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.
Wildwood Flower
Hank Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
And the myrtles so bright with emerald dew
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.
Oh, I'll dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will charm ev'ry heart, in his crown I will sway
When I woke from my dreaming, idols were clay
All portions of love then had all flown away. Oh, he taught me to love him and promised to love
And to cherish me over all others above
How my heart now is wond'ring misery can tell
He's left me no warning, no words of farewell.
Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flow'are
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
Oh, I'm longing to see him through life's dark hour
He's gone and neglected this pale wild wood flower.
The song "Wildwood Flower" is a traditional American folk song that has evolved over time and been recorded by numerous artists. Hank Thompson's version of the song captures the essence of the song's theme of love and loss. The lyrics of the song are intricate and weave a story of a woman who loves a man who has left her without any explanation, leaving her heartbroken and longing for him.
The opening lines of the song describe the woman's beauty and her desire to twine her hair with flowers. She wants to be beautiful and charming, capturing the hearts of all who see her. However, the dreamy and romantic nature of the song takes a more somber tone as the woman describes her heartbreak. She had been in love with the man who had promised to love and cherish her above all, but he left without warning, leaving her alone and neglected. She still holds on to the memory of him and longs to see him again, even if it is through life's dark hours.
The song's lyrics evoke a sense of sadness and longing, as well as a wish for a love that lasts forever. The tale of lost love is a universal one, and the song's melancholy beauty has touched many audiences throughout the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I'll twine with my mingles and waving black hair
I will adorn myself with my intertwined locks of hair and flowers of different colors, creating a harmonious blend.
With the roses so red and the lilies so fair
I will add the beauty of red roses and fair lilies to my already lovely appearance.
And the myrtles so bright with emerald dew
I will also include the bright and dewy myrtles to make myself even more attractive.
The pale and the leader and eyes look like blue.
My skin is pale, my hair is black, and my eyes are blue, giving me a unique appearance.
Oh, I'll dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay
I will dance, sing and laugh joyously, spreading happiness and merriment.
I will charm ev'ry heart, in his crown I will sway
Through my charm and allure, I will captivate every heart and rule over them like a queen.
When I woke from my dreaming, idols were clay
When I woke up from my daydreaming, I realized that everything I held in high esteem was nothing but worthless clay.
All portions of love then had all flown away.
All the love I had ever known seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Oh, he taught me to love him and promised to love
He taught me how to love and pledged to love me eternally.
And to cherish me over all others above
He vowed to treasure me more than anyone else in the world.
How my heart now is wond'ring misery can tell
My heart is overwhelmed with wonder, and only my pain can express it.
He's left me no warning, no words of farewell.
He left me without any notice, without even saying goodbye.
Oh, he taught me to love him and called me his flow'are
He showed me how to love and affectionately referred to me as his flower.
That was blooming to cheer him through life's dreary hour
He believed that I was his source of happiness in the midst of life's boredom and bleakness.
Oh, I'm longing to see him through life's dark hour
I crave to be with him during life's difficult and trying times.
He's gone and neglected this pale wild wood flower.
However, he has abandoned and disregarded me, leaving me to wither away like a pale, wild wood flower.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alvin Pleasant Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@孝-v7g
Very good❗️
From Japan.
@idahojune5307
oh so good. Hank was a true talent
@MsHillbilly24
Ok who hit the dislike button ? This is brilliant .
@janettgrady2394
Tracey...Whoever hit the "dislike" is out. Bar is closed, girls are taken. I agree, Tracey, a brilliant piece of music.
@bcrosstx
First song I ever learned to play!
@katsuyukisakata
I `ll play this song tomorrow`s country show. Thanks uploaded.
@janettgrady2394
A Happy tune, that's for sure. Funny, isn't it how Country competed with Pop and held its own in spite of Elvis. Even after Elvis came along, an Elvis song may have been played once or twice on the jukebox, but Hank Thompson records were played, played, and replayed. Sure, Elvis was worth the quarter or two, but Hank was worth a wrapper of quarters and then some...at least in the bars I spent time in.
@1945biged1
Wish I could find this whole album. I had a copy years ago. Finest instrumental album ever. Under the Double Eagle, Steel Guitar Rag, Westphalia Waltz, Wildwood flower and many others.
@judithraven5368
eddie dawson m
@BSimpson19911
Thats my music.