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 (1954ā2014) 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.
That Ain't Good
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That might do me well
'Cause I'm kinda mad at someone
Who thinks that they can tell me what to say and do
Everybody's got a butt and a point of view
Well I used to like to go fishin'
Watch that hook and line
And everybody wondered why
That ain't good
No, that ain't good ('cause that ain't me)
My wife went to a lawyer
I never dreamed she would
Now my address is rock bottom
And they know me in this neighborhood
That ain't good
No no, that ain't good (I need to get out of here)
Watchin' these nuts on TV
Blowin' themselves to hell
So they can all get to heaven
And my kids want me to tell
Tell 'em why
Did all those people have to die
No, that ain't good
'Cause I don't know why
Went to church Sunday morning
Never thought I could
Prayed to the man to help me
Get back to being myself like I should
It done me good
Yeah it done me good
You gotta look for the good in this world
In Hank Williams Jr.'s song "That Ain't Good," the lyrics reveal a narrative about personal frustration and turmoil. The song seems to explore various issues, including feeling like one is losing themselves, being told what to say and do, facing marital problems, and being unable to understand the reasons behind political and religious extremism. The first verse hints at dissatisfaction with work and authority figures as Hank sings "I'm kinda mad at someone / Who thinks that they can tell me what to say and do." This line emphasizes the importance of an individual's right to live life on their own terms, without being told what to do by others.
In the second verse, Hank Williams Jr. uses a metaphor of losing interest in fishing, something he used to enjoy, to signify that he may be losing touch with his true self. By selling his boat and motor, he is no longer doing what he once loved. The chorus, "That ain't good / No, that ain't good ('cause that ain't me)" underscores his sentiment and frustration that he is not being himself.
The third verse discusses political and religious extremism with lines like, "Watchin' these nuts on TV /Blowin' themselves to hell /So they can all get to heaven," and the question, "Tell 'em why / Did all those people have to die." He expresses frustration with the senseless acts of violence that often follow extremist beliefs.
However, the last verse reiterates the importance of finding the good in the world. "Went to church Sunday morning / Prayed to the man to help me / Get back to being myself like I should / It done me good." This implies that faith and spirituality can help someone reconnect with who they really are and find a sense of peace in turbulent times.
Line by Line Meaning
A different boss at work
I need a new boss at work
That might do me well
A new boss could be beneficial
'Cause I'm kinda mad at someone
I am upset with someone
Who thinks that they can tell me what to say and do
They believe they can dictate my words and actions
Everybody's got a butt and a point of view
Everyone has an opinion
Well I used to like to go fishin'
I used to enjoy fishing
Watch that hook and line
Observing the fishing line
But I sold my boat and motor
I got rid of my boat and motor
And everybody wondered why
People were curious about my decision
That ain't good
That is not good
No, that ain't good ('cause that ain't me)
That doesn't align with who I am
My wife went to a lawyer
My wife consulted a lawyer
I never dreamed she would
I never expected that to happen
Now my address is rock bottom
Now I am at rock bottom
And they know me in this neighborhood
And people in my community are aware of my situation
No no, that ain't good (I need to get out of here)
That is not good and I need a change
Watchin' these nuts on TV
Watching crazy people on TV
Blowin' themselves to hell
Committing self-destructive acts
So they can all get to heaven
In order to reach heaven
And my kids want me to tell
And my children want me to explain
Tell 'em why
Tell them for what reason
Did all those people have to die
Did all of those people need to lose their lives?
'Cause I don't know why
Because I don't have an answer
No, that ain't good
That is not good
'Cause I don't know why
Because I don't have an answer
Went to church Sunday morning
I attended church on Sunday morning
Never thought I could
I never imagined I would
Prayed to the man to help me
I asked for help from God
Get back to being myself like I should
To return to my true self
It done me good
It did me good
Yeah it done me good
Yes, it helped me
You gotta look for the good in this world
One needs to find the positive aspects in life
Lyrics Ā© OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jan Burrow Qualls
Growing up on the road Hank was about all I had to listen to--I stand with him and our rights to bear arms'
wild cowboy
it it just me or is hank just better than the rest of em??
kynsley mullis
totally
1138thz
Yes Hank is the real deal
Drjjr Cotton
wild cowboy yea hanks the shit
Troy Dennis
wild cowboy Hank is the only artist to have 9 albums on the charts at the same time!
Ohio River Pilot
Hanks had a lot of practice
Beau Bradshaw
I wish they would play more of this on the radio
Jeff Hill
Good song, great taste in cars, Hank Jr for president...! Who's with me?
catson janker
+Jeff Hill I am