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.
Happy Rovin' Cowboy
Hank Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a happy rovin' cowboy
Herdin' the dark clouds out of the sky
Keepin' the heavens blue
No where to go nothing to do
I'm a happy rovin' cowboy
Let me ride that long trail down to the end
I ain't got a dime, I'm just spendin' my time
I'm a happy rovin' cowboy
Let me sing my song till they call me home
To the land beyond the blue
Hank Williams's song Happy Rovin' Cowboy is essentially about a man who is wandering and roving aimlessly, without worrying about anything, and is content simply being free. The singer of the song, a cowboy, who appears to be wandering on horseback, states that he is happy doing what he's doing, which is herding the dark clouds out of the sky and keeping the heavens blue. He seems to derive joy from the mere act of traveling and being on his horse, and he invokes a sense of freedom and release throughout the song.
In the second part of the song, the cowboy states that he has nowhere to go and nothing to do, but he remains happy in his wanderings. He is free to travel the long trail until he reaches the end, where the skies are always blue. He seems to be emphasizing that his happiness comes from traveling and being free as a bird, without any distractions or responsibilities.
The song concludes with the cowboy saying that he has no money, but he doesn't care because he's happy being a wandering cowboy. He also expresses a desire to continue singing his song until death, which he refers to as 'the land beyond the blue.' The song appears to be a tribute to the lifestyle of traveling cowboys, who often had to live a life of isolation and solitude in the vast expanses of the American West.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear my song as I ride along
Listen to my music as I journey
I'm a happy rovin' cowboy
I am a joyful wanderer
Herdin' the dark clouds out of the sky
Chasing away gloomy thoughts
Keepin' the heavens blue
Maintaining a positive outlook on life
No where to go nothing to do
I have no specific destination or agenda
I'm a happy rovin' cowboy
I am a joyful wanderer
Let me ride that long trail down to the end
Allow me to journey towards the horizon
Where the skies are always blue
To a place where happiness is constant
I ain't got a dime, I'm just spendin' my time
I have no money, but I am living in the moment
I'm a happy rovin' cowboy
I am a joyful wanderer
Let me sing my song till they call me home
Allow me to express myself until I pass on
To the land beyond the blue
To the afterlife, where eternal happiness resides
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB NOLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yy19aos
i love this song, its just so happy. You can tell everyone was having a good time.
@HS-mo1ii
I love this recording. Thank you for posting this.
@MisterSlothfull
Great Stuff: This is one of the first recordings of a song ever made by Hank. I think it was done in 1939 when Hank was only 16yrs old. I wish my mother could of heard it before she died, because her name was Marie. Thanks for Sharing
@user-yd2dh9zz1l
I'll pray for your mother. Rest in peace Marie.
@justinward3687
Thanks for posting, just reading the Escott biography.