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.
Keep The Change
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll keep my guns
Try to keep my money
And my religion too
Try to keep on workin'
Try to keep on smilin'
I will keep my Christian name
And y'all can keep the change
I'll keep my heroes
Pictures on the wall
I'll keep my family safe
You bluff when I call
I'm gonna keep my big V8
Keep my friends the same
Keep the government outta my business
And y'all can keep the change
This country's sure as hell been goin' down the drain
We know what we need
We know who to blame
United Socialist States of America
How do you like that name?
I'll keep the USA and y'all can keep the change
So FOX and friends
Wanna put me down
Ask for my opinion
Then twist it all around
Supposed to be talkin' about my father's new CD
Well two can play that "Gotcha Game" just wait and see
Don't tread on me
This country's sure as hell been goin' down the drain
We know what we need
We know who to blame
United Socialist States of America
Don't ya just love that name?
I'll keep the USA and y'all can keep the change
I'll keep the USA and y'all can keep the change
Yeah, you can keep FOX and friends and ESPN outta your homes too
'Cause Bocephus and all his rowdy friends and his song is outta there!
Yes sir!
Hank Williams Jr.'s song "Keep The Change" asserts the singer's commitment to his values and beliefs. The lyrics start with him declaring that he will keep his freedom, guns, money, religion, and keep on working and smiling. He affirms that he will keep his Christian name and his pictures of heroes and family while keeping his friends and his big V8 car. The singer wants to keep the government out of his business and life. Through this song, Hank Williams Jr. is voicing his disquiet and mistrust of both the government and sections of the media.
He accuses the USA of becoming a 'United Socialist States' and blames the government and the media for the deterioration of the country. He challenges Fox News and tries to assert his individuality when they quizzed him on his father's CD. He proclaims his support for the USA and criticizes the current state of affairs in the country. The singer concludes the song with his signature phrase, "Don't tread on me," which conveys his message of not being dictated to by the government or the media.
Overall, "Keep The Change" is a defiant song that expresses a passion for personal freedom and individualism. It is a call-to-action to his audiences to resist the manipulations of authority figures and media outlets. The song also touches on the broad theme of patriotism and national identity, urging people to remain steadfast in their love for their country amidst turbulent times.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll keep my freedom
I will hold on to my personal independence.
I'll keep my guns
I will keep my firearms.
Try to keep my money
I will endeavor to keep my wealth and my possessions.
And my religion too
I will keep the belief system that is important to me.
Try to keep on workin'
I will put in the effort needed to make a living.
Try to keep on smilin'
I will remain optimistic and happy even during difficult times.
I will keep my Christian name
I will hold onto my identity as a Christian.
And y'all can keep the change
You can keep the things that you want to change about me.
I'll keep my heroes
I will hold onto the people I admire.
Pictures on the wall
I will keep the memories of those I care about.
I'll keep my family safe
I will protect and look after my loved ones.
You bluff when I call
You make false statements when I confront you.
I'm gonna keep my big V8
I will keep my powerful car.
Keep my friends the same
I will keep my circle of friends as it is.
Keep the government outta my business
I will not let the government interfere in my personal affairs.
And y'all can keep the change
You can keep the changes that you want to make to my life.
This country's sure as hell been goin' down the drain
The United States has been deteriorating rapidly.
We know what we need
We know what we require to improve our current situation.
We know who to blame
We know who is responsible for our current problems.
United Socialist States of America
The imaginary socialist version of America that is feared.
How do you like that name?
Do you like the term that I have coined to instill fear?
I'll keep the USA and y'all can keep the change
I will keep my country as it is and you can keep your proposed changes.
So FOX and friends
The television show that has been mocking and criticizing me.
Wanna put me down
They want to demean me and make me feel small.
Ask for my opinion
They solicit my thoughts on a topic.
Then twist it all around
They manipulate my words and ideas to suit their agenda.
Supposed to be talkin' about my father's new CD
The conversation was supposed to be about my father's new music album.
Well two can play that "Gotcha Game" just wait and see
I can also play dirty and answer in a way that will embarrass them. Just watch.
Don't tread on me
Do not try to oppress or limit me.
Don't ya just love that name?
Don't you think the term I coined is creative and striking?
I'll keep the USA and y'all can keep the change
I will keep my country as it is and you can keep the changes you want to make to it.
Yeah, you can keep FOX and friends and ESPN outta your homes too
You should not watch and let yourself be manipulated by these TV channels.
'Cause Bocephus and all his rowdy friends and his song is outta there!
I am leaving the show as well as my music and friends.
Yes sir!
I am done with this situation and cannot be further manipulated.
Lyrics © BOCEPHUS MUSIC INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
James Vanasse
10 years later…… This song applies now more than ever.
Michael Ploug
Amen too that from Sweden!!!
Eric Young
Totally my thoughts too. He should do a remake just sub in the new names and words for the current mess
Townsfolk Music Official
This song is more relevant than ever
Mark Robertson
Hell yes it is
The Crankiest Yankee
The Chicoms and Communists can keep the change...and their face mask COVID Fascism.
Michael Newton
Of course we can count on Hank to tell it like it is....It don't matter if you are southern or not, I think all of us "real Americans" love this song because it reflects how all of us feel. Put Hank up there with General Maccrystal. Any body who openly opposes Obama gets the axe. Sing it Hank!!!!!
Miller's Retro Drive-in
Yes sir
5burkholz
God Bless you Hank, voice of the REAL 99%!!!
Hoss
Hank tells it like it is!! Amen