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.
Honky Tonk Blues
Hank Williams Lyrics
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I told my paw I'm going steppin' out
And get the honky-tonk blues
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
Well, lord, I got 'em
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues
Well, I went to a dance and I wore out my shoes
Them jumpin' honky-tonk blues
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
Good lord, I got 'em
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues
Well, I stopped into every place in town
This city life has really got me down
I got the honky-tonk blues
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
Well, lord I got 'em
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues
I'm gonna tuck my worries underneath my arm
And scat right back to my pappy's farm
And leave these honky-tonk blues
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
Good lord, I got 'em
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues
The lyrics of Hank Williams's Honky Tonk Blues reflect the singer's longing for a simpler life back home in the rural area. It begins with him leaving his home, telling his father he wants to experience some nightlife and ends with him deciding to return to his roots, tuck his worries under his arm and head back ‘home’. This is indicative of how the fast-paced city life can sometimes take its toll on an individual's psyche.
The verses in the song describe Williams's experiences, particularly at the honky-tonk bar where he wears out his shoes dancing to the point where he wakes up with a severe case of the honky-tonk blues. He bemoans the city life, which he finds exhausting and decides to leave it all behind and return to the countryside. The repetition of the phrase "the honky-tonk blues" and the raw emotion in Williams's delivery give the song a bleak, introspective vibe, which explains his longing for a simpler rural life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I left my home down on the rural route
I departed from my rural hometown
I told my paw I'm going steppin' out
I informed my father that I'm going out
And get the honky-tonk blues
To experience the feeling of being in a honky-tonk bar
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
the feeling of being in a honky-tonk bar
Well, lord, I got 'em
I am currently experiencing the honky-tonk blues
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues
I am suffering from the honky-tonk blues
Well, I went to a dance and I wore out my shoes
At a dance, I danced so much that my shoes were completely worn out
Woke up this mornin' wishin' I could lose
The next morning I woke up and wished I could shake off
Them jumpin' honky-tonk blues
The intense feeling of being in a honky-tonk bar
Good lord, I got 'em
I am still experiencing the honky-tonk blues
I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues
I am still suffering from the honky-tonk blues
Well, I stopped into every place in town
I visited every establishment in the city
This city life has really got me down
Living in the city is getting me down
I got the honky-tonk blues
I am feeling the honky-tonk blues
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
The intense feeling of being in a honky-tonk bar
Well, lord I got 'em
I am still experiencing the honky-tonk blues
I'm gonna tuck my worries underneath my arm
I will put away my concerns
And scat right back to my pappy's farm
I will return to my father's farm
And leave these honky-tonk blues
I will escape the feeling of being in a honky-tonk bar
Yeah, the honky-tonk blues
The intense feeling of being in a honky-tonk bar
Good lord, I got 'em
I am still experiencing the honky-tonk blues
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANK WILLIAMS SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind