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.
If It Will It Will
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Learning the Golden Rule
I had a crush on my teacher
She was a beautiful creature
When I look at kids today
I think of how we used to play
She taught all us boys and girls
She said now class
If it will it will, and if it won't it won't
If it does it does, yeah if it don't it don't
Some days are good some bad you know
That's the way it goes
Give the wheel of life a spin, see where it lands
Let your spirit fly free, enjoy yourself while you can
Don't be in a hurry and don't ever make plans
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
If it does it does, hey if it don't it don't
Life is not always so smooth
And Murphy's Law is gonna rule
You know the river's gonna flow, wherever it wants to go
And if the rain wants to fall, you can't stop it at all
No one has ever had control over this world, don't you know?
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
(If it will it will, if it won't it won't)
If it does it does, and if it don't it don't
(If it does it does, if it don't it don't)
Life is not always so smooth
And Murphy's Law is gonna rule
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
(If it will it will, if it won't it won't)
If it does it does it does, if it don't it don't
(If it does it does, if it don't it don't)
No one has ever had control over this old world don't you know, ain't it so?
(If it will it will, if it won't it won't)
(If it does it does, if it don't it don't)
The song “If It Will It Will” by Hank Williams Jr. is a reflection on life and how we sometimes have no control over it. The first verse mentions his childhood crush on his teacher, who taught him about the inevitability of life. The chorus repeats the phrase “if it will it will, and if it won't it won't” which means that whatever is meant to happen will happen and we have no control over it. The second verse talks about how life is not always smooth and there will be good and bad days, and how we should enjoy life while we can. The bridge mentions Murphy’s Law, which states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
The song is a reminder that life is unpredictable, and we can’t control everything that happens to us. Sometimes, we have to go with the flow and ride out the highs and lows. The message is to live in the present and not to worry too much about the future. The song aims to encourage listeners to be in the moment and enjoy life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a boy in school
When I was a young child attending school
Learning the Golden Rule
Learning the ethical principle of treating others as you wish to be treated
I had a crush on my teacher
I developed romantic feelings for my teacher
She was a beautiful creature
She was an attractive, charming person
When I look at kids today
Observing children of the present time
I think of how we used to play
Reminiscing about past times of playfulness and fun with friends
She taught all us boys and girls
She taught the entire class of both genders
This little song about the real, real world
She taught us a song about the reality of life
She said now class
She addressed the class with attention
If it will it will, and if it won't it won't
Things will happen if they're supposed to happen and they won't if they're not
If it does it does, yeah if it don't it don't
Accepting the outcomes of situations as they are
Some days are good some bad you know
Acknowledging the variability of daily experiences
That's the way it goes
This is the nature of how things happen
Give the wheel of life a spin, see where it lands
Approaching life with a carefree attitude, letting things happen naturally
Let your spirit fly free, enjoy yourself while you can
Embracing the present moment and enjoying life to the fullest
Don't be in a hurry and don't ever make plans
Not always needing to plan and controlling every aspect of life
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
Things will happen if they're meant to happen and they won't if they're not
If it does it does, hey if it don't it don't
Accepting the outcomes of situations as they are
Life is not always so smooth
Recognizing that life is unpredictable and can be difficult at times
And Murphy's Law is gonna rule
Referring to the adage that anything that can go wrong will go wrong
You know the river's gonna flow, wherever it wants to go
Life will take its own course and we have no control over its direction
And if the rain wants to fall, you can't stop it at all
There are certain things in life that are beyond our control
No one has ever had control over this world, don't you know?
No one can fully control the world or its outcomes
If it does it does it does, if it don't it don't
Accepting the outcomes of situations as they are
No one has ever had control over this old world don't you know, ain't it so?
No one can fully control the world, and this is a universal truth
Contributed by Logan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alexquintana9808
When I was a boy in school
Learning the Golden Rule
I had a crush on my teacher
She was a beautiful creature
When I look at kids today
I think of how we used to play
She taught all us boys and girls
This little song about the real, real world
She said now class
If it will it will, and if it won't it won't
If it does it does, yeah if it don't it don't
Some days are good some bad you know
That's the way it goes
Give the wheel of life a spin, see where it lands
Let your spirit fly free, enjoy yourself while you can
Don't be in a hurry and don't ever make plans
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
If it does it does, hey if it don't it don't
Life is not always so smooth
And Murphy's Law is gonna rule
You know the river's gonna flow, wherever it wants to go
And if the rain wants to fall, you can't stop it at all
No one has ever had control over this world, don't you know?
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
(If it will it will, if it won't it won't)
If it does it does, and if it don't it don't
(If it does it does, if it don't it don't)
Life is not always so smooth
And Murphy's Law is gonna rule
'Cause if it will it will, and if it won't it won't
(If it will it will, if it won't it won't)
If it does it does it does, if it don't it don't
(If it does it does, if it don't it don't)
No one has ever had control over this o
ld world don't you know, ain't it so?
(If it will it will, if it won't it won't)
(If it does it does, if it don't it don't)
@clintwalls5217
Hay Bocephus!! Like ole Barney
Fife said "Kaay Sarah, Sarah!!"
Alot of truth in this song.,🙏🙏💯 Pretty much lived this song
for over 30yrs.
@rebeccacash5496
Dave Welsted, this song is making me really feel happy this moment!
@johnnoffsinger5206
Hank , hands down THE GREATEST ,He is absolutely straight , honest and NEVER Afraid to speak his mind
@landenseverance
Like when he had a crush on his teacher
@williamnimbach6419
I love that he basically told the nfl to kiss his ass!!! most would have sold out for money awesome to see him stand up for what he believes in
@Gangrel442003
This song is pure country wisdom...
@bridgettblessings317
I'd sing this song, and no one ever heard of it. So glad I found it on here.
@WildHeartNSoul
This man has more talent then most people realize. Hank, you have been my favorite for almost 40 (Yikes) years. You are who you are & I just love you
@THOMASBS6
yes your right love his songs 35 i am lol love outlaw women too
@roy-nk4vq
I saw Hank Jr. with Marty Robbins. They were having as much fun singing as we were having watching the show!