When you hear his voice it’s so hard to believe that he was 29 when he died. Definitely an old soul. I hope you dive into the super old school country rabbit hole.
Yes a number of great musicians died young because of substance abuse, but if you only focus on that part of their lives you are missing out. I'm not speaking about you I'm talking about people who think that way about those musicians. I used to think like that myself.
Hank Williams is one of the greatest music figures most important and influential singer/songwriters of the 20th century. His impact is felt in almost every genre of music from rock to Gospel. His greatest hits include: "Lovesick Blues", "Hey, Good Looking", "Your Cheating Heart", "I Saw The Light", "Honky Tonk Blues", "Jambalaya", "Move It On Over", "I'll Never Get Out Of The World Alive", "Take These Chains From My Heart".
Hank Sr was a corner stone of country music, ironically he was fired from the Grand Old Opry. He was the epitome of heartache, drinking, women and the music reflected it all. Thanks for this review. ❤❤
Speaking of the Opry...,,,You absolutely have to listen to Hank Williams the 3(Hank Sr"s grandson)song 'The Grand Ole Opry Aint So Grand Anymore.' It's about trying to get Hank Sr reinstated into the Grand Ole Opry. Hank 3 is absolutely brilliant, To ignore him is to ignore country history.
@@philipdickey6460 I am not sure if Hank Williams Snr was first to use that beat, it is a form of Western Swing and he brought it out in 1948 but I have not looked at other writers etc of that time , Bill Haley was with the 4 Aces of Western Swing then and they had a very different style from what I can find audio of.
“The silence of a falling star lights up a purple sky, and as I wonder where you are, I’m so lonesome I could cry.” One of the saddest verses of any song, any genre, at least to my ears. Thanks so much for this one! If you haven’t done Honky Tonkin’, I think you like it.
Yes the pace that hank sings it doesn't highlight the the song as lyrically as it can which is why I prefer Elvis' version. Elvis said it was the saddest song he ever heard. The lyrics are masterful.
My mom was a country music fan. I grew up listening to Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Wanda Jackson, and of course Hank Williams. Mom would sing out loud to this song while cleaning the house. Thanks for the visit with mom. ❤
A fact about Hank Williams. He was born with an undiagnosed form of Spina Bifida Occulta. A spinal cord defect which has a few different forms. This lack of diagnosis caused Hank lifelong pain which lead to the morphine addiction and heart failure that killed him. Personally, I was born with another form of Spina Bifida called Myelomeningocele - I know, it's a big name lol. Just thought you both would find it interesting.
This was my dads music. I was born in ‘58, grew up in the ‘60’s and spent my teen years in the ‘70’s. This is what I always considered classic country/western genre. I really enjoy your show. Watch it every night.
"Hey Good Lookin'" "Your Cheatin' Heart" "Cold Cold Heart" "Why Don't You Love Me Like You Used To Do?" "Lovesick Blues" "Move It On Over" "There's a Tear in my Beer" "Take These Chains From My Heart" "Honky Tonk Blues" ...
When I go home (to Montgomery) at Christmas every year, I always visit his grave just to pay my respect. He’s a music legend. He was 29 when he passed! He had such an old soul. You’d never think the man singing this song was in his 20s!
He didn't live a very long life, but put out some great music in that short time. "Your Cheatin' Heart" is one of his really well-known songs, as well as "Your Cold Cold Heart", but if you want something more upbeat, try "Hey Good Lookin'" or "Jambalaya (On the Bayou.)" He also got into some gospel with "I Saw the Light." (Edit - looks like you already reacted to "Your Cold Cold Heart!" I'd forgotten about that. )
Thank you for reacting to Hank Williams. My dad was a big fan of his and would sing his songs around the house. I chose one of Hank Williams' songs to be played at Dad's Celebration of Life last year.
Quick background on Hank Williams. He had a bad childhood and first marriage. Most of his songs reflect that. He also had health problems and a drinking problem leading to his death at the age of 29. Before his death he had over 50 top selling songs. He was influenced by both western and blues music.
