The 10 Best Hank Williams Jr. Songs of All Time
Hank Williams Jr. came into the limelight for being Hank Williams Sr.’s son. The older Williams died at 29, and the younger Williams was forced to take up his father’s place. Therefore, Williams Jr. was introduced to drugs and alcohol at a tender age and usually passed out from the combination.
It was not until a doctor told him that he would die soon like his father that Williams Jr. began taking his music career seriously. He has written and released many songs that remain rooted in the hearts of diehard fans. Here are the top 10 Hank Williams Jr. songs of all time.
10. Old Habits
If you have ever had your heart broken and found it difficult to move on, then this song will speak to your soul. Williams Jr. says although Life Savers had helped him stop smoking, the toughest habit he had ever had to break was learning to live without the person he loved. He sings of trying to find someone new but having grown so used to his past flame made giving his heart to someone else difficult. Williams Jr. released the song on August 30, 1980, but it still is a favorite among his fans who enjoy its live performance.
9. Weatherman
This song is from Williams Jr.’s third studio album, “The Pressure is On,” released in 1981. From the lyrics, it appears that the singer was going through a hard time and was tired of it all. Therefore, he hoped good times lay ahead. It is such a relatable song that when Williams Jr.’s son decided to cover his father’s songs, “Weatherman,” was top of the list.
According to Forbes, Sam Williams said that he had gone through so many storms and was looking forward to some blue skies. He added that although it was a cover, he hoped people would feel the authenticity because he was being genuine about his highs and lows.
8. The Conversation
Williams Jr. collaborated with Waylon Jennings on this song that was about dispelling any myths that surrounded William Sr. The song’s opening lyrics are by Jennings who tells Williams Jr., “Hank, let’s talk about your daddy.” Williams Jr. says that his father must be happy wherever he is because since his mother died, Williams Sr. must have one arm around her. It is sort of a tribute to Williams Sr. and Williams Jr., even revealing that his father’s firing from the Opry caused the late singer heartache.
7. All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight
Williams Jr. Has “Monday Night Football” to thank for popularizing this song. He released it in 1984 and then performed a version by working “Monday Night” into the title to make it perfect for “Monday Night Football.” For 22 years, the song was the broadcast’s opening theme until Williams Jr. compared President Obama’s golf match with House Speaker John Boehner to Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu. It was however reinstated in 2017.
6. All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)
When Williams Jr. wrote the lyrics to this song, he was probably feeling lonely. He sings of how he misses having a good time with his friends but they all have settled down. Some are with their families and would rather spend their time at home than grab a drink and run wild. He realizes that their lifestyles have changed, and his friends could no longer keep up with Williams Jr.’s wild days.
5. The Blues Man
According to Schmoop, Williams Jr. owes his love for blues to Rufus Payne, an African-American blues singer, who taught Williams Jr. how to play the blues guitar. Payne also turned Williams Jr. on to blues phrasing and rhythms. The phrasing became ingrained in Williams’ country music style, and he became a “blues man.” It is, therefore, no wonder that the musician penned
Alan Jackson covered it and included his version in his eighth studio album released in 1999. Dolly Parton and George Jones also could not resist the song, so they did their version too. The song talks about a singer who has undergone too many lows and made many mistakes. The singer speaks of a woman who helps him through his difficult time by showering him with love and helping him to turn his life around.
4. Dinosaur
Williams Jr. does not mind rubbing people the wrong way, and the lyrics in this song are proof. He discloses all the things that do not sit right with him – the Donna Summer songs, the gay guitar pickers, and any other shoe besides high-heeled sneakers or cowboy boots. The line about gay guitar pickers made many people think that the singer was homophobic. However, upon a closer look, it is only about a person who was resistant to change; hence, he calls himself a dinosaur.
3. Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound
Dickey Betts once asked Williams Jr., how he came up with a good country song because by then the country musician had several of his songs topping the charts. Williams Jr. responded that every song started with good lyrics and then began singing the opening lines of “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound.” Within ten minutes he had composed the entire song; a feat he accomplished with all his good songs.
2. Family Tradition
Williams Jr. must have been tired of people questioning his every move thus he penned the lyrics to “Family Tradition.” He says that even if he drinks, he is following in his father’s footsteps. He talks about being disowned because of going in a direction that people were not expecting. It is a rebellious song explaining that as much as he loved his father, he had to carve his path and do his kind of music.
1. A Country Boy Can Survive
It may not have peaked at #1, but this song remains a favorite of all Williams Jr. songs. According to Outsider, it glorifies old-fashion values and sets itself apart from the rest because it is a tribute to the working-class Americans who relate to it to this day. He rewrote the song after the 9/11 attacks and released “America Will Survive” to still praise the average American.
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