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.
Come On Over To The Country
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listening to people sing with
Hats on their heads
Well my how times have changed!
Did you get tired of heavy metal and chains?
Come breathe the cool mountain air
Yeah take a look at our
No you won't look like a fool
'Cause country's hot and country's cool
Come on over to the country
I think you'll like it here just fine
Come on over to the country
We'll try to soothe your rattled mind
Come on over to the country
Listen to our people sing
Come on over to the country
You might find we're to your liking
Don't matter if you're in New York or LA
We'll take you to Montana from the freeway
Come ride with us down the radio way
We're here 24 hours a day
Yeah my girl used to be a rock and roll queen
That was until the night
She heard Bocephus sing
She married me and she moved to the country
Why she even had cow poo on her jeans, ooh
Come on over to the country
I think you'll like ti here just fine
Come on over to the country
We'll try to soothe your rattled mind
Come on over to the country
Do you ever hear old Hank sing?
Come on over to the country
You might find we're to your liking
Come on over to the country
You might find we're to your liking
In Hank Williams Jr.'s song "Come On Over To The Country," the lyrics convey a message of embracing and appreciating country music and the lifestyle it represents. The opening lines reference a previous reluctance towards country music, with the singer stating that the listener claimed they would never be caught dead listening to people singing with hats on their heads. However, there has been a shift in perspective, as the singer asks if the listener got tired of heavy metal and chains, suggesting a departure from a different music genre.
The song then invites the listener to come experience the country and its offerings. The lyrics highlight the allure of the country, mentioning the cool mountain air and the presence of beautiful women. The singer assures the listener that they won't look foolish, as country music has become popular and trendy. The chorus further encourages the listener to come and discover the country's joys, to find solace for their rattled mind.
The second verse introduces a personal story of the singer's relationship. The singer's partner used to be a "rock and roll queen" until she heard Hank Williams Jr. (Bocephus) sing. As a result, she not only married the singer but also embraced the country lifestyle to the extent of having cow dung on her jeans. This anecdote serves as an example of the transformative power of country music and how it can deeply influence someone's life.
Overall, "Come On Over To The Country" celebrates the charm and appeal of country music and the way it can captivate individuals and bring about a change in their perspective and lifestyle.
Line by Line Meaning
You said you'd never be caught dead
You once claimed that you would never engage in such an activity
Listening to people sing with
Enjoying the musical performances of individuals
Hats on their heads
With headwear adorning their crowns
Well my how times have changed!
Oh, what a shift in circumstances!
Did you get tired of heavy metal and chains?
Have you become weary of the genre characterized by intense sounds and rebellious symbolism?
Come breathe the cool mountain air
Join us in inhaling the refreshing breeze of the mountains
Yeah take a look at our
Observe with your own eyes the presence of our
Pretty girls on display yeah buy a hat
Visually appreciate the attractiveness of our female inhabitants, and perhaps acquire headgear
No you won't look like a fool
Rest assured, you will not appear foolish
'Cause country's hot and country's cool
Because the country style is currently popular and admirable
Come on over to the country
Transition yourself to the rural areas
I think you'll like it here just fine
I believe you will find great satisfaction in this environment
We'll try to soothe your rattled mind
We shall endeavor to alleviate the unrest within your thoughts
Listen to our people sing
Pay attention to the melodious voices of our citizens
You might find we're to your liking
It is possible that our surroundings will appeal to your preferences
Don't matter if you're in New York or LA
It is irrelevant whether you reside in New York or Los Angeles
We'll take you to Montana from the freeway
We shall accompany you to Montana, departing from the confined highway
Come ride with us down the radio way
Join us as we journey through the airwaves of the radio
We're here 24 hours a day
Our presence spans the entire day, without interruption
Yeah my girl used to be a rock and roll queen
Indeed, my beloved used to be a prominent figure in the rock and roll scene
That was until the night
However, that changed on the evening
She heard Bocephus sing
Upon hearing the musical talents of Bocephus
She married me and she moved to the country
She entered into matrimony with me and relocated to the rural country
Why she even had cow poo on her jeans, ooh
To such an extent that her jeans were adorned with excrement from cows, oh my!
Do you ever hear old Hank sing?
Have you ever had the pleasure of listening to the timeless melodies of the esteemed individual named Hank?
You might find we're to your liking
It is possible that our surroundings will appeal to your preferences
Lyrics © BOCEPHUS MUSIC INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Acuravigor47
The world needs much more of this music. Thanks Hank
tommy2chips
Hank Williams Jr. is one of the many people that makes Country Music cool.
Buttphalt
Senior as well
Barry Guyer
KING OF COUNTRY
Michael Vance
Hank 3 too
wild cowboy
Hank is getting old now but during this time he was miles ahead of the rest, and having former bama standout derrick Thomas in this video says it all.... Rest in peace mr. Thomas...
Wildest Cowboy
@Daniel Smith you right Danielle, Hank is the last one. When he dies country does as well
Daniel Smith
Still is
Jason Shepperd
I remember the first time I heard to this song I was 15 I ran to the store bought the CD and learned this song and learned it in 10 mins
Spectrescup
That long?