He was a lot more than kind of a standout, he was a huge sensation and his death shocked the nation. He is literally the Father of Country Music. He has a whole slew of hits and amazing songs, it's a great rabbit hole to go down. Long Gone Lonesome Blues. Hey Good Lookin'. Moanin' the Blues. Ramblin' Man. Jambalaya. Lost Highway. Move It On Over. I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive. All of those and so many more are absolutely stellar. I also wanted to point out that when you go listen to this older Country music, you will hear a lot more waltzes than we get in today's music. There are slow waltzes and medium Tempo waltzes and fast waltzes and it's a crucial part of that experience. Believe me, I know because I played in a honky tonk band for years and road houses and honky tonks, and if you don't have a really good selection of waltzes in your set, people will complain because they want to dance to waltzes, not just swing dance the whole time. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry is a slow waltz.
One plus of the recording equipment of that time was that the electronics were tube based which offered a warmer sound than modern digital recordings. That's also why a lot of folks build or buy tube amplifiers for their modern stereo systems. Hank Sr. was a musical genius. He once wrote a hit song given the subject and parameters of the song by Acuff & Rose of the Grand Ole Opry as they went to lunch. When they got back from lunch, Hank had written his hit "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You."
I grew up with Hank William's songs. My mom would play guitar and sing them to me. This song is one of the first songs I remember singing along to. All of Hank William's songs are well-worth a listen.
Thank you!!! The master of country music. I learned my first vocal to Your Cheating Heart by Hank. I was a whole 3 years old. This is country music! 1962 was a long time ago for me. Again thank you!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The amount of hit songs he did and the influence he had over music is mind blowing and only in a short period of time. He passed so long ago and there still ahs never been another like Hank, never will be.
Hank is the country GOAT ! There are many treasures to find when you dig into the Hank Williams catalog. He had a lot of silly fun songs, too like, "Hey, Good Lookin" and "Move it on Over"
Hank Williams was the GOAT country. He had the smooth voice. He had the band. "Your Cheating Heart", "Cold Cold Heart", and "Hey Good Looking" are must listens.
Jay, you asked what were studios like in those days. Songs back then were recorded live with the full band into microphones that were directly plugged into to machine that had the disc spinning with the needle cutting the grooves while the were playing. They didn't have tape recorders. If they messed up, they would have to stop, throw away that disk and start again with a new disc. Sometimes they would do a song 10 or 15 times before they got one they liked. Once they got a disc they wanted to keep, then they would have the factory press records from that disc.
My dad was a big Hank Williams fan and while he loved the early Country /Western sound, he did not like "New Country. He called it "Nashville Glitter". Another early Country singer you should react to is Johnny Horton. His big hits include "When It's Springtime in Alaska", "North To Alaska" (Written for the John Wayne movie of the same name), "Sink the Bismark", "Whispering Pines" and "The Battle Of New Orleans". He had a marvelous voice and, like Hank Williams he died very young.
I was born in the 50s and my parents didn't always have the newest television but we always had a good record player. This is one of the songs I remember my appearance playing when I was a child. Good to hear it again thank you
My grandpa, may he rest in peace, was born in 1907, and he listened and played this kind of country. Every time we visited my dad, brother, and grandpa would break out the guitars and play. So whenever I hear these songs it takes me back to those amazing times.💙
A genius taken too young. Another one of our greatest songwriters, Leonard Cohen, wrote this about Hank in his "Tower of Song": “I said to Hank Williams, how lonely does it get? Hank Williams hasn't answered yet, But I hear him coughing all night long,Oh, a hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song.” He puts Hank that far above him, a real tribute to one of his heroes.
There's an element of the blues in Hank's song...back then it was all connected, whether people would admit it or not, and the lyrics are really very poetic. The style may be called country, but this is really universal, for the world.
I've always been a hard rocker with my interests in the mid 60's, 70's and up to the late 80's. However, growing up my father was a country music guy. So my early years were filled with this kind of music. My ex went through a country music phase and she was totally and completely amazed that I knew every word to this song and many others of Hank Sr's music.
My bf had to make a sudden move several states away. For reasons too complicated to get into, it's likely we'll never see each other again. So how funny is it that this reaction popped up in my feed. Hank has always been my standby during heartbreaking moments. Thanks for putting this up! I agree with Rob - old school country sounds superior to modern country. I'll be sure to count my blessings despite my troubles. Thanks y'all ❤
This song is more than a country song -- it's a SONGWRITER'S song. Its sentiment is so universal that it's been covered dozens and dozens of times by people who normally have no relation to country music whatsoever. Bernadette Peters, possessor of one of the greatest voices (and bodies) ever, performed this song on the Johnny Carson show a few years back and it was so good it gave me goosebumps. You should be able to find that performance online and it's definitely worth listening to.
Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher Duke Ellington - Take the A-Train Andrew’s Sisters - Bei Mir Bist Du Shön Boswell Sisters - 42nd Street Paul Whitman - Paper Moon
Really love “spending some time” with y’all when you do your reactions. Right now, I’m so HAPPY I could cry! Thanks for sharing your time with us. Keep on being the sweet and kind souls that you are. The world needs so many more folks like y’all.
Hank Williams Sr - " JAMBALAYA " another Country Classic this song is Fantastic in its sound and Hank Williams awsome voice. Also available in Spanish version also called JAMBALAYA sung in Mix of Spanish and English together sounds Amazing too Country Rock Mix released in the early 1970s
Such beautiful, poetic lyrics. Now you need to see & hear Elvis sing it. The song always gave him chills when he sang it. You can see his little shudder in a couple of live performance videos. He loved it.💙💫💫
The lyric, “The silence of a falling star lights up a purple sky, and as I wonder where you are, I’m so lonesome I could cry,” just empties my soul and makes me feel homesick.😩😩😩
It's very fun to hear again what I suppose is the original version by Hank Williams! I always remember the version from my Generation by B.J. Thomas in 1966. Definitely worth a Reaction, You Guys. Or at least a listen when you'd like. :) Great Choice, You Guys!! :)
This was one of my favourite songs back when I could barely remember. This was a staple on our AM radio back in the day, almost 2 decades after it was released.
Awesome! Probably first heard this when I was in a baby crib. Really nice to hear it today. There was a great triple LP record made in the 1970s that brought old school country to the ears of millions of young folks who’d missed out on most of it. It’s called “Will the Circle Be. Unbroken” It featured many old timers playing country and bluegrass classics along with a young country/rock band that really admired and honored them-The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Check it out someday -some day when you’re on vacation, preferably in a cabin in the woods and it’s raining all day so you’re stuck inside by a fireplace. You will fall in love with it, and all the musicians it featured. An American Classic.
hank sr. was, is and always will be a legend... his son and grandson could only wish they could be this good! hanks music was simple and to the point... music will never be this innocent again, his voice is so haunting.. 70+ yrs after his death and his music still lives, that says alot about this man..
Hank Williams recorded virtually all of his songs at radio stations in Cincinnati, Ohio and Nashville, Tennessee. They had good facilities to make pre-recorded commercials on audiotape. Also, in the years before television became the dominant form of media, radio stations would have music programs, where music artists and bands would perform live in the radio studio, so the radio stations had to have good microphone systems so the music artists and bands could be heard by radio listeners. Hank Williams, Sr. had a couple of local radio shows of his own, with his best one being “Mother’s Best Flour” radio show, which was pre-recorded with his recording studio band weeks in advance, and broadcast on 650 WSM Nashville, Tennessee at around 5:30 AM on weekday mornings. Those recorded broadcasts were tied up in courts for years, but in the 2010s, the Williams Estate won the rights to the broadcasts, and CDs and CD box sets of the “Mother’s Best Flour” broadcasts were finally available for sale. Some of the music performances were released as “Hank Williams: The Unreleased Recordings”, as most of the music performances were never recorded during recording sessions during Hank Williams, Sr.’s lifetime.
Three Hank songs that are must listens are "Caliga", "Jambalaya", and "Hay, Hay, Good Lookin'". They are all up-beat juke joint numbers! Have a blessed day.
I need to go buy a guitar in case of an emp. Can you imagine life without interruption? No tv, no internet, no sounds except the lonesome sound of the whippoorwill coming to tell me we're once again back home.
Hank Williams is the reason that genre we call country music came to be. And for every country outlaw that would come after, including his own son, Hank Williams forged that hard, hard path for them to follow. Peace.✌🏽
My uncle, who just turned 99 and is a WWIi vet, was in a band with Hank Williams when they were 13-14 years old. Hank learned to play guitar from a Black street performer and you can hear that in a song like Lovesick Blues. I have always thought of Hank as a great songwriter in the same category as Smokey Robinson. 😮
Hank Williams Sr. is part of the second generation of country music that really cemented it as a part of our culture. If you want to see the genres origins the big 3 to check out are the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, & Woody Guthrie
...Class of 76"...This was on one of the old 78 vinyls that was in my parents collection that they played on their Victrola...for those that don't know what a Victrola is...it's a record player that wasn't electric and was powered by cranking the crank on it's side to wind up the spring and sound came out of the front of the cabinet with no speakers...the sound carried from the record through the needle that was hollow...
