Living Proof
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics


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I'm gonna quit singin' all these sad songs
'Cause I can't stand the pain
Oh, the life I sing about now
And the one I live is the same

When I sing them old songs of daddy's
Seems like every one comes true
Lord, please help me
Do I have to be the living proof

Why just the other night after the show
An old drunk came up to me
He says "You ain't as good as your daddy, boy
And you never will be"

Then a young girl in old blue jeans
Says, "I'm your biggest fan"
It's a good thing I was born Gemini
'Cause I'm living for more than one man

Remember Jimmie and Hank and Johnny
They were in the summer of life
When you called them away, Lord
I don't wanna pay that price

Don't let my son ever touch a guitar
May he never sing the blues
Let him be free
Don't make him be more living proof

I don't wanna be a legend
I just wanna be a man
But Lord, You know sometimes
I've needed a helpin' hand

And it ain't been so easy lately
I've had to go it all alone
But I've always had anything
I ever wanted, except a home

I'm gonna quit singin' all them sad songs
'Cause I can't stand the pain
Oh, the life I sang to you about
And the one I live is the same

Yes, I've sang those old songs of daddy's
And now it seems they all come true
Lord, please help me
Do I have to be the living proof





Lord, please help me
I don't wanna be the living proof

Overall Meaning

Hank Williams Jr.'s Living Proof is a song about the struggle of being a musician in the shadow of a famous father. The lyrics reveal the heartache and self-doubt that come with constantly being compared to a legendary figure. Hank Jr. sings about the pain of singing sad songs, knowing that the life he sings about is the same one he lives. He recounts an encounter with a drunk man who belittles him, telling him he will never be as good as his father, proving how hard it is to step out of his father's shadow. He also mentions a young fan who adores him, reminding him to keep singing for more than just himself.


The emotional climax of the song is when Hank Jr. pleads with the Lord to spare him from the same fate as his father’s colleagues like Jimmie, Hank, and Johnny who died young. He begs for his own son to be shielded from the hardships of a musician's life and never have to feel the same pain and struggle he has felt. Ultimately, the song is a cry for help and an expression of vulnerability as Hank Jr. seeks to carve out his own path without being solely defined by his father.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna quit singin' all these sad songs
I am going to stop writing and singing depressing songs


'Cause I can't stand the pain
Because the emotional pain that these songs cause me is too much to bear


Oh, the life I sing about now
The lyrics of my songs describe the difficulties I am facing in my life at present


And the one I live is the same
The hardships I sing about are the same ones that I face in real life


When I sing them old songs of daddy's
Referring to songs written by his father, Hank Williams Sr.


Seems like every one comes true
The lyrics of his father's songs are prophetic, and everything comes true sooner or later


Lord, please help me
Asking God to help him through his struggles


Do I have to be the living proof
Asking whether he has to experience the same hardships as his father and sing about them


Why just the other night after the show
Describing an incident that happened recently


An old drunk came up to me
An intoxicated man approached him


He says "You ain't as good as your daddy, boy
The man insulted him by saying he is not as talented as his father


And you never will be"
The drunk man believes that he will never achieve his father's level of success


Then a young girl in old blue jeans
A young female fan approached him


Says, "I'm your biggest fan"
The fan expressed her admiration for him


It's a good thing I was born Gemini
Hank Williams Jr. is suggesting that he has multiple sides to his personality


'Cause I'm living for more than one man
He is living his life for himself, but also to honor his father's legacy


Remember Jimmie and Hank and Johnny
Referring to Jimmie Rodgers, his father Hank Williams Sr., and Johnny Cash


They were in the summer of life
When they were alive, they were at their peak and had the world at their feet


When you called them away, Lord
When God took them away from this world


I don't wanna pay that price
He does not want to experience the same fate as these legendary musicians


Don't let my son ever touch a guitar
He does not want his son to follow in his footsteps and become a musician


May he never sing the blues
He wishes that his son does not have to go through the kind of pain and suffering that he endured


Let him be free
He hopes that his son can live a life free of the troubles that he faced


Don't make him be more living proof
He does not want his son to experience the same hardships he has faced and become a living proof of its reality


I don't wanna be a legend
He does not aspire to be remembered as a legendary musician


I just wanna be a man
He wants to be remembered as a regular human being with imperfections and struggles


But Lord, You know sometimes
He acknowledges that God knows everything


I've needed a helpin' hand
He has needed help and support in his life, especially during tough times


And it ain't been so easy lately
He is currently facing difficulties and challenges in his life


I've had to go it all alone
He has had to face these challenges without any support or help from others


But I've always had anything
Despite the challenges, he has had material comforts in his life


I ever wanted, except a home
He has always had everything he wanted, except for a sense of belonging and a place that he can call his own


Yes, I've sang those old songs of daddy's
Reiterating that he has sung his father's songs


And now it seems they all come true
He has realized that the lyrics of his father's songs were prophetic and have all come true


Lord, please help me
Asking for divine intervention and guidance


Do I have to be the living proof
Asking whether he has to experience the same hardships as his father and sing about them


Lord, please help me
Asking for divine intervention and guidance


I don't wanna be the living proof
He does not want to bear the same hardships and pain as his father and become a living proof of their reality




Lyrics © BOCEPHUS MUSIC INC
Written by: HANK JR. WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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