I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry
Williams Hank Jr Lyrics

In "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," Hank Williams Jr. puts his own stamp on his father's classic song. The opening lines establish the tone of the song with the lonely whippoorwill that sounds too sad to fly. The midnight train's whining only adds to the lonesomeness of the singer, who is so sad that he could cry. The first verse sets the mood for the emptiness that seems to pervade the singer's world.

In the second verse, the sense of isolation is palpable. The night is interminably long, and the moon has withdrawn behind the clouds, as if even it can't bear to witness the solitude. The imagery of the robin who weeps when the leaves begin to die is akin to the singer's sense of hopelessness. It's an acknowledgment of the larger cycle of life and death, reminding us that sometimes things come to an end, whether we want them to or not. It's another reminder that the singer is truly alone, with no one to share his pain.

The final verse offers a brief moment of respite from the song's heart-wrenching lament, as the falling star lights a purple sky. But even that momentary beauty only serves to accentuate the singer's separation from the one he loves. He thinks of his absent beloved and wonders where she is, while his heart aches to be with her. The song concludes with the repetition of the opening line, underscoring the sense that nothing has changed, and the singer remains as lonesome as ever.