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.
Pop
Hank Thompson Lyrics
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Sit 'em up my friends
Then I'll be gone
Then you can let some other fool sit down
I'd like for you'd to listen to a joke I heard today
From a woman who said she was through and calmly walked away
I'd tried to smile and did a while it felt so outta place
Pop a top again I think I'll have another round
Sit 'em up my friend Then I'll be gone
And you can let some other fool sit down.
Home for me is misery and here I am wasting time
Cause a row of fools on a row of stools is not what's on my mind
But then you see her leaving me it's not what I prefer
So it's either here just drinking beer or at home remembering her.
Pop a top again I think I'll have another round
Sit 'em up my friend
Then I'll be gone and you can let some other fool sit down
Pop a top again.
In the lyrics of Pop a Top Again by Hank Thompson, the singer repeatedly asks for another round of drinking before he leaves for good. He gets his bartender friend to set them up and then jokes that the next person in line can occupy his spot at the bar. The lyrics take a somber turn as the singer shares a story about a woman who calmly walked away from a relationship. He tries to smile but it felt out of place, and he asks a poignant question: “Did you ever hear of a clown with tears drops streaming down his face?” The second half of the song reveals that the singer is drinking away his sorrows because he is troubled by his home life. He is unhappy there and is only drinking because he does not want to think about his failed relationship. The song’s title phrase of “pop a top again” seems to serve as a distraction or a temporary escape from the troubles of life.
Overall, the song explores themes of heartbreak and escapism through alcohol. While the upbeat melody and chorus encourage drinking, the verses reveal the darker realities that lead people to seek refuge in a bottle. The juxtaposition of the catchy chorus and the sobering lyrics shows the complexities of human emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Pop a top again I just got time for one more round
I have time for one more drink before I leave
Sit 'em up my friends
Serve another drink to my friends
Then I'll be gone
After one more drink, I will leave
Then you can let some other fool sit down
After I leave, someone else can take my place
I'd like for you'd to listen to a joke I heard today
I want to tell you a joke I heard
From a woman who said she was through and calmly walked away
The joke was told by a woman who had just ended a relationship and left calmly
I'd tried to smile and did a while it felt so outta place
I tried to smile but it felt wrong
Did you ever hear of a clown with tears drops streaming down his face.
The woman's exit was like a clown crying, surprising and unexpected
Home for me is misery and here I am wasting time
I am unhappy at home and drinking at the bar is a waste of time
Cause a row of fools on a row of stools is not what's on my mind
Being surrounded by other drinkers is not what I want
But then you see her leaving me it's not what I prefer
Seeing my ex leaving me is not what I want
So it's either here just drinking beer or at home remembering her.
I am torn between drinking at the bar or being at home, thinking about my ex
Pop a top again.
I will have one more drink before I make my decision
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Nat Stuckey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Susan Jordan
My late mother had an album with this song on it when I was a kid. The song always makes me think of her, but this version is my favorite.
Gaylon Fox
What a great song, great version, great rendition.I love it when hank sings, Pop a top again, and the back up goes ha uh!!!Is this cool? Gaylon Fox NM
spencer payne
What album is this on?
Brandy Martinez
yee haa... now thats music!
Sonny Dave
IMO Jim Ed Brown's version is better. For one thing, better steel.!
Carl Babcock
Ya I think your right but just for this song. There's no way Jim Brown could compete with Hank Thompson over all!
spencer payne
What album is this on?
spencer payne
+H.G. Warts thank you sir
H.G. Warts
Smokey the Bar 1969
Photo Not Available
The Wrecking Yard, maybe.