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.
Wedding Bells
Hank Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You wanted me to see you change your name
I couldn't stand to see you wed another
But dear I hope you're happy just the same
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
That should be ringing out for you and me
Down the aisle with someone else you're walking
I planned a little cottage in the valley
I even bought a little band of gold
I thought some day I'd place it on your finger
But now the future looks so dark and cold
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
I hear the children laughing out with glee
At home alone I hang my head in sorrow
Those wedding bells will never ring for me
I fancy that I see a bunch of roses
A blossom from an orange tree in your hair
And while the organ plays I love you truly
Please let me pretend that I am there
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
Ever since the day you set me free
I knew someday that you would wed another
But wedding bells will never ring for me
The lyrics of Hank Williams’s song “Wedding Bells” speaks about unrequited love and heartbreak. The opening lines tell the story of receiving an invitation from a former lover, who is getting married to someone else. The singer expresses his pain and disappointment at seeing someone he still loves marrying someone else. Despite the hurt, the singer wishes his former lover well and hopes she is happy.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the pain of watching someone you love walk down the aisle with someone else, knowing that you were once headed down the same path. The singer shares his hopes and dreams of building a life together with his former lover, but those dreams are now impossible. He must come to terms with the fact that he has lost the love of his life at the altar. The final verse describes the singer’s sense of longing as he imagines the scene of the wedding, smelling the roses and hearing the organ playing as he ‘sees’ the woman he loves marry another.
The song touched on a relatable theme of lost love and betrayal, and it was released in 1952. The song experienced commercial success, charting number one on the Country & Western Billboard chart for four weeks in a row. Over time it became one of the most well-known country ballads, covered by various artists, including Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris.
Line by Line Meaning
I have the invitation that you sent me
You sent me an invitation to your wedding.
You wanted me to see you change your name
You sent me an invitation to witness you take on your spouse's last name.
I couldn't stand to see you wed another
It would hurt me too much to see you marry someone else.
But dear I hope you're happy just the same
I hope you're happy, even though you're marrying someone else.
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
The bells in the chapel are ringing to celebrate your marriage.
That should be ringing out for you and me
The bells should be ringing for us if we were getting married.
Down the aisle with someone else you're walking
You're walking down the aisle with someone else, not me.
Those wedding bells will never ring for me
The bells won't ring for me because we're not getting married.
I planned a little cottage in the valley
I had plans to build a home for us in the valley.
I even bought a little band of gold
I bought a ring for you.
I thought some day I'd place it on your finger
I hoped to propose to you one day and give you the ring.
But now the future looks so dark and cold
Now I feel sad and hopeless about our future together.
I hear the children laughing out with glee
I hear the sound of children happy about your marriage.
At home alone I hang my head in sorrow
I feel sad and lonely at home.
Those wedding bells will never ring for me
I'll never get to hear the wedding bells for my own wedding.
I fancy that I see a bunch of roses
I imagine seeing a bouquet of roses.
A blossom from an orange tree in your hair
I see you wearing a blossom flower in your hair, probably from an orange tree.
And while the organ plays I love you truly
I still love you deeply while the organ plays at your wedding.
Please let me pretend that I am there
Let me pretend that I'm at the wedding with you.
Ever since the day you set me free
You set me free when you chose to marry someone else.
I knew someday that you would wed another
I always knew that you would end up marrying someone else someday.
But wedding bells will never ring for me
Unfortunately, I'll never hear the wedding bells for my own wedding.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CLAUDE BOONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1949 {August 20th} Hank Williams' "Wedding Bells" peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's 'Best-Selling Retail Folk (Country and Western) Records' chart, and for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "I'm Throwing Rice At The Girl I Love" by Eddy Arnold...
"Wedding Bells" was the first of six of his records to peak at #2 on the Billboard C&W charts, the other five were "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It" {1949}, "I Can't Help It" {1952}, "Honky Tonk Blues" {1952}, "Half As Much" {1952}, and "Settin' The Woods On Fire" {1952}...
Sadly, Hank Williams, born Hiram Williams, passed away at the young age of 29 on January 1st, 1953...
May he R.I.P.
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Best-Selling Retail Folk Records' Top 10 on August 20th, 1949:
At #3, "Why Don't You Haul Me Off and Love Me?" by Wayne Raney
#4. "Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams
#5. "Slipping Around" by Ernest Tubb
#6. "Tennessee Polka" by Red Foley
#7. "Room Full of Rose" by George Morgan
#8. "Country Boy" by 'Little' Jimmy Dickens
#9. "Slipping Around" by Floyd Tillman
#10. "Don't Rob Another Man's Castle" by Eddy Arnold
#10. "A Long Line of Love" by Michael Martin Murphey
@danahotz4639
Undoubtedly the greatest country musician who ever lived. A very spiritually deep man. He is the gold standard by which every other country artist has since been measured.
@lukedalton3184
No one could ever come close to this man legend
@gooner76
Legend
@zachariepetiquay8976
True, since I was born that I’ve been listening to him and I still couldn’t go close to him.
@jimmyjennings4089
I don't know how somebody that only made it to 29 years old could be so sad.
@gkrather
Sometimes you just have to get back to the real, heartfelt side of country music. That's why I'm listening to Hank this morning.
@jimilee4609
What a great sad song 👍 Hank Williams The Godfather of country music
@agnesbeach9768
Hank Williams Sr was my Dad's favourite singer and he sang his song's all the time and I really wish that I sang with my Dad. I loved to hear my Dad sing and I miss him so very much and I love him so much. I look forward to the day that I will be with him again and the rest off my family.
@snakefarm5427
Bought a HANK record at my local record shop yesterday for only 5$ and this song is on it and it is now my favorite record. Something about these old country records that is true love. I usually do listen to super heavy metal and black metal but there is nothing like this ...
@Crlpope
I wish there were record shops near me