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Moanin' the Blues
Hank Williams and His Drifting Cowboys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There wasn't nothin' I could do
But mosey around with my head in my hands
Lord what am I comin' to
I just keep moanin'
Moa-oanin' the blues.
I wrote a nice, long letter
Your dad-ad-dy is lon-one-some
And all I do is moan
I been lovin' that gal for so doggone long
I can't afford to lose her now
I thought I was right but I must of been wrong
'Cause my head is startin' to bow
And now I'm moanin'
Moa-oanin' the blues.
If you want a good gal to stay around
You gotta treat her nice and kind
If you do her wrong she'll leave this town
And you'll almost lose your mind
Then you'll moanin' moa-oanin' the blues.
Aw baby, baby, baby
Honey baby, please come home
Your dad-ad-dy is lon-one-some and all I do is moan
I promise you baby that I'll be good
And I'll never be bad no more
I'm sittin' here waitin' for you right now
To walk through that front door
Then I'll stop moanin' moa-oanin' the blues
In "Moanin' the Blues," Hank Williams sings about the pain of losing his lover and being alone with his sorrow. He describes himself as walking around aimlessly with his head in his hands, wondering what he has come to. Williams uses the phrase "moanin' the blues" to describe the way he's feeling as he longs for his ex-lover.
The lyrics reveal his desperation as he tries to win his lover back. He writes a letter, pleading with her to come back, reassuring her that he'll never be bad again. However, he acknowledges that he may have done her wrong in the past, and now he's paying the price with his heartache. He knows that if he wants a good thing, he's got to treat it well, and he's lost sight of that.
Williams' melancholy tone and mournful lyrics strike a chord with anyone who has gone through the pain of a breakup. His desperation is palpable, as is his regret for not treating his lover with the kindness she deserved. In the end, he begs his lover to return, promising to be good and never hurt her again.
Line by Line Meaning
When my baby moved out and the blues moved in
My girl left me and a great sorrow fills me
There wasn't nothin' I could do
I am helpless and feel defeated
But mosey around with my head in my hands
I wander aimlessly, lost in thought and despair
Lord what am I comin' to
I feel like I'm going crazy with heartbreak
I just keep moanin' Moa-oanin' the blues.
All I can do is sigh and lament my misery
I wrote a nice, long letter
I tried to reach out to her and communicate my emotions
Sayin' mama please come home
Asking her to come back and heal my broken heart
Your dad-ad-dy is lon-one-some
I am lonely and miserable without you
And all I do is moan
All I can do is express my sorrow and pain
I been lovin' that gal for so doggone long
I have loved her with all my heart for a really long time
I can't afford to lose her now
I cannot bear the thought of losing her
I thought I was right but I must of been wrong
I made a mistake and now regret it deeply
'Cause my head is startin' to bow
I am ashamed and defeated by my wrongdoings
And now I'm moanin'
My heart is heavy and I am consumed by grief
Moa-oanin' the blues.
My only solace is to keep expressing my sadness
If you want a good gal to stay around
To keep your woman, you must treat her well
You gotta treat her nice and kind
Be loving and compassionate towards her
If you do her wrong she'll leave this town
If you mistreat her, she will walk away
And you'll almost lose your mind
The pain of losing her will be unbearable
Then you'll moanin' moa-oanin' the blues.
You will also be consumed with sadness and lament your actions
Aw baby, baby, baby
My heart is crying out for you
Honey baby, please come home
Please return and heal my heartache
I promise you baby that I'll be good
I vow to treat you with love and respect
And I'll never be bad no more
I have learned from my mistakes and will never repeat them
I'm sittin' here waitin' for you right now
I am patiently waiting for your return
To walk through that front door
To open the door to my love and forgiveness
Then I'll stop moanin' moa-oanin' the blues
With you back in my life, my sadness will recede and joy will return to my heart.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HANK WILLIAMS SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind