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 (1954β2014) 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.
Women I've Never Had
Hank Williams Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love to hear no train rollin' down the line
I am into happy and I don't like sad
I like to have women I've never had
I'll take a little smoke and a lot of wine
I get high and I call old friends of mine
I like the sweet young things and Old Grand-Dad
I like to ride my horses and shoot my gun
You know a cowboy's work is just never done
I am into basics and I don't like fads
And I like to have women I've never had
Hey, I don't mean to ever do anybody no wrong
I was just born the son of a singer of songs
I do things that make some people mad
And I like to have women I've never had
In this song, Hank Williams Jr. emphasizes his love for a carefree lifestyle. He enjoys playing music, hearing trains, smoking, drinking wine, and calling his old friends while he revels in his freedom. The core of the song is his desire to be with women he's never had before. He is specific in his preferences, stating that he likes sweet young things and Old Grand-Dad, a brand of bourbon. He likes riding horses, shooting guns, and being a cowboy. He takes pride in living a simple life that is guided by his basic pleasures.
From the lyrics, it is clear that Hank Williams Jr. is not interested in long-term, serious relationships with women. He prefers the thrill of the chase and the novelty of being with new and different women. He is not apologetic about this, and even though he acknowledges that his lifestyle may make some people mad, he is unapologetic about pursuing the things that bring him happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
I like to play my music and have good times
I enjoy playing music with friends and having a good time.
I love to hear no train rollin' down the line
I prefer peace and quiet over the sound of noisy trains.
I am into happy and I don't like sad
I am happiest when surrounded by positive people and experiences and dislike negativity.
I like to have women I've never had
I am attracted to new experiences and adventures, particularly when it comes to women.
I'll take a little smoke and a lot of wine
I enjoy smoking and drinking in moderation to enhance my social activities.
I get high and I call old friends of mine
When under the influence of drugs or alcohol, I often reconnect with friends from the past.
I like the sweet young things and Old Grand-Dad
I am attracted to both younger women and to whiskey Old Grand-Dad.
And I like to have women I've never had
Having new romantic experiences with women is an enjoyable part of my life.
I like to ride my horses and shoot my gun
I find enjoyment in activities associated with being a cowboy, such as horseback riding and shooting guns.
You know a cowboy's work is just never done
Being a cowboy is a never-ending way of life and work, always keeping busy with various tasks.
I am into basics and I don't like fads
I prefer simple ways of living and avoid following the latest trends or fads.
And I like to have women I've never had
I enjoy pursuing and experiencing new romantic connections with women.
Hey, I don't mean to ever do anybody no wrong
I do not intend to harm or wrong anyone with my actions.
I was just born the son of a singer of songs
My father was a famous singer, and I was born into that legacy.
I do things that make some people mad
I understand some people may be upset by my actions or lifestyle.
And I like to have women I've never had
I find pleasure in pursuing new romantic relationships with women.
Lyrics Β© BOCEPHUS MUSIC INC
Written by: Hank Jr. Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tima1929
like to play my music and have good time
I love to hear no train rolling down the line
I am into happy and I don't like sad
I like to have women I never had
I'll take a little smoke and a lot of wine
I get high and I call old friends of mine
I like the sweet young things and Old Grandad
And I like to have women I've never had
I like to ride my hoses and shoot my gun
You know a cowboy's work is just never done
I am in to bacics and I don't like fads
And I like to have women I never had
Hey, I don't mean to ever do anybody no wrong
I was just born the son of a singer of songs
I do things that makes some people mad
And I like to have women I never had
@tylersinkhorn2696
I like to play my music and have good time
I love to hear no train rolling down the line
I am into happy and I don't like sad
I like to have women I never had
I'll take a little smoke and a lot of wine
I get high and I call old friends of mine
I like the sweet young things and Old Grandad
And I like to have women I've never had
I like to ride my hoses and shoot my gun
You know a cowboy's work is just never done
I am in to bacics and I don't like fads
And I like to have women I never had
Hey, I don't mean to ever do anybody no wrong
I was just born the son of a singer of songs
I do things that makes some people mad
And I like to have women I never had
@truthbetold3550
I had the rare privilege to get to party with Hank Jr. one night at a bar in Newport, Ky., named "THE FUZZ CLUB". It was 1991 on a Sunday night, and I was sitting there at the bar listening to the band, and in walked Hank Jr., there by himself to visit with the musicians in the club. We sat side by side at the bar, and he bought my drinks and we danced all night long. He was a perfect gentleman, and very down to earth. He didn't act like he thought he was anything special. He was delightful, and I will never forget the night I got to party with Hank Jr! Not too many people get to say that!
@es_stevo7309
That's honestly badass
@hunterstephenson3929
Man that's crazy, I've listened to hank ever since I was a little boy. That's cool as hell
@crisis-cast
that's very cool. I had the exact same experience with Sammy Kershaw at Loosers Lounge in Laughlin nv
@dooomguy1733
And then everyone clapped.
@FarDrizzz
Id sure hope, cause i just read 3 paragraphs of bs
@edwolfe1950
My son, back in the day, love Hank Jr. He would sing this song on his way to his 5th grade class, at his Christian School. I laughed, and told him it wasn't the best song to sing, "here". Those were the days!
@mr.breeze8796
Great story
@dwightdodd3734
That,is the BEST thing I ever heard,Darlene!....I hope you held it together until he got out of the car........................
@dedeporter4557
greatest mom ever award from me to you sugar aaahhhaw