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.
My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
Hank Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Well I'm standin' on a corner
With a bucket in my hand
I'm waitin' for a woman
'Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Well, I went upon the mountain
I looked down in the sea
I seen the crabs and the fishes
Doin' the be-bop-bee
'Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Well, there ain't no use
Of me workin' so hard
When I got a woman
In the boss man's yard
'Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Hank Williams's song "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" is a classic example of a country blues song that tells the story of the singer's financial woes. The song is an upbeat and playful tune that blends together humor, desperation, and a sense of resignation. The three verses are interwoven with the chorus, which emphasizes the fact that the singer can't afford to buy beer because his bucket has a hole in it.
The song begins with the singer bemoaning his out-of-pocket status, repeating the refrain that his bucket has a hole in it. The implication is that the bucket was meant for collecting money, but it is useless because it cannot hold it. The chorus serves as a reminder of the singer's predicament, and each subsequent verse simply adds to his sense of helplessness. In the second verse, he is waiting for a woman, but he can't even buy her a drink. The third verse provides some light-hearted comic relief, as the singer sees crabs and fishes doing the "be-bop-bee" dance. The final verse suggests that the singer has given up trying to make ends meet, as he finds it pointless to work hard when he has a woman waiting for him in the boss man's yard.
The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Louis Armstrong, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Jerry Lee Lewis. It has been adapted to various styles, such as pop, rock, and jazz. Despite its simple structure, the song has become a classic of American roots music, a testament to Hank Williams's songwriting and artistic legacy.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer's bucket has a hole in it which is preventing them from buying beer.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer repeats that their bucket has a hole, emphasizing their situation.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer continues to emphasize their lack of ability to buy beer due to their bucket's hole.
I can't buy no beer
The artist cannot buy beer due to their lack of a functioning bucket.
Well I'm standin' on a corner
The artist is standing on a street corner, possibly begging for money or waiting for someone.
With a bucket in my hand
The singer is holding a bucket, which emphasizes their lack of ability to buy beer due to its hole.
I'm waitin' for a woman
The singer is waiting for a woman who is currently without a romantic partner.
That ain't got no man
The woman the artist is waiting for is currently single.
'Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist reiterates that their inability to buy beer is due to the hole in their bucket.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist repeats their previous statement about their bucket's hole.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer emphasizes their situation again.
I can't buy no beer
The lack of a functioning bucket continues to prevent the artist from buying beer.
Well, I went upon the mountain
The singer went up a mountain, possibly searching for a solution to their problem.
I looked down in the sea
The singer looked down into the ocean, possibly looking for help or inspiration.
I seen the crabs and the fishes
The singer saw crabs and fish, which may or may not be related to their problem of not being able to buy beer due to their bucket's hole.
Doin' the be-bop-bee
The crabs and fish are doing a nonsensical dance, which may or may not be related to the artist's problem.
'Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist returns to their refrain about their inability to buy beer due to their bucket's hole.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer restates their previous line about their bucket's hole.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer emphasizes their situation again.
I can't buy no beer
The lack of a functioning bucket continues to prevent the artist from buying beer.
Well, there ain't no use
There is no point or benefit to the artist's current situation.
Of me workin' so hard
The artist is working hard, possibly to earn enough money to buy beer.
When I got a woman
The singer has a woman in their life.
In the boss man's yard
The woman the artist has is in the yard of their boss, implying a complicated or problematic situation.
'Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer reiterates their refrain about their inability to buy beer due to their bucket's hole.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer repeats their previous line about their bucket's hole.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer emphasizes their situation again.
I can't buy no beer
The lack of a functioning bucket continues to prevent the artist from buying beer.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist repeats their refrain one last time, emphasizing their predicament.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer emphasizes their situation one final time.
Yeah, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer restates their line about their bucket's hole for the last time.
I can't buy no beer
The lack of a functioning bucket continues to prevent the artist from buying beer.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management
Written by: CLARENCE WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joseph Stalin
I've been looking for the alternate version with the final verse about the Ford that got taken out for over three months! Thank you!
Frank Childs
This is incredible and beautiful. He could jam and you can feel his joy 😂
Glenn Johnson
Glenn Johnson WOW!What a find.Never knew this existed.Great quality too.REAL APPRECIATION!!
Daniel Pena official
Love that D-28 sound!!!
Stewart Fenton
This and the other version are two of the very, very few Hank records with any kind of guitar solo. (Few if any. I don't know one, but there's always another Hank track out there I've never heard)
jake elmore
Sounds so crisp
Starla brazzel
Wonder if this was from his early morning kwkh show? I doubt they would let him sing a beer drinking song on radio, but who knows
Daniel Pena official
Sean Crockett I’ll read what you sent , will be back !
Daniel Pena official
Sean Crockett how’d it go? I’d love to play the solo parts of this song! Can you help ??
Sean Crockett
richard brazzel Hank did this version first as he told Fred Rose he wanted to do a guitar solo rehearsal of the song and he gave this acetate to Frank Page the disk Jockey of KWKH who also worked the Louisiana Hayride. However the song was recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio at Herzog studio on August 30, 1949.. 70 years ago and on Friday August 30 2019 I’m going to a show right there at Herzog studio where Hank recorded this demo. It’s going to be an awesome experience