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.
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Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I give my all and sit and yearn and get no lovin' in return
And I just don't like this kind of livin'
Why do we stay together if we always fuss and fight
You ain't never done to be wrong and I ain't never been right
Tell me where you think we're goin' cause I ain't got no way of knowin'
When things go wrong you go your way you leave me here to pay and pay
I just don't like the things you're doin' your evil heart will be your ruin
When things start runnin' smooth and free you haul right off and you pick on me
And I just don't like this way of livin'
They say the road of love is long it's rocky and it's rough
But if this road don't start to get smooth I've traveled it long enough
Why don't you act a little older and get that chip off of your shoulder
I told you once now I'll tell you twice you better start to treat me nice
Cause I just don't like this kind of livin'
The lyrics to Hank Williams Jr.'s "I Just Don't Like This Kind of Livin'" tells the story of a relationship that has soured. The singer is tired of always giving and not receiving love and affection in return. They question why they stay together when they seemingly always argue and fight. The singer expresses frustration towards their partner, who they believe is the cause of the constant fights and disappointment. They implore their partner to change their ways and treat them with kindness.
The song captures the emotions of a relationship that is falling apart. The singer feels unappreciated and frustrated with the lack of love from their partner, and it seems that their partner is equally unhappy. The chorus, "I just don't like this kind of livin'" is a poignant repetition that emphasizes the unhappy state of the relationship. The lyrics express a desire for change and improvement in the relationship, but it seems that the singer's efforts are futile.
Overall, the song's lyrics resonate with anyone who has been in a relationship that has gone sour. It captures the confusing mix of emotions that come with a relationship that is not working out, including frustration, anger, and sadness.
Line by Line Meaning
I just don't like this kind of livin'
I am tired of living this way and not receiving love in return.
I'm tired of doin' all the givin'
I am exhausted from constantly giving without any reciprocation.
I give my all and sit and yearn and get no lovin' in return
Even though I do my best to love, I am still left unfulfilled and yearning for more.
Why do we stay together if we always fuss and fight
If we are constantly bickering, why do we bother staying together?
You ain't never done to be wrong and I ain't never been right
We both have made mistakes but refuse to admit it.
Tell me where you think we're goin' cause I ain't got no way of knowin'
I am uncertain about the future of our relationship and need clarity.
When things go wrong you go your way you leave me here to pay and pay
When there are issues, you abandon me to deal with the consequences alone.
I just don't like the things you're doin' your evil heart will be your ruin
I am unhappy with your behavior, as it will lead to negative consequences for you.
When things start runnin' smooth and free you haul right off and you pick on me
When things are going well, you still find ways to bother and harass me.
They say the road of love is long it's rocky and it's rough
It is commonly said that love is a difficult and challenging journey.
But if this road don't start to get smooth I've traveled it long enough
If our relationship doesn't improve soon, I have been patient for long enough.
Why don't you act a little older and get that chip off of your shoulder
I am asking you to be more mature and to let go of any grudges.
I told you once now I'll tell you twice you better start to treat me nice
I have already asked you once before, and now I am warning you to treat me with kindness and respect.
Cause I just don't like this kind of livin'
This way of living is not making me happy, and I want things to change.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANK WILLIAMS SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jordan
He knows it all heard it all seen it all
jose arriola
Funny video lol love u hank
Donna Tillman
Got it going all girls love
a bubba one time
Larry Alderman
this was fun! thanks Bocephus !!
Keaton Vega
Anybody else think Don Juan looks like a Mexican Freddie Mercury
Jordan
Only gonna go up and down so many times
Melissa Kent
The one woman who is blonde hair is his wife go Bubba
Michael the wolf
Hank William Jr
John Wayne Oliver
Lol my moms in this
Larry Alderman
had fun writing this one, too cool that your mom is in it!!