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.
Video Blues
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is called the video cassete recorder.
And I was the first one in my town
To send off my money order.
Well I thought that thing would never get here
But old UPS came through.
I ripped the box apart and bless their hearts
They sent a free movie too.
And I hooked it up twice and 8 or 9 more times.
I had it all wrong but I finally got it right,
Just play, stop, rewind.
I grabbed the movie they sent and I shoved it right in
It was called The X-Rated Reviews.
Now, I seen movies where folks kiss
But I never seen nothing like this.
Oh Lord, I got the video blues.
Well I drove downtown to join the tape club
And friends I've got some news.
Most all the movies they had down there
Was just like they one they sent me too.
I bought Star Wars, Jaws, Poltergeist, Superman 1 and 2.
When they added it up I'd spent three hundred bucks.
I got the video blues.
I got the video blues, don't know what to do.
This could get expensive.
I want a camera to zoom, remote control too,
So I can make documentaries.
Now they're trying to pass laws about copyrights and all
And taping things off of the tube.
I'd probably be better off if they's haul this thing off,
'Cause I've got the video blues.
Well I called my girl to come on over
'Cause I had new movies to show.
I started her off with Smokey And The Bandit
I thought I'd kind of take it slow.
But later that night when the time was right
I showed one called Sweedish Ways.
She said, "Well, I've never in my life..
Well, I guess it's alright...
Hey! Yeah, go on, let it play!"
I got the video blues, what have I got into?
This thing has taken my place.
She don't wanna hug or make any love.
She just sits there with that funny look on her face.
I came on too strong, I shoulda known all along
What I was getting into.
She won't give me a kiss, 'cause she's afraid she'll miss
Something from the Movies Review.
I've got the video blues, don't know what to do,
And this could get expensive.
I want a camera to zoom, remote control too,
So I can make home documentaries.
Now they're trying to pass laws about copyrights and all
And taping things off of the tube.
I'd probably be better off if they'd haul this thing off
'Cause I got the video blues.
I'd be so much better off if they'd haul this stuff off
'Cause I got the video blues.
Hey baby, it's me. I'm still here.
Hey, look at me!
The lyrics to Hank Williams Jr.'s song Video Blues tell a humorous story about the singer's experience with the latest craze in town - the video cassette recorder. The singer was excited when he sent off his money order to get one of the latest gadgets in town. When the gadget finally arrived, he ripped the box apart and hooked it up. However, he had some trouble with getting it to work right. He finally got it right after several attempts and got a free movie along with it called The X-Rated Reviews. However, the singer was not prepared to see what was in the movie. He had seen movies where people kiss, but nothing like what he saw. This experience left him with the video blues.
The singer soon joined a tape club downtown and spent $300 on movies such as Star Wars, Jaws, Poltergeist, Superman 1 and 2. He realized that his new habit was getting quite expensive, especially when he started thinking about getting a camera with a zoom and remote control so he could make documentaries. The recent laws about copyrights and taping things off of the TV made him wonder if he should just get rid of the whole gadget. To add to his problems, his girlfriend wasn't giving him any attention because of the new toy. She was more interested in watching Swedish movies than hugging or making love with him. In the end, the singer realized that he had the video blues.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the latest craze going around
There's a new trend in town
Is called the video cassette recorder.
It's called the video cassette recorder.
And I was the first one in my town
I was the first in my town to buy it.
To send off my money order.
I sent my payment by mail.
Well I thought that thing would never get here
I was so excited that I thought it took forever to arrive.
But old UPS came through.
Fortunately, UPS did not disappoint me.
I ripped the box apart and bless their hearts
I tore open the box and was grateful for what was inside.
They sent a free movie too.
They included a free movie in the package.
Well I hooked it up once
I tried to install it the first time.
And I hooked it up twice and 8 or 9 more times.
I hooked it up multiple times, but still had difficulty.
I had it all wrong but I finally got it right,
I made several mistakes, but eventually figured it out.
Just play, stop, rewind.
I learned the basic controls: play, stop, rewind.
