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.
Rub-A-Dub-Dub
Hank Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
LIKE YOU AND ME, THEY COULDN'T AGREE, AND UPON THE WAVES THEY TOSSED,
I'LL SING THEIR TUNE, CAUSE THEY GOT MAROONED,WITH A LOVE I CAN'T FORGET,
NOW THE THREE LITTLE MEN JUST TOOK ME IN, ON AN OCEAN OF REGRET
WITH A RUB-A-DUB-DUB, THREE MEN IN THE TUB, LOST ON THE OCEAN BLUE,
I ROW LIKE A HUB, SANG RUB-A-DUB-DUB,CAUSE YOU BROKE MY HEART IN
TWO.
LEAD
WELL, I CAN'T REACH SHORE, AND MY HEART IS SORE, AND I'M DRIFTIN FAR AWAY,
FROM THE LOVE I HAD, AND I'M FEELIN' MIGHTY BAD, AND I CAN'T GO ON THIS WAY,
WON'T YOU THROW OUT THE LINE, AND SAY YOU'RE MINE, AND TAKE ME BACK AGAIN,
CAUSE MY RUDDER'S BROKE, AND IT AIN'T NO JOKE, WON'T YOU REACH AND PULL ME
IN?.
(CHORUS)
WELL, I KNEW RIGHT AWAY, THERE'D NEVER COME A DAY, WHEN I'D REACH LAND
AGAIN,
THE ONE I ADORE, ON THE DISTANCE SHORE, IS NOW AT THE RAINBOW'S END,
TO THE THREE LITTLE GUYS, I TURNED MY EYES, WON'T YOU TELL YOUR NAMES TO ME,
WELL ONE SAID FATE, ONE SAID HATE, AND THE OTHER SAID JEALOUSY.
(CHORUS)
The lyrics to Hank Thompson's song Rub-A-Dub-Dub tell the story of three little men who get lost at sea, just like the singer of the song who has lost his love and is feeling lost and adrift. The three little men become a symbol for the singer's own situation and he laments how they are marooned with a love he can't forget. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, describes the three men in a tub, lost on the ocean blue, while the singer rows and sings the familiar childhood rhyme of "rub-a-dub-dub". However, he sings it with a melancholic twist, as he is singing it because his heart has been broken in two.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more desperate and lonely, far away from the love he once had. He pleads for someone to throw him a line and take him back again, as his rudder is broken and he cannot navigate his way back alone. He also understands that he may never reach land again and that the person he loves may be forever out of reach. In the end, he asks the three little men in the tub to reveal their names to him, and they respond with Fate, Hate, and Jealousy, which adds to the sadness and hopelessness of the song.
The lyrics to Rub-A-Dub-Dub are full of longing and heartbreak, as the singer compares his own situation to that of the three little men in the nursery rhyme. He uses their story to express his own feelings of being lost and adrift, and the pain of a love that is out of reach. The repetition of the familiar rhyme throughout the song adds to the melancholic tone and emphasizes the themes of loss and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
ONCE UPON A TIME , IN A NURSERY RHYME, THREE LITTLE MEN GOT LOST,
Long ago, in a fairytale, three small men wandered away and lost their way.
LIKE YOU AND ME, THEY COULDN'T AGREE, AND UPON THE WAVES THEY TOSSED,
Just like us, they couldn't find common ground and they were tossed about by the waves.
I'LL SING THEIR TUNE, CAUSE THEY GOT MAROONED,WITH A LOVE I CAN'T FORGET,
I'll sing about them, because they were abandoned and left stranded with a love that still lingers.
NOW THE THREE LITTLE MEN JUST TOOK ME IN, ON AN OCEAN OF REGRET
Now those three lost men have welcomed me into their world of regrets while adrift out at sea.
WITH A RUB-A-DUB-DUB, THREE MEN IN THE TUB, LOST ON THE OCEAN BLUE,
As the three men float in their tub, lost at sea, a catchy tune is sung to accompany their journey.
