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.
Lost Highway
Hank Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a life of sin I have paid the cost
When I pass by all the people say
Just another guy on the lost highway
Just a deck of cards and a jug of wine
And a woman's lies makes a life like mine
Oh the day we met, I went astray
I was just a lad, nearly twenty two
Neither good nor bad, just a kid like you
And now I'm lost, too late to pray
Lord I take a cost, o the lost highway
Now boy's don't start to ramblin' round
On this road of sin are you sorrow bound
Take my advice or you'll curse the day
You started rollin' down that lost highway
The lyrics of "Lost Highway" by Hank Williams speak to the journey of a man who has wandered away from the right path, and who is now lost on the "lost highway." He is a "rolling stone all alone and lost," and he has paid the cost of his life of sin. Despite his feeling of isolation, when he passes by people, they see him as just "another guy on the lost highway."
Through the lyrics, the man reveals the reason for his predicament - a deck of cards, a jug of wine, and a woman's lies have made a life like his. He reminisces about the day he met this woman and how it led him astray, causing him to start rolling down the lost highway. In the final verse, the man offers a warning to others not to follow in his footsteps as he's now too late to pray and has taken a cost for his actions. He advises that those who embark on this road of sin are cursed, as he has been.
The song portrays the classic theme of a man's fall and lost innocence, and his subsequent resignation to a life of sin. It stands out as one of Hank Williams's most iconic works, and overtime, it has gained much popularity in country music history.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a rollin' stone all alone and lost
I am a person who is moving without any specific path or destination and is lost in life.
For a life of sin I have paid the cost
I have suffered the consequences of living a life filled with immoral acts and decisions.
When I pass by all the people say
People who come across me believe that I am just another person who is lost and wandering without a purpose.
Just a deck of cards and a jug of wine
I only have a deck of cards and a bottle of wine to help me cope with my loneliness and sadness.
And a woman's lies makes a life like mine
My life has turned out like this because of the lies of a woman I loved.
Oh the day we met, I went astray
The day I met the woman who caused my downfall is the day I lost my way in life.
I started rolling down that lost highway
I began moving down a path in life without any direction, hope or purpose.
I was just a lad, nearly twenty two
I was a young, inexperienced and naive person of 21 years.
Neither good nor bad, just a kid like you
I was just an ordinary person, nothing too special or too bad about me - just like anyone of my age.
And now I'm lost, too late to pray
I am completely clueless and lost in life, without hope or solutions, and it's too late to ask for divine help.
Lord I take a cost, o the lost highway
My aimless, directionless, and wasted life is taking its toll, and I am bearing the brunt of the consequences of my choices and circumstances.
Now boys don't start to ramblin' round
I advise young men not to wander aimlessly without any direction or purpose in life.
On this road of sin are you sorrow bound
Living a life of immorality and wrongdoing will bring nothing but misery, sadness, and despair.
Take my advice or you'll curse the day
If you ignore my words of wisdom, you will someday regret the choices you made in life.
You started rollin' down that lost highway
If you keep living an aimless and sinful life, you will end up leading a life like mine, with no direction, purpose or hope.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Leon Payne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind