me
I had a winning combination
Then I received to my dismay your wedding invitation
We were sweethearts for so long
The sudden loss was stunning
But here's the catch coming down the stretch
I wasn't even in the running
**************
I was the favorite for so long
That folks just took for granted
That you and I would tie the knot
And in a love nest we'd be planted
But there was a dark horse in the race
From nowhere he came gunning
And the way he won your love from me
I wasn't even in the running
I thought the odds were all with me
I had a winning combination
Then I received to my dismay your wedding invitation
We were sweethearts for so long
The sudden loss was stunning
But here's the catch coming down the stretch
I wasn't even in the running
I wasn't even in the running.....
Johnny27
Love some Hank Thompson!!!!
B Cross
Remember this rocker as a kid!
Janett Grady
If we had met, Hank, and if you'd have promised to sing me to sleep, you'd have been at the head of the pack. As it was, on slow nights, we girls often played Hank Thompson records on the jukebox and talked naughty about how Hank would handle three girls...all three at the same time. But like the song says, we weren't even in the running. .Still, I dream of meeting Hank.