The grandson of Hank Williams and the son of Hank Williams Jr., he spent much of his early years playing drums in metal and punk rock bands. In 1996, child support payments led Hank III to sign a contract with Music City giant Curb. Three Hanks: Men With Broken Hearts was issued shortly thereafter, which brought the voices of all three generations of Williams men together. While this may seem to be a nice beginning, it was quite different from what Hank III himself desired musically. Despite having been born in Nashville, Tennessee, Hank III has never had a preference for mainstream country.
While his name (and his uncanny vocal and physical resemblances to his grandfather) could have guaranteed him a thriving country audience, he had no patience for the often predictable Nashville sound, nor for even the minimal constraints on behavior his promoters required. His opinions on this subject are well summed up in the songs "Trashville" and "Dick in Dixie".
His first album on his own, titled Risin' Outlaw, was released in September 1999. Lovesick, Broke & Driftin' was released in 2002. He had a great deal of trouble with his label Curb Records, with incidents as extreme as their unwillingness to either release his appropriately named This Ain't Country LP, nor allow him to issue it alone, and his selling of "F*** Curb" T-shirts. Battles with Walmart had delayed the release of his third studio album, titled Straight To Hell, which will be released on Feburary 28th as a two-disc in two formats: a clean version (for Wal-Mart), and an uncensored version, which will be the first country album to bear a parental advisory sticker on the cover.
He plays country with his "damn band" and produces a rather different sound with Assjack, which is a metalcore/psychobilly band. He is also the Bass guitarist in Superjoint Ritual, with former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo. Superjoint Ritual has since disbanded but III is still working with Anselmo on one of his many side-projects (like arson anthem, mentioned below).
A number of "sub-sub-genres" have been coined describing his original sound, such as hard-twang, slacker swing, hellbilly, and honky punk.
Hank III has recorded the tracks "87 Southbound", "Thunderstorms and Neon Signs", as well as "Why Don't You Leave Me Alone", which were penned by Wayne Hancock, a musician who is often compared to him.
Hank III enjoys an extremely loyal grassroots fan base and much of his success can be attributed to his taper friendly stance regarding the audio/videotaping of his frenetic live shows which has been his main promotional vehicle considering the lack of attention paid to his promotion by the Curb Record label.
The Damn Band/Assjack also featured fiddle player extraordinaire Michael "Fiddleboy" McCanless who would play both sets, the traditional country set of the concert and then come back and plug his fiddle into a distortion box and saw away during the metal set. Sadly his talent left this world on February 3, 2003 after losing a battle with cancer, of which the cry of "Fuck Cancer" came out of Hank III's "Fuck Curb" campaign.
In late 2004 Thrown Out of the Bar was slated for release, but Curb opted not to issue it. Williams and label executive Mike Curb would be in and out of court for the next year before a judge ruled in favor of Williams in the spring of 2005, demanding that Curb release the album. Shortly thereafter Williams and Curb came to terms, and Williams dropped his "Fuck Curb" campaign. Bar was reworked into Straight to Hell, released on Curb’s rock imprint, Bruc. Battles with Wal-Mart delayed the appearance of this album, which was released on February 28, 2006 as a two-disc set in two formats: a censored version (for Wal-Mart), and an uncensored version that was the first major-label country album ever to bear a parental advisory warning. One of the songs, "Louisiana Stripes" was written by a little-known Alabama teenager named Jeremy Cummings, who originally released the song on his 2004 debut CD Country Bullshit.
Williams recently played drums for Arson Anthem, formed with Phil Anselmo and Mike Williams of the sludge band Eyehategod.
Williams released his long awaited punk-metal album AssJack on August 4, 2009.
His next album, Rebel Within, was released in May 2010. It charted at number 20 in Billboard magazine.
Williams' former label Curb Records released Hillbilly Joker on May 17, 2011; this is his last release with the label. Williams had been involved in a long contract dispute with his Curb Records after the company refused to release his punk inspired CD This Ain't Country. Several of the songs on Hillbilly Joker had been available as bootlegs, some of them for nearly ten years.
On June 23, 2011, it was posted on III's personal Facebook that he would be releasing four new CDs on September 6, 2011. It said to expect Country, Doom-Rock, Speed Metal with Cattle Callin' on the releases. It also said that they would be released on III's own record label Hank III Records. Entitled Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town (a 2-disc country record with some ambient and folk influences), 3 Bar Ranch Cattle Callin' (a metal record in the newly anointed cattle core genre) and Attention Deficit Domination (a doom-rock record), these new albums were released on Williams's own record label Hank3 Records through Megaforce Records, and feature guest appearances by Tom Waits, Les Claypool (Primus), Alan King (Hellstomper), Ray Lawrence Jr., Troy Medlin (Sourvein), Dave Sherman (Earthride) and Williams' dog, Trooper.
On March 4, 2013, on Williams's web site, it was announced that he is working on two new albums. It has been confirmed that there are at least 25 new songs. On May 3, 2013, Williams released the names of two new albums: a country album Brothers of the 4×4 and punk album A Fiendish Threat, under the band name "3".
On July 6, 2018, Williams was featured on DevilDriver's cover of his song "Country Heroes", which appears on their album Outlaws 'til the End: Vol. 1. On May 24, 2021 he released a cover of the David Allan Coe song "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" on his YouTube channel. On July 31, 2021 Williams shut down his online store. In 2021, Williams' son, Coleman Finchum, changed his last name to Williams began recording and releasing music under the moniker "IV". He formed a band known as "IV and the Strange Band". Their debut album, Southern Circus, was released in June 2022.
On Sunday 18th September 2022, he released a number of new songs on his YouTube channel.
Crazed Country Rebel
Hank Williams III Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and I was lookin' for a guy who had a mullet and no teeth
and I was trippin' on some acid a latino gave to me
Hey, I was smokin' morphine 'til it knocked me off my feet
now I'm startin' to feel like I might've ODed
On an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
and I love gettin' high - hate bein' low
and I like to drive my truck down a muddy dirt road
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin' to get paid
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin' state to state
Somehow I made it up to Texas with a carload full of grass
and I'm seeing all these pigs who wanna bust my ass
and I'm always livin' hard - always smokin' weed
now I'm hangin' out in Texas drinkin' mushroom tea
and I'm fucked up on the floor - think I know why,
must've been some of that Boone county moonshine
And an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
and I love gettin' high - hate bein' low
and I'm always about stayin' on this road
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin' to get paid
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin' state to state
I tried to get up off the floor, tried to get myself in line
'cause the ceiling's talkin' to me, and the pisser's flushin' fire
That's why they call me 'full throttle' - I like a good time
it all started at a bar with a friend of mine
Had to hook me up - he said he'd blow my mind
I've been up for four days so cut me out another line
Of an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
I love bein' high - hate bein' low
and I like to drive my truck down a muddy dirt road
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin to get paid
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin state to state
The lyrics of Hank Williams III's "Crazed Country Rebel" depict a lifestyle that is fueled by drugs, alcohol, and rebellion against societal norms. The singer of the song is always on the road, drifting from state to state, searching for the next high. The first verse sets the tone of the song, with the singer looking for someone with a mullet and no teeth in Memphis and being under the influence of acid and morphine. The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's hedonistic attitude towards life, with lines like "I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten" and "I love getting high - hate being low."
The second verse sees the singer heading to Texas, where the law is on their tail. The singer is always "smoking weed" and "hangin' out in Texas drinkin' mushroom tea." The third verse shows the singer's descent into drug addiction, with lines like "pissers flushin' fire" and "been up for four days so cut me out another line." Overall, the song portrays a lifestyle that is dangerous, self-destructive, and unsustainable, but there is an appeal to the singer's sense of freedom and rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I was rollin' by myself, went down to Memphis, Tennessee
I went to Memphis alone
and I was lookin' for a guy who had a mullet and no teeth
I was looking for an uneducated, redneck man
and I was trippin' on some acid a latino gave to me
I consumed LSD given to me by a Latino person
Hey, I was smokin' morphine 'til it knocked me off my feet
I smoked so much morphine that I fell over
Then I scored some "H" from my old Uncle Pete
I obtained heroin from my uncle
now I'm startin' to feel like I might've ODed
I feel like I may have overdosed on drugs
On an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I indulge in excessive drug use and sinful activities
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
I aim to live life to the absolute maximum
and I love gettin' high - hate bein' low
I enjoy the feeling of being high and detest feeling low
and I like to drive my truck down a muddy dirt road
I enjoy driving my pickup truck down a dirty, rugged path
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin' to get paid
I am putting in effort to make money
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin' state to state
I classify myself as an insane country outlaw that travels from state to state
Somehow I made it up to Texas with a carload full of grass
I managed to travel to Texas with a car full of marijuana
and I'm seeing all these pigs who wanna bust my ass
I encounter law enforcement agents who aim to arrest me
and I'm always livin' hard - always smokin' weed
I constantly live life on the edge and smoke marijuana
now I'm hangin' out in Texas drinkin' mushroom tea
I am now in Texas and consuming mushroom tea
and I'm fucked up on the floor - think I know why,
I am extremely intoxicated on the floor and believe I am aware of the cause
must've been some of that Boone county moonshine
I suspect the moonshine from Boone county is the reason for my intoxication
I tried to get up off the floor, tried to get myself in line
I attempted to get up and compose myself
'cause the ceiling's talkin' to me, and the pisser's flushin' fire
I feel like I am hallucinating as the ceiling and bathroom sound and appear abnormal
That's why they call me 'full throttle' - I like a good time
I am nicknamed 'full throttle' as I enjoy living life to the extreme
it all started at a bar with a friend of mine
This lifestyle began with a friend at a bar
Had to hook me up - he said he'd blow my mind
He provided me with drugs that would amaze me
I've been up for four days so cut me out another line
I have not slept for four days so provide me with another line of drugs
I love bein' high - hate bein' low
I love the feeling of being high and despise feeling low
and I'm always about stayin' on this road
I prefer to continue my current way of life
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin to get paid
I am putting in effort to make money
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin state to state
I classify myself as an insane country outlaw that travels from state to state
Lyrics © SHELTON HANK WILLIAMS III
Written by: SHELTON HANK WILLIAMS III
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Free Julian Assange
Well, I was rollin' by myself, went down to Memphis, Tennessee
and I was lookin' for a guy who had a mullet and no teeth
and I was trippin' on some acid a latino gave to me
Hey, I was smokin' morphine 'til it knocked me off my feet
Then I scored some "H" from my old Uncle Pete
now I'm startin' to feel like I might've ODed
On an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
and I love gettin' high - hate bein' low
and I like to drive my truck down a muddy dirt road
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin' to get paid
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin' state to state
Somehow I made it up to Texas with a carload full of grass
and I'm seeing all these pigs who wanna bust my ass
and I'm always livin' hard - always smokin' weed
now I'm hangin' out in Texas drinkin' mushroom tea
and I'm fucked up on the floor - think I know why,
must've been some of that Boone county moonshine
And an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
and I love gettin' high - hate bein' low
and I'm always about stayin' on this road
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin' to get paid
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin' state to state
I tried to get up off the floor, tried to get myself in line
'cause the ceiling's talkin' to me, and the pisser's flushin' fire
That's why they call me 'full throttle' - I like a good time
it all started at a bar with a friend of mine
Had to hook me up - he said he'd blow my mind
I've been up for four days so cut me out another line
Of an overdose of drugs, overdose of sin
I'm gonna live it to the fullest like I'm on ten
I love bein' high - hate bein' low
and I like to drive my truck down a muddy dirt road
and I'm workin' real hard, tryin to get paid
'cause I'm a crazed country rebel and I'm driftin state to state
Kip Mcbride
I’ve always dug the entire album Hank covers a broad spectrum of musical genres. You can tell when an artist is just writing some bullshit to fulfill a contract. This is real life stuff .
Jeff Jeff
Front to back one of the best albums ever!! Perfect drinking music or just fuckin around music!!! Hank 3 the sound track to my life!!!! He just like SLAYER to me!!!
Russ Burns
Hell yea
Circle Of Stone
🍻
Miss Tessa Marie
Best country song of all time!!! Love Hank 3!!!! ❤
Guedz_jedi
He speaks to me in a very funny manner. I relate a lot with this song in particular. Just change USA states with Brazilian ones... 😂😂
Keith McDaniels
This is a blast from the past...way to go Hank III
Elio Lopez
Great song! Lots of substance, great story, impeccably performed. A real country song, not bad rock sprinkled with country cliche lines like one gets from the Luke Bryants. It's hard to believe the Bryants can even sell one country record when we have good stuff like this to choose from.
That Guy
I remember my grandaddy singing this to me when I was just a child.
adeline wurzer
so true