I grabbed the movie they sent and I shoved it right in
I eagerly inserted the free movie into the VCR.
It was called The X-Rated Reviews.
The movie they sent was labeled The X-Rated Reviews.
Now, I seen movies where folks kiss
I've watched movies with kissing scenes before.
But I never seen nothing like this.
But I've never seen anything like this one before.
Oh Lord, I got the video blues.
Oh no, I have the video blues!
Well I drove downtown to join the tape club
I went downtown to join the video rental club.
And friends I've got some news.
And I have some news to share.
Most all the movies they had down there
Almost all the movies available for rent at the club
Was just like they one they sent me too.
Were similar to the free movie I got with the VCR.
I bought Star Wars, Jaws, Poltergeist, Superman 1 and 2.
I purchased Star Wars, Jaws, Poltergeist, Superman 1 and 2 movies to watch.
When they added it up I'd spent three hundred bucks.
When they totaled my rental fees, they added up to $300.
I got the video blues.
I have the video blues!
I got the video blues, don't know what to do.
I have the video blues and I don't know what to do.
This could get expensive.
This could become costly.
I want a camera to zoom, remote control too,
I want to have a camera with zoom and remote control.
So I can make documentaries.
So I can make my own documentaries.
Now they're trying to pass laws about copyrights and all
The government is currently making attempts to regulate copyrights related to this technology.
And taping things off of the tube.
And recording content from television.
I'd probably be better off if they's haul this thing off,
Maybe things would be better if they removed the VCR altogether.
'Cause I've got the video blues.
Because I'm experiencing the video blues!
Well I called my girl to come on over
I invited my girlfriend over to watch movies.
'Cause I had new movies to show.
Because I wanted to introduce her to some new movies.
I started her off with Smokey And The Bandit
I began with the movie Smokey and the Bandit.
I thought I'd kind of take it slow.
I thought I'd start with an easy one and work my way up.
But later that night when the time was right
Later on in the evening when the mood was appropriate.
I showed one called Sweedish Ways.
I showed her a movie titled Swedish Ways.
She said, "Well, I've never in my life..
She was surprised by the content she saw.
Well, I guess it's alright...
However, she accepted it and said it was okay.
Hey! Yeah, go on, let it play!"
She eventually told me to continue playing the movie.
This thing has taken my place.
This technology has taken up too much of my time.
She don't wanna hug or make any love.
She's not interested in any physical affection at the moment.
She just sits there with that funny look on her face.
Instead, she sits and watches the movies with a funny expression.
I came on too strong, I shoulda known all along
I was too enthusiastic about this whole situation and should have managed my expectations better.
What I was getting into.
I didn't anticipate how this would impact my relationship.
She won't give me a kiss, 'cause she's afraid she'll miss
She's reluctant to take her eyes off the screen even for a kiss.
Something from the Movies Review.
She doesn't want to miss any highlights from the movie she's watching.
I'd be so much better off if they'd haul this stuff off
Maybe it would be best if they removed this device altogether.
'Cause I got the video blues.
Because I am experiencing the video blues!
Hey baby, it's me. I'm still here.
Hey baby, it's still me, haven't left yet.
Hey, look at me!
Pay attention to me!
Contributed by Liam T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
My Brother Donnie
This is from that era where Hank could write a song about anything, at anytime
Steven Mich
This song is hilariousšš¤£ underrated for sure!
Commodore1702
Badass song! Been trying to find since I only have it on 8-track.
Pontus Jƶnsson
Just play, stop, rewind! Excellent tune
Doug Troklus
In 1984 olā UPS came through!
doughesson
Fun Fact:Sony wouldn't license Betamax for public use so everyone went with VHS & made home movies.
icebirdz
Song about VHS, love Hank.
Don Scott
This is actually a pretty dirty song lol Notice the sexual innuendos?
doughesson
Not much gets by you does it?
My Grandmother thought that it was too dirty for her grandson who was in the Navy at the time to be listening to.
Harry Moorehouse
Smokey & the Bandit>>>> https://archive.org/details/SmokeyAndTheBandit