Hank Thompson (September 3, 1925 – November 6, 2007) was a country-western … Read Full Bio ↴Hank Thompson (September 3, 1925 – November 6, 2007) was a country-western music entertainer whose career spanned six decades, and who has sold over 60 million records worldwide.

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.

Total Strangers
Hank Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now I was down upon my luck
And the jobs were hard to find
I was sort of short on cash
And my bills were way behind

So I went to see my life long friend
An old man now by trade
I figured it's how he had help me out

With his fortune he had made

I said, 'Old pal, I need your help
I hate to be so bold
But remember when I saved your life
Down at the swimming hole'

Now I'd like to ask a favor
If you can see your way
I'd like to have a little loan?
And then I heard him say

Excuse me total stranger
I can't seem to recall
Are you absolutely certain
That we've ever met at all?

"I'd really like to help you out?
As he opened wide the door
So long total stranger
That I've never seen before?

Now once I had a girlfriend
Who really caught my eye
And when the wife was out of town
Well, I'd court her on the sly

We'd taken all the nightclubs
And honky tonk around
Join at all the parties
And really do the town

But then one night my wife came home
She must have smelled a rat
She looked around from place to place
And found where I was at

Well, there we were all cuddled up
I knew that I was dead
But before my wife could say a word
I jumped right up and said

She's just a total stranger
Who came in off the streets
The place is kinda crowded
So I offered her a seat"

"Now, I couldn't leave this lady
Just a standin' on the floor
She's just a total stranger
That I've never seen before?

My friend said let's go huntin'
I've got the gun and chills
The birds are really flyin'
And I think we'll do quite well

He killed a half a dozen
Then said, I supposed
I really ought to tell you
That the huntin' season's closed?

About that time he heard a noise
And he ducked behind a tree
He took the gun, shelled some birds
And gave them all to me

Up stepped the old game warden
And found me standing there
Before I had a chance to talk
I heard my friend declare

He's just a total stranger
And I was passing by
I saw this total stranger
Shoot those birds out of the sky?

It's a shame the way some people
The laws they do ignore
Like this total stranger
That I've never seen before?

Overall Meaning

Hank Thompson's song "Total Strangers" tells the story of a man who asks his life-long friend for financial assistance during difficult times. Unfortunately, his friend doesn't seem to remember the past they shared and refers to him as a total stranger. The first verse sets the foundation of the story, revealing that the singer is in a tough spot with money, and he needs help catching up on his bills. He turns to his old friend, hoping that the man's success and wealth might allow him to lend a helping hand.

The second verse introduces a romantic angle to the story. The singer admits to having a girlfriend on the sly, even though he's married. When his wife nearly catches him with his lover, he lies and says that the woman is a total stranger who just walked in off the streets, and he didn't have the heart to leave her standing. The final verse sees the two men out hunting, where they shoot more birds than they should have. When confronted by a game warden, the friend lies again and says that he saw a total stranger, the singer, shoot the birds out of the sky.

The song depicts how people's true colors are revealed when faced with difficult situations. Despite the singer's efforts to rekindle an old friendship, the friend seems to have forgotten him. Additionally, the singer can't seem to be loyal to his wife, even though he knows it's the right thing to do. Finally, the friend's disregard for hunting laws is presented, as it's insinuated that he lies about who actually shot the birds.

Line by Line Meaning

Now I was down upon my luck
At a difficult time, jobs were scarce and my financial situation was dire

And the jobs were hard to find
I struggled to find employment

I was sort of short on cash
I had a financial deficit

And my bills were way behind
My expenses were considerably overdue

So I went to see my life long friend
I approached a friend I had known for years

An old man now by trade
He had moved on and become successful in his profession

I figured it's how he had help me out
I had a presumption that he would assist me

With his fortune he had made
With the wealth he had earned

I said, 'Old pal, I need your help
I asked for his favour

I hate to be so bold
I regret having to approach him in this way

But remember when I saved your life
I reminded him of an instance when I rescued him

Down at the swimming hole'
At the area where we went swimming

Now I'd like to ask a favor
I had an appeal to make

If you can see your way
If you can manage to help me

I'd like to have a little loan?
I requested for a small sum of money

And then I heard him say
But his response was

Excuse me total stranger
I beg your pardon, but I don't recognize you

I can't seem to recall
I am unable to remember

Are you absolutely certain
Are you completely sure

That we've ever met at all?
That we've ever encountered one another?

"I'd really like to help you out?
I would love to lend you assistance if I could

As he opened wide the door
As he flung open the door

So long total stranger
Farewell, individual who is unknown to me

That I've never seen before?
Whom I have never met before?

Now once I had a girlfriend
At a point in time, I had a romantic partner

Who really caught my eye
Who had truly entranced me

And when the wife was out of town
And during occasions when his wife was not around

Well, I'd court her on the sly
I would secretly court her affectionately

We'd taken all the nightclubs
We had visited all of the nightspots

And honky tonk around
And toured around the honky-tonk bars

Join at all the parties
We had participated in several parties

And really do the town
And enjoyed the town to the fullest

But then one night my wife came home
However, one night when my spouse returned

She must have smelled a rat
She probably suspected foul play

She looked around from place to place
She searched around the vicinity

And found where I was at
And discovered where I was located

Well, there we were all cuddled up
We were snuggled up together

I knew that I was dead
I was well aware that I was in deep trouble

But before my wife could say a word
But before my spouse could utter anything

I jumped right up and said
I immediately stood up and spoke

She's just a total stranger
This individual is an unfamiliar person

Who came in off the streets
She wandered in from the thoroughfare

The place is kinda crowded
The location is relatively full of people

So I offered her a seat"
So, I permitted her to sit

"Now, I couldn't leave this lady
I could not abandon this woman

Just a standin' on the floor
Just standing on the ground

She's just a total stranger
She is merely someone unknown to me

That I've never seen before?
Whom I have never set eyes on?

My friend said let's go huntin'
My friend suggested that we go hunting

I've got the gun and chills
I have a gun and I'm excited to use it

The birds are really flyin'
The birds are abundantly present

And I think we'll do quite well
I believe we will succeed

He killed a half a dozen
He killed about six birds

Then said, I supposed
He said, I guess

I really ought to tell you
I should inform you

That the huntin' season's closed?
That the hunting season had come to an end?

About that time he heard a noise
Around that moment, he heard a sound

And he ducked behind a tree
He quickly ducked and took cover behind a tree

He took the gun, shelled some birds
He grabbed the firearm and killed a few more birds

And gave them all to me
And handed over all of them to me

Up stepped the old game warden
Out emerged the elderly game warden

And found me standing there
And spotted that I was present

Before I had a chance to talk
Before I could say anything

I heard my friend declare
I heard my buddy state boldly

He's just a total stranger
He's someone I don't know

And I was passing by
I was just passing through

I saw this total stranger
I observed this unknown entity

Shoot those birds out of the sky?
Destroying those birds while they're in the sky?

It's a shame the way some people
It's a disgrace the manner in which some individuals

The laws they do ignore
Disregard the rules and regulations

Like this total stranger
Similar to this complete stranger

That I've never seen before?
The one whom I have never laid my eyes on?

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Comments from YouTube:

@janettgrady2394

6y↑3

I play Hank's songs quite often, but sometimes I start playing them and can't stop. Every next one is better than the last, and this Total Strangers song is one I haven't heard before, or at least I don't remember it. Anyway, I love it. Title alone makes me want to thank Hank Thompson...Hank drew a lot of girls into places where they could meet and eventually marry a total stranger. I did. Clever idea for a song, Hank. Thanks.