I ROW LIKE A HUB, SANG RUB-A-DUB-DUB,CAUSE YOU BROKE MY HEART IN TWO.
I keep rowing the boat and singing the tune because you shattered my heart into pieces.
WELL, I CAN'T REACH SHORE, AND MY HEART IS SORE, AND I'M DRIFTIN FAR AWAY,
I'm unable to reach the shore, my heart aches, and I'm drifting farther and farther away from where I want to be.
FROM THE LOVE I HAD, AND I'M FEELIN' MIGHTY BAD, AND I CAN'T GO ON THIS WAY,
I miss the love I once had, I feel terrible, and I can't continue living like this.
WON'T YOU THROW OUT THE LINE, AND SAY YOU'RE MINE, AND TAKE ME BACK AGAIN,
Won't you toss me a lifeline, declare that you're mine, and take me back into your arms?
CAUSE MY RUDDER'S BROKE, AND IT AIN'T NO JOKE, WON'T YOU REACH AND PULL ME IN?
My rudder is broken, and it's no laughing matter; won't you come and rescue me?
WELL, I KNEW RIGHT AWAY, THERE'D NEVER COME A DAY, WHEN I'D REACH LAND AGAIN,
I realized immediately that I would never make it back to shore again.
THE ONE I ADORE, ON THE DISTANCE SHORE, IS NOW AT THE RAINBOW'S END,
The one I love, who's waiting for me on the distant shore, is already at the end of the rainbow, beyond my reach.
TO THE THREE LITTLE GUYS, I TURNED MY EYES, WON'T YOU TELL YOUR NAMES TO ME,
I looked towards the three little men and asked them to tell me their names.
WELL ONE SAID FATE, ONE SAID HATE, AND THE OTHER SAID JEALOUSY.
One man claimed to represent fate, another hate, and the last one jealousy.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@melin520
Once upon a time in a nursery rhyme three little men got lost
Like you and me they couldn't agree and upon the wave they tossed
Well I'll sing their tune
'Cause I got marooned with the love I can't forget
Now the three little men just took me in on an ocean of regret
With a rub-a-dub-dub, three men in the tub lost on the ocean blue
I roll like a hub sing rub-a-dub-dub 'cause you broke my heart in two
****************
Well my heart is sore and I can't reach shore and I'm driftin' far away
From the love I had I'm feelin' mighty bad and I can't go on this way
Won't you throw out the line?
And say you're mine and take me back again
'Cause my rudder's broke and it ain't no joke
Won't you reach and pull me in?
With a rub-a-dub-dub, three men in the tub lost on the ocean blue
I roll like a hub sing rub-a-dub-dub 'cause you broke my heart in two
*************
Well I knew right away there'd never come a day
When I'd reach the land again
The one I adore on the distant shore is now at rainbow's end
To the three little guys I turn my eyes
Won't you tell your names to me?
One said fate, one said hate and the other said jealousy
With a rub-a-dub-dub, three men in the tub lost on the ocean blue
I roll like a hub sing rub-a-dub-dub
'Cause you broke my heart in two.....
@dougkormilo3236
A true gentleman who gave his love of music to his fans. Seen him live . Loved to share his joy of music
@sandrahindman9353
Have always liked Hank Thompson. In the 50's he played at the State Fair Of Texas. My mom would watch him every time he was there. It didn't cost anything.❤❤❤
@ronnieleejones7061
HANK THOMPSON IS ONE OF THE BEST COUNTRY AND WESTERN SINGERS EVER
@marianbush2768
My mom loved this song good memory💕
@sandrahindman9353
Always have loved Hank Thompson. He was at the State Fair Of Texas when I was in school.
@josephferg8438
A real great singer who's songs had real meaning to them.
@markmarkofkane8167
I was introduced to Hank T in 1972. My Dad had his greatest hits on 8-track.
@ConnorQuinnvo
Same! The one we had, had a gold foil label.
@Supervegueto1
Really really good👌🏽
@wkdclwn96
I can still hear my daddy singing this to me as a little boy. Thank you for uploading it!!