Born in Mount Olive, Butler County, Alabama, Williams moved to Georgiana, where he met Rufus Payne, a black street performer who gave him guitar lessons in exchange for meals. Payne had a major influence on Williams's later musical style. During this time, Williams informally changed his name to Hank, believing it to be a better name for country music. After moving to Montgomery, Williams began his career in 1937 when WSFA radio station producers hired him to perform and host a 15-minute program. He formed as backup the Drifting Cowboys band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of school to devote all of his time to his career.
When several of his band members were conscripted to military service during World War II, Williams had trouble with their replacements and started drinking heavily, causing WSFA to dismiss him. Williams eventually married Audrey Sheppard, who became his manager for nearly a decade. After recording "Never Again" and "Honky Tonkin'" with Sterling Records, he signed a contract with MGM Records. In 1948 he released "Move it on Over," which became a hit, and also joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program. In 1949, he released a cover of "Lovesick Blues," which carried him into the mainstream of music. After an initial rejection, Williams joined the Grand Ole Opry. He had 11 number one songs between 1948 and 1953, though he was unable to read or notate music to any significant degree. Among the hits he wrote were "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."
During his last years Williams's consumption of alcohol, morphine and other painkillers severely compromised his professional and personal life. He divorced his wife and was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry due to frequent drunkenness. Williams died suddenly in the early morning hours of New Years Day in 1953 at the age of 29. Despite his short life, Williams has had a major influence on country music. The songs he wrote and recorded have been covered by numerous artists, many of whom have also had hits with the tunes, in a range of pop, gospel, blues and rock styles.
Alabama governor Gordon Persons officially proclaimed September 21 "Hank Williams Day". The first celebration, in 1954 featured the unveiling of a monument at the Cramton Bowl, that was later placed in the grave site of Williams. The ceremony featured Ferlin Husky interpreting "I Saw the Light".[70]
Williams had 11 number one hits in his career ("Lovesick Blues," "Long Gone Lonesome Blues," "Why Don't You Love Me," "Moanin' the Blues," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive," "Kaw-Liga," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "Take These Chains from My Heart"), as well as many other top ten hits.[71]
In 1961, Williams was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and he was inducted in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1987, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame under the category Early Influence. He was ranked second in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music in 2003, behind only Johnny Cash. His son, Hank Jr., was ranked on the same list. In 2004 Rolling Stone ranked him number 74 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The website Acclaimedmusic, which collates recommendations of albums and recording artists, has a year-by-year recommendation for top artists. Hank Williams is ranked first for the decade 1940–1949 for his song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Many rock and roll pioneers of the 1950s, such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded Williams songs early in their careers.
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
Hank Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blue eyes crying in the rain
As we kissed goodbye and parted
I knew we'd never meet again
Love is like a dying ember
Where only memories remain
Through the ages I'll rememberBlue eyes crying in the rain
Now my hair has turned to silver
All my life I've loved in vain
I can see her star in heaven
Blue eyes crying in the rain
Someday when we meet up yonder
We'll stroll hand in hand again
In a land that knows no parting
Blue eyes crying in the rain
The song Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, written by Fred Rose, and famously performed by country music star Hank Williams, is a touching story of lost love and tender memories. The song tells of a man who fondly remembers a relationship that has come to an end. As he gazes into the twilight horizon, he sees her blue eyes crying in the rain. The lyrics suggest that this memory will stay with him for years to come, even as he grows old and his hair turns silver. The song's final stanza gives him hope that one day, they will reunite in heaven, holding hands in a land where there is no more pain and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
In the twilight glow I see her
As the sun sets, I can still see her face in my mind's eye
Blue eyes crying in the rain
I still remember the sadness in her blue eyes when we said goodbye, even though it was raining heavily
As we kissed goodbye and parted
Our last kiss was bittersweet, knowing that it was truly the end of our relationship
I knew we'd never meet again
Deep down, I understood that our paths would never cross again
Love is like a dying ember
Love has a way of slowly dying out, leaving only memories behind
Where only memories remain
Once love is gone, all that's left are the memories of the good times
Through the ages I'll remember
Despite how much time passes, I will always remember her and the love we shared
Now my hair has turned to silver
Years have passed since we last parted ways, and I've aged as time goes by
All my life I've loved in vain
I've spent my entire life searching for love, but I've never found anything that compares to what I had with her
I can see her star in heaven
I believe that she's now in a better place, and that she's watching over me from above
Someday when we meet up yonder
I believe that we will be reunited in the afterlife
We'll stroll hand in hand again
When we do meet again, we will be reunited in love and happiness
In a land that knows no parting
In the afterlife, we won't have to fear saying goodbye, as we'll be together forever
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Fred Rose
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@psnTurok35
lyrics:
In the twilight glow I see her
Blue eyes crying in the rain
As we kissed goodbye and parted
I knew we'd never meet again
Love is like a dying ember
Where only memories remain
Through the ages I'll remember
Blue eyes crying in the rain
Now my hair has turned to silver
All my life I've loved in vain
I can see her star in heaven
Blue eyes crying in the rain
Someday when we meet up yonder
We'll stroll hand in hand again
In a land that knows no parting
Blue eyes crying in the rain
@johnervolina6738
I always thought it was a Willie Nelson song .
Never thought of Hank doing it .
Great version by both icons.
@rays7437
Vince Gill's is great too
@sheiladuplanty1637
This song was sung first by Faron Young. I've been searching for his recording and came across this. ❤
@galaxyanimal
@@sheiladuplanty1637 The first version was actually by Roy Acuff, not Faron Young. I don't know if that's the one you were thinking of, or if Faron Young also recorded it.
@RogerMcCauley-s1e
You can feel the emotions in all of Hank's songs
@emariemcc
I have just listened to five different singers doing this song. Hank sounds the most like he means it
@wildcycles1
cuz he wrote it
@bobharris7046
@@wildcycles1 Wrote by Fred Rose.
@garyschiffli1043
If you want to hear Hanks real pain listen to “It don’t matter now”. You’ll really feel him.
@byroncormier8532
Hank is the most honest and raw emotionally charged singer in history. Everything he ever sang sounded like it was his life story.