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.
When the Fire Comes Down
Hank Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Water covered all this land
Then the great rainbow of promise
Started us on life again
And the good book tells of fire that
Will fill the earth some day
And the sinful will be screaming
As this earth shall pass away
[Chorus]
When the fire comes down from heaven
This old world will melt away
Millions then will cry for mercy
But it will be to late to pray
Oh this world is at a tremble
And its rocking to and fro
You can read it in the papers
Hear it on the radio
And the movies they are showing
Towns and cities how they blaze
But there's hotter fire a coming
If we follow sins highway
[Chorus]
Texas City, Texas City oh how awful
Was her faith
First she burned and then exploded
Now the story will relate
Of the wine crop in Atlanta how she
Burned right to the ground
Or the great fire of Chicago and
The dead lay all around
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Hank Williams's song When the Fire Comes Down talk about the end of the world and the ultimate punishment for sinners. Williams starts by referencing the biblical story of the flood, where water covered all the land, and the great rainbow of promise started life again. Then, he moves on to the coming of fire that will fill the earth, as foretold in the good book. This fire will be so severe that the sinful will be screaming as the earth passes away. The chorus of the song involves Williams warning the listeners that when the fire comes down from heaven, the old world will melt away, and it will be too late to pray, even for the millions that will cry for mercy.
Further, Williams alludes to the signs of the end times mentioned in the Bible. He paints a bleak picture of how the world is at a tremble, and it is rocking to and fro, and you can read about it in the papers or hear it on radio broadcasts. The movies, too, are showing towns and cities burning, but Williams warns that there is hotter fire coming. If we follow the path of sin, we will face the ultimate and most severe final judgment. Williams then goes on to tell unimaginable stories of disasters like the explosion in Texas City, the fire that destroyed the wine crop in Atlanta, and the great fire of Chicago, where the dead lay all around. All of these incidents are examples of the lesser fires that are insignificant compared to the ultimate fire that will come down from heaven.
Overall, the song conveys a clear message of the wrath of God and the consequences of sinning. Williams wanted to warn people of the impending judgment day through his lyrics and urge them to change their ways and seek forgiveness from the almighty.
Line by Line Meaning
Way back in the days of mo
In the distant past, when everything was different
Water covered all this land
The world was once entirely covered in water
Then the great rainbow of promise
The promise of a better future appeared
Started us on life again
We were given a fresh start
And the good book tells of fire that
The Bible warns of a fire that
Will fill the earth some day
Will one day consume the entire world
And the sinful will be screaming
Those who have sinned will cry out in agony
As this earth shall pass away
When the world comes to an end
When the fire comes down from heaven
When God's wrath is unleashed
This old world will melt away
The world as we know it will be destroyed
Millions then will cry for mercy
Many people will beg for forgiveness
But it will be to late to pray
But it will be too late for salvation
Oh this world is at a tremble
The world is currently unstable
And its rocking to and fro
It is in a state of constant upheaval
You can read it in the papers
There is evidence of this all around us
Hear it on the radio
It is even being broadcasted
And the movies they are showing
It is even a popular topic in entertainment
Towns and cities how they blaze
There are many instances of destruction
But there's hotter fire a coming
But an even greater catastrophe is on the horizon
If we follow sins highway
If we continue to live in sin
Texas City, Texas City oh how awful
Texas City was the site of a terrible tragedy
Was her faith
It was a test of her faith
First she burned and then exploded
There was a fire, and then a massive explosion
Now the story will relate
It is a tragic tale
Of the wine crop in Atlanta how she
The wine industry in Atlanta
Burned right to the ground
Was completely destroyed by fire
Or the great fire of Chicago and
The devastating fire that occurred in Chicago
The dead lay all around
Left many people dead and injured
When the fire comes down from heaven
When God's wrath is unleashed
This old world will melt away
The world as we know it will be destroyed
Millions then will cry for mercy
Many people will beg for forgiveness
But it will be to late to pray
But it will be too late for salvation
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: CURLY KINSEY, MILTON ESTES, TOMMY HARRELL, WALLY FOWLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@maryhoward4667
Revelations ! Can tell his mom played the piano at church and he listened and learned.
@delidivaed1
Oh I love this song, never heard it before and it moved me.
@izzydeadyet7336
My favorite Hank song! Thank the lord for Hank, sr. And the 3rd ! Feels like they're the only ones I can relate to
@karlheven8328
Way back in the days of mo Water covered all this land Then the great rainbow of promise Started us on life again And the good book tells of fire that Will fill the earth some day And the sinful will be screaming As this earth shall pass away When the fire comes down from heaven This old world will melt away Millions then will cry for mercy But it will be to late to pray Oh this world is at a tremble And its rocking to and fro You can read it in the papers Hear it on the radio And the movies they are showing Towns and cities how they blaze But there's hotter fire a coming If we follow sins highway When the fire comes down from heaven This old world will melt away Millions then will cry for mercy But it will be to late to pray Texas City, Texas City oh how awful Was her faith First she burned and then exploded Now the story will relate Of the wine crop in Atlanta how she Burned right to the ground Or the great fire of Chicago and The dead lay all around When the fire comes down from heaven This old world will melt away Millions then will cry for mercy But it will be to late to pray
Quelle: LyricFind
@E621_Rule34
Mo should be noah lol
@delidivaed1
Thank you, should be a required hymn before every service
@bigcdog5645
i love hanks music he was and still is the greatest his gospel songs really put him on another level he sang them with such conviction and feeling house of gold is one of my fav songs from him but i love pretty muchevery one of his songs.
@roypreston5792
House of gold my favourite to
@gpa3080
It's alomt too late! Good Lord I'm ready!
@jesgarcia9556
My mom told me this world wd end in fire i think she wd be proud of me . i have tried to be a good person n i gave my life to Jesus he just wanted us to live with him in heaven u can't beat that God bless us all