It is strange to think that this song is nearly 100 years old, and yet still holds a special place in the modern industry AND appeals to new generations that have never heard Hank Sr's work.
If you want to see how they did things ing the studio back in the day, go tour Sun Studios in Memphis. Elvis, Johnny Cash, and many others, including U2 in later years, recorded there. The tour is really great.
Gosh, you two are young. Dad was born in 35 and Mom in 40. I'm 57. Mom's family would listen to the Opry on a battery operated Philco table top radio on the farm in Sparta NC. We still have that radio. As a family we went to Nashville in 82 and went to the Opry and the Ryman Auditorium and saw all the cool sights in Nashville. Hank Sr was a big star in his short life.
Hank is arguably, the greatest American songwriter who ever lived, regardless of the genre, and he passed away too young at the age of 29. If you want some great, rockin' Hank Williams Sr., check out the songs "Move it One Over", and "Mind Your Own Business". His entire catalogue is amazing (having influenced everyone from the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, to an entire generation of country music artists), but those are 2 great songs to start with. Peace
I am here for Hank! I just did a tribute on my last radio show to him as it would have been his 100th birthday this year! One of his best is ‘Move It On Over’ 🖤
Love you guys, love it that you are willing to listen to such old songs with an open mind. On a funny side note, there were 534 likes when i started to watch this now there are 688! You are making a difference!!
Hank is in my blood. Always will be. My father had old 78 lps we used to play of ole Hank. Then my Dad got with his brothers and formed a country band that frequented the area venues back in the late 60's and early 70's. All they played were the classics...Hank, Merle, Conway, Porter, and I could go on. I'm 65 now and still feel those times every time I hear any of those songs today. But, may I add, I also love classic rock, heavy metal, grunge, alternative, 80's, and more!
My dad had an album of his and he played it all the time. Dad’s gone now but it brings back memories of him going in his room and playing the guitar and singing this. Thank you.😢
Hank is legend. He was indeed called the King of Country Music and had a lot of hits in his far too brief lifetime. You really need to listen to I Saw the Light, Your Cheatin' Heart, Cold Cold Heart, Kaw-Liga and so many more. He was an amazing song writer as well as singer and musician. He literally defines the genre.
Some of the greatest lyrics ever written! Dozens of his songs have been re recordered/covered hundreds of times. Really could have discussed the lyrics some more.
Hank Williams was awarded a citation by the Pulitzer Prize Committee for his songwriting and his contributions to moving Country music into the mainstream of American culture. Yes, THAT Pulitzer Prize Committee. Hank was known as the Hillbilly Shakespeare because of his brilliant songwriting, which was essentially poetry put to music.
Hi Amber and J. After listening to this song "There is a Tear in My Beer". Hank has so many Great Songs. Here are a couple of my favourite songs to add to your list "I Saw the Light" and "Lost Highway". A couple songs by Hank Jr. are "Hand Me Down" and "Old School ". A favourite song by Holly (daughter of Jr.) is "The Highway".
Hank Williams was a great American wordsmith. Simple, picturesque, profound- all the things my poetry professor tried to teach me way back when. Add his melodic instincts, you’ve got a star. Poor guy died way too soon.
For a newer country song with an older sound, check out Patty Loveless with "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive". One of the best country songs of the last 20 years.
I was born in 1951....so I wasn't there either...but I did start my broadcasting career in 1970 in Atlanta. There was a very historic high-power radio and tv station called WSB and they actually had a 50's/60's studio museum and several sound studios with the "new" 70's technology. Most of the swing bands, soul quartets, and country artists recorded mostly in Atlanta at WSB, if they could afford it. I remember the studio museum with mikes on overhead gaffes that looked like an elephant's head! On a recording such as "So Lonesome I Could Cry", there would be probably a maximum of four mikes, one which was the main vocal and instrument solos. The steel guitar took a mike, and the other two were used to pick-up the rhythm sections. The soloists usually had to move in and out of the main mike range, while they were playing, to get enough gain on the mike to record. There were no tape recorders in the 40's and 50's. Songs were done live, all at one time, in one or two takes and recorded on master disks for pressing into records later. It was caveman stuff! Nothing like today's technology. Hope that gives you an insight into the time this was recorded
When you hear his voice it’s so hard to believe that he was 29 when he died. Definitely an old soul. I hope you dive into the super old school country rabbit hole.
