Williams began his career following in his famed father's footsteps, covering his father's songs and imitating his father's style. Williams' first television appearance was in a 1964 episode of ABC's The Jimmy Dean Show, in which at age fourteen he sang several songs associated with his father. Later that year, he was a guest star on Shindig!.
Williams' style evolved slowly as he struggled to find his own voice and place within country music. This was interrupted by a near-fatal fall off the side of Ajax Peak in Montana on August 8, 1975. After an extended recovery, he challenged the country music establishment with a blend of country, rock, and blues. As a multi-instrumentalist, Williams' repertoire of skills includes guitar, bass guitar, upright bass, steel guitar, banjo, dobro, piano, keyboards, saxophone, harmonica, fiddle, and drums.
From 1989 through October 2011, his song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight", refashioned as "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night", had been used to open broadcasts of Monday Night Football until it was pulled after Williams made controversial comments comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler. The song returned to open the show in 2017.
On August 12, 2020, Williams was selected to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Williams' early career was guided, some say outright dominated, by his mother Audrey Williams, who many claim was the driving force that led his father to musical superstardom during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Audrey, in many ways, wished for young Hank to be nothing more than a "Hank Williams, Sr. impersonator", sometimes going as far as to have clothes designed for him that were identical to his father's stage clothes and vocal stylings very similar to those of his father.
Although Williams' recordings earned him numerous country hits throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, he became disillusioned with his role as a 'Hank Williams clone' and severed ties with his mother in order to pursue his own musical direction and tastes. After recording the soundtrack to Your Cheatin' Heart, a biography of his father, Williams, Jr. hit the charts with one of his own compositions, "Standing in the Shadows". The song signalled a move to rock and roll and other influences as he stepped from the shadow of his father.
Also during this time, Williams had his first two No. 1 songs: "All For the Love of Sunshine" (1970, featured on the soundtrack to Kelly's Heroes) and "Eleven Roses" (1972).
By the mid-1970s, Williams had finally found the musical direction that would, eventually, make him a superstar. Williams' unique blend of traditional country with southern rock and blues earned him a devoted following, although some mainstream country radio stations wouldn't touch his new songs in this blatantly untraditional sound.
While recording a series of hit songs, Williams began abusing drugs, including alcohol and eventually tried to commit suicide in 1974. Moving to Alabama, Williams began playing music with Southern rock musicians Toy Caldwell, Marshall Tucker Band and Charlie Daniels, and others.
His last major success was "There's a Tear in My Beer", a duet with his father created using electronic dubbing techniques. The song itself was written by his father, presumably, sometime between 1950 and 1953 and was recorded with Hank Williams playing just his guitar. The music video for the song combined existing television footage of Hank Williams performing and the dubbing techniques transferred the image of Hank Jr. onto the screen, so it appeared as if he were actually playing with his father. The video was an overwhelming success, both critically and commercially. It was named Video Of The Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country music. Hank Williams, Jr. would go on to win a Grammy award in 1990 for Best Country Vocal Collaboration.
Despite his slumping album sales, Hank Williams Jr. continued to be a popular concert draw during the early 1990s and continued to record, with several of his recordings during this time still managing to achieve gold status, selling 500,000 copies.
He is probably best known today as the performer of the theme song for Monday Night Football, based on "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight". The opening theme became a classic, as much a part of the show as the football itself. In 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994, Williams' opening themes for Monday Night Football would earn him four Emmy awards.
Williams opened for Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006, on ABC and was in the stands as a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
On April 10, 2006, CMT honored Williams with the Johnny Cash Visionary Award, presenting it to him at the 2006 CMT Music Awards.
On November 11, 2008, Williams was honored as a BMI Icon at the 56th annual BMI Country Awards. The artists and songwriters named BMI Icons have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers".
In 2011, Williams was named one of "Seven Living Legends" of his native Shreveport, Louisiana, by Danny Fox (1954–2014) of KWKH radio. Others named were Bob Griffin of KSLA and KTBS-TV and James Burton. Two others cited, Claude King and Frank Page, both died in 2013.
In 2015, Hank Williams Jr. was Inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.
American Dream
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The pitcher got a million dollars and the quarterback he got two
Pitcher threw his arm away and the quarterback burned his knee
And this they did so they could live the American dream
Now there are some preachers on T.V. with a suit and a tie and a vest
They want you to send your money to the Lord but they give you
Their address 'cause all of your donations are completely tax free
Do you really want it, do you really need it
Ya gotta keep on grindin' just ta try ta keep it
Ya got no time for yourself, ya got more ba Roe Jim beam
You're goin' crazy, dreamin' the American dream
Reagan is a cuttin' the budget makin' the democrats scream
Says, we gotta control inflation, quit spendin' our money on everything
But this years tax increase, why? It's the biggest in history
Round and a round we go where we stop, who knows the American dream
Do you really want it, do you really need it
Ya gotta keep on grindin' just ta try ta keep it
We got no time for ourselves ya got more ba Roe Jim beam
You're goin' crazy, dreamin' the American dream
You're goin' crazy, dreamin' the American dream
Hail to the chief, hell, yeah
Hank Williams Jr.'s "The American Dream" is a song that reflects upon the greed and ambition that often accompany the pursuit of the so-called American Dream. The first verse points out the irony of the fact that while professional athletes are paid exorbitant amounts, they often sacrifice their physical health in the process. The second verse critiques televangelists who request donations that are tax-free, alluding to the idea that religion can be used as a guise for profit. The final verse touches on government policies and the endless cycle of striving for success, but never quite reaching it.
The chorus expresses the exhaustion and mental distress brought on by the constant pursuit of the American Dream. It asks the audience to consider whether this dream is truly worthwhile, given the costs associated with it.
"The American Dream" was released in 1981, and reflects the cultural and political context of the time. Ronald Reagan had recently become president, and his administration was focused on reducing government spending and increasing economic growth. The song critiques the economic policies of the Reagan administration that eliminated many social programs, and instead prioritized the interests of the wealthy.
Overall, "The American Dream" serves as an expression of disillusionment with the problematic aspects of the pursuit of capitalist success, and encourages listeners to question the value of this pursuit.
Line by Line Meaning
Too many lawyers in football, baseballs gotta few
There are too many lawyers in the sports industry and only a few players are able to earn a substantial amount of money.
The pitcher got a million dollars and the quarterback he got two
Baseball players are earning one million dollars while football players are earning two million dollars.
Pitcher threw his arm away and the quarterback burned his knee
Pitchers often injure their arms while quarterbacks injure their knees because of the stress of playing.
And this they did so they could live the American dream
The athletes sacrificed their bodies to earn a substantial amount of money and live the ‘American dream.'
Now there are some preachers on T.V. with a suit and a tie and a vest
There are preachers with polished appearances on television.
They want you to send your money to the Lord but they give you Their address
These preachers encourage their audience to donate money to their ministry but list their own address for donations.
All of your donations are completely tax free
The donations to these ministries are exempt from taxes.
God bless you all but most of all send your money
These preachers ask their audience to donate generously to their ministry.
Do you really want it, do you really need it
Are you sure you want to work hard and sacrifice for the American dream?
Ya gotta keep on grindin' just ta try ta keep it
You have to keep working hard to maintain the American dream.
Ya got no time for yourself, ya got more ba Roe Jim beam
You have no time for yourself and more alcohol, leading to a breakdown of mental health.
You're goin' crazy, dreamin' the American dream
Working hard to live the American dream can take a toll on one's mental health.
Reagan is a cuttin' the budget makin' the democrats scream
Reagan is reducing the budget, which is causing members of the opposing party, the Democrats, to protest loudly.
Says, we gotta control inflation, quit spendin' our money on everything
Reagan claims that we need to control inflation and stop spending money excessively.
But this years tax increase, why? It's the biggest in history
Despite Reagan's claims to control inflation and reduce spending, this year's tax increase is the largest it has been in history.
Round and a round we go where we stop, who knows the American dream
It seems like we are going nowhere despite trying to reach the American dream.
You're goin' crazy, dreamin' the American dream
Continuing to strive for the American dream can take a toll on one's sanity.
Hail to the chief, hell, yeah
A phrase meaning that regardless of who the President is, they are still capable of negatively affecting people's lives.
Lyrics © BOCEPHUS MUSIC INC
Written by: PATRICK AUGUSTUS, PHILLIP WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RichaRd_JeRome
HeaRing in HopKiNs 🐿️ Minnesota
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JuLy 3rd, 2023
"Heinz" 57 yeaRs oLd
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EarLy 80's...THANKS
@Matt-vb2jo
Want you to send your money to the Lord but they give you their address.
Freaking classic line. Carolina represent.
@speakers79
amen brother
@stevenbasshead17
Sc here
@lukesheldon3599
Wish everyone spoke as honest and directly as Hank always relevant always to point...Great ART.
@stevenbasshead17
Whos here in 2020 trying not to go insane? lol
@woodlandbandit5732
Yep
@WWOofficial
Yessir
@robag2894
2021
@DougWeaver1998
The ‘good news’ is that JoJo The Clown is here to ‘fix’ it all! How you ax’? Why...., didn’t you know that socialism can ‘fix’ ANYTHING!
@stevenbasshead17
@@DougWeaver1998 tdump was a clown as well just like every puppet they put in place.