1.) Move It On Over
You can consider this 1947 gem an early rock 'n roll song, and you can also consider it Hank's first hit. Four years before the commonly cited "Rocket 88", this song had a rollicking feel to it. I'm not saying it's the first rock 'n roll song by any means, but you can certainly see Hank's influence on the genre. After all, the basic melody of this song was copied in Bill Haley and The Comets' "Rock Around The Clock". Even the guitar solo is exactly the same! George Thorogood made a solid 80s cover of this song.
2.) Your Cheatin' Heart
This was recorded in Hank's final session in 1952, and what a sendoff it was. It exemplified the tragic country songs that he sang, and the song became a #1 country hit right after Hank died in 1953. The song described his first wife, Audrey, as a "cheatin' heart". He was telling that to his then-fiancée, Billie Jean Jones. Either way, Hank had a tough time with the women in his life, and perhaps should've listen to the advice of his own song: "I'll Be a Bachelor Till I Die".
3.) Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
Also recorded in 1952, "Jambalaya" is an upbeat honky-tonk song with a Cajun twist. Hank heard Cajuns talking about the food they ate while on a tour bus, and was inspired to write this song. Though I am personally not a fan of the foods Jambalaya, crawfish pie, and filé gumbo... I do appreciate Cajun fried chicken. Gripes with seafood aside, Hank makes spending time on the Bayou sound like a joy. It stands out as one of the most happy songs in the Hank Williams catalogue, and was a #1 country hit for 14 consecutive weeks.
4.) Why Don't You Love Me
This upbeat ditty from 1950 is one of my absolute favorites. It's a very catchy tune, and I simply couldn't get enough of it in 2021. That's why it was my most played song that year on Spotify! It's another song about Hank's troublesome relationship with Audrey, but it's not one of those heartbreakers that are scattered throughout this list. It keeps a driving tempo throughout the song, and the Drifting Cowboys (Hank's backing band) put on a fantastic performance. Especially noteworthy are Jerry Rivers on fiddle, and Don Helms playing the steel guitar.
5.) Cold, Cold Heart
Whereas Hank Williams appealed to broke white people with his pained vocals on this song, Tony Bennett appealed to well-to-do white people with his mediocre cover that became a #1 pop hit. Whereas Hank Williams died in the back of a car in 1953, Tony Bennett is still alive at 95 and just won a Grammy. Well, that's the way it goes I guess. Again, another song inspired by his turbulent times with Audrey. Notice how Hank stretches out the word "apart" on this song, it's beautiful. No one could hold a note quite like him.
6.) (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle
This 1951 song is about trains and prison, two common themes in country music, and two very common themes in Johnny Cash's music. That's why it's unsurprising that Cash would later cover this song. But the Man in Black could not top the passionate vocal performance that Hank puts on here. Again, it's very notable the way that Hank holds onto notes. My favorite line in the song is, "I'll be locked here in this cell 'till my body's just a shell, and my hair turns whiter than snow". Pure devastation.
7.) You Win Again
1952 was a horribly rough year for Hank in terms of his personal life and health. His marriage to Audrey met a brutal end, and then he wed a 19-year old he barely knew shortly afterwards. His back pain that he had since childhood was getting terrible, and he took lots of meds and drank more and more to numb the pain. It is with all this context that it's unsurprising his body couldn't take any more in the early hours of 1953. But it's with this context that you can understand how he wrote and sung such beautifully haunting songs as "You Win Again". If any song is a white flag of surrender, it's this one. And if any song exemplifies Hank's ability to hold onto a note, it's this one.
8.) I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)
From the high cry of the steel guitar that begins this song, you can tell you're in for another one of Hank's desperately sad love songs. Much like with "You Win Again", Hank surrenders his love to his partner. He admits that despite all the pain she puts him through, he loves her just the same. Released as the B-side to "Howlin' at the Moon", it was a greater success on the chart. And listeners and DJs got that one right. Hank sang a beautiful duet of this song with Anita Carter, which you can see here.
9.) Hey, Good Lookin'
Much like "Jambalaya", this is one of the few genuinely upbeat songs on the list. It's just a fun song to listen to, and Hank originally wrote it for Little Jimmy Dickens. But realizing the hit potential he had with it, Hank kept it to himself. Hank told poor Jimmy, "that song's too good for you". And what a great song it was! This song may not have stylistically been an influence on rock 'n roll, but it was in terms of the subject matter. It spoke of hot rods, dancing sprees, and soda pops. And Hank could treat his date to all this fun with a $2 bill... it was different times in terms of the value of money!
10.) I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
The poetry that is this 1949 song makes it my absolute favorite Hank Williams song (well, this or "Why Don't You Love Me"... it's 1a and 1b). Hank's vocals sparkle on this song, comparing himself to a lonesome whippoorwill that "sounds too blue to fly". Each of the four verses are sung in the same form, with all four being punctuated by the verse "cry". There's no stylistic variation to these songs other than maybe the fiddle solos. But the lack of musical complexity doesn't matter in my view, as I simply appreciate the poetry. The song sounds like it was originally written as a poem. This song has inspired countless covers, including by Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, and even Terry Bradshaw! But the best of the bunch is definitely this version by Randy Travis.
Well, that was my 10 favorite songs by Hank. Let me give an honorable mention to "Lovesick Blues", which was actually Hank's biggest hit during his lifetime. It launched him to country superstardom, even though everyone around him didn't like the song that much. And if you listen to it, it's solid and catchy, though certainly not as good as some of the songs on this list. Another song deserving of a shoutout is "Men With Broken Hearts". It was one of Hank's narrated songs he did as "Luke the Drifter". And as Hank said, it really is the most morbid song you'll ever hear.
No comments:
Post a Comment