Yes a number of great musicians died young because of substance abuse, but if you only focus on that part of their lives you are missing out. I'm not speaking about you I'm talking about people who think that way about those musicians. I used to think like that myself.
He has almost attained the status of a mythical figure. The world will probably not see an artist like him again.
Jimmie Rodgers and Vernon dalhart if they really want real orgins
@@beaujac311he had a serious back issue and the alcohol numbed the pain so he could perform…
His grandson sounds very much like him.
Hank Williams is one of the greatest music figures most important and influential singer/songwriters of the 20th century.
His impact is felt in almost every genre of music from rock to Gospel.
His greatest hits include:
"Lovesick Blues", "Hey, Good Looking", "Your Cheating Heart", "I Saw The Light", "Honky Tonk Blues", "Jambalaya", "Move It On Over", "I'll Never Get Out Of The World Alive", "Take These Chains From My Heart".
Jambalaya is Sooo Good. and I Saw The Light is just .... Transcendent.
"Mansion On The Hill"!
Lovesick blues is not his song
"Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do)" and "Pictures From Life's Other Side" should be on that list..
Long Gone Lonesome Blues is a must R I P Hank
Hank Sr was a corner stone of country music, ironically he was fired from the Grand Old Opry. He was the epitome of heartache, drinking, women and the music reflected it all. Thanks for this review. ❤❤
The Original Country Outlaw
I don't think people today can truly realize just how big a star Hank Williams was. There hadn't been an Elvis or anyone else to compare him to.
Speaking of the Opry...,,,You absolutely have to listen to Hank Williams the 3(Hank Sr"s grandson)song 'The Grand Ole Opry Aint So Grand Anymore.' It's about trying to get Hank Sr reinstated into the Grand Ole Opry. Hank 3 is absolutely brilliant, To ignore him is to ignore country history.
and unfortunately his son turned out to be a right-wing a**hole.
@@nickface55He truly impacted rock with many of his songs that were changed somewhat and became hits again! A trailblazer!
"Move It On Over" is arguably a contender for one of the roots of rock and roll .
George Thorogood does a great cover of that one!!!
One of my Hank favorites!, definitely got that rockabilly side to it.
I agree, Hanks melody was the same beat as Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and The Comets
@@philipdickey6460 I am not sure if Hank Williams Snr was first to use that beat, it is a form of Western Swing and he brought it out in 1948 but I have not looked at other writers etc of that time , Bill Haley was with the 4 Aces of Western Swing then and they had a very different style from what I can find audio of.
Double up on "Move It On Over," by listening to this version followed by George Thurogood's version.
“The silence of a falling star lights up a purple sky, and as I wonder where you are, I’m so lonesome I could cry.” One of the saddest verses of any song, any genre, at least to my ears. Thanks so much for this one! If you haven’t done Honky Tonkin’, I think you like it.
Yes the pace that hank sings it doesn't highlight the the song as lyrically as it can which is why I prefer Elvis' version. Elvis said it was the saddest song he ever heard. The lyrics are masterful.
Exactly! I said to myself Wow, that last verse was so beautifully heartbreaking!
That could easily be a Pink Floyd verse.
The way he is singing so simply, but he exaggerates some syllables. Man oh man. There's just never been another like Hank.
😮😅😅
My mom was a country music fan. I grew up listening to Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Wanda Jackson, and of course Hank Williams. Mom would sing out loud to this song while cleaning the house. Thanks for the visit with mom. ❤
Was my moms' favorite singer. I remember her crying when he died. I was about 9 yrs old.
Twang.
❤
A fact about Hank Williams. He was born with an undiagnosed form of Spina Bifida Occulta. A spinal cord defect which has a few different forms. This lack of diagnosis caused Hank lifelong pain which lead to the morphine addiction and heart failure that killed him. Personally, I was born with another form of Spina Bifida called Myelomeningocele - I know, it's a big name lol. Just thought you both would find it interesting.
Wow! My late son had Spina Bifida...I would have thought this was a story I'd have heard! Thanks.
Oh..that's easy for me to say..followed by Shunted Hydrocephalus, Chiari Malformation, and Kyphosis .. sending green healing light energy..XooX
@@lifewuzonceezr No problem, I'm sorry to hear about your son. Another musician not many know was also born with SB is John Mellencamp
Didn’t know that about Mellancamp. Thanks!
Country Music isnt’t country anymore!
This was my dads music. I was born in ‘58, grew up in the ‘60’s and spent my teen years in the ‘70’s. This is what I always considered classic country/western genre. I really enjoy your show. Watch it every night.
He was my Dad's favorite too.
I was born in 58 too. 😊
Me Three!@@Rocker1983
I grew up in the same era that you did, what a great time!!!
Same era hear too he was my grandads favorite still remember seeing
His album at Grandpas wish I had it now.
"Hey Good Lookin'" "Your Cheatin' Heart" "Cold Cold Heart" "Why Don't You Love Me Like You Used To Do?" "Lovesick Blues" "Move It On Over" "There's a Tear in my Beer" "Take These Chains From My Heart" "Honky Tonk Blues" ...
"The moon just went behind the clouds, to hide it's face and cry"......pure poetry!
One of the very best lyricists of the twentieth century.
Dose un peu mec, toujours dans l'exagération ces amerloques....
@@conseilavise4855what?? 😂 Hank is one of the greatest songwriters ever buddy.
When I go home (to Montgomery) at Christmas every year, I always visit his grave just to pay my respect. He’s a music legend. He was 29 when he passed! He had such an old soul. You’d never think the man singing this song was in his 20s!
My wife and I drink a beer at his grave. Hank is the musical messiah
The lyrics to this song are so poetic. Elevated writing.
“The moon just went behind the clouds to hide his face and cry” 😢was there ever a better line? Love your reaction.
It ain't country music without a steel guitar and a fiddle. I love the old country music too.
He didn't live a very long life, but put out some great music in that short time. "Your Cheatin' Heart" is one of his really well-known songs, as well as "Your Cold Cold Heart", but if you want something more upbeat, try "Hey Good Lookin'" or "Jambalaya (On the Bayou.)" He also got into some gospel with "I Saw the Light."
(Edit - looks like you already reacted to "Your Cold Cold Heart!" I'd forgotten about that. )
Don't leave "(I Can't Help It If) I'm Still in Love with You" off the love-sick blues list!
This and Tear in my beer are iconic.
Cause I'm crying for you dear...
Hank Jr.'s video for Tear In My Beer sticks with a person. At least it has with me.
@@KuscosPoison Came here to comment this exact thing!
@ he was the first one name country singer that no one ever said who?
Thank you for reacting to Hank Williams. My dad was a big fan of his and would sing his songs around the house. I chose one of Hank Williams' songs to be played at Dad's Celebration of Life last year.
"The silence of a falling star, lights up a purple sky"
Incredible lyric.
Quick background on Hank Williams. He had a bad childhood and first marriage. Most of his songs reflect that. He also had health problems and a drinking problem leading to his death at the age of 29. Before his death he had over 50 top selling songs. He was influenced by both western and blues music.
He was a lot more than kind of a standout, he was a huge sensation and his death shocked the nation.
He is literally the Father of Country Music. He has a whole slew of hits and amazing songs, it's a great rabbit hole to go down.
Long Gone Lonesome Blues. Hey Good Lookin'. Moanin' the Blues. Ramblin' Man. Jambalaya. Lost Highway. Move It On Over. I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive.
All of those and so many more are absolutely stellar.
I also wanted to point out that when you go listen to this older Country music, you will hear a lot more waltzes than we get in today's music. There are slow waltzes and medium Tempo waltzes and fast waltzes and it's a crucial part of that experience. Believe me, I know because I played in a honky tonk band for years and road houses and honky tonks, and if you don't have a really good selection of waltzes in your set, people will complain because they want to dance to waltzes, not just swing dance the whole time.
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry is a slow waltz.
One plus of the recording equipment of that time was that the electronics were tube based which offered a warmer sound than modern digital recordings. That's also why a lot of folks build or buy tube amplifiers for their modern stereo systems. Hank Sr. was a musical genius. He once wrote a hit song given the subject and parameters of the song by Acuff & Rose of the Grand Ole Opry as they went to lunch. When they got back from lunch, Hank had written his hit "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You."
I'm 20 soon to be 21 I prefer tube equipment
He is THE GOAT of country music to this day
If you're familiar with Ken Burns, he did a series on country music from the beginning to current times. If you can, you should check it out.
I agree, it's an excellent series.
I grew up with Hank William's songs. My mom would play guitar and sing them to me. This song is one of the first songs I remember singing along to. All of Hank William's songs are well-worth a listen.
In 47 years I had never seen my father cry, but I saw it after he buried his Mother and they played this song on "Country Gold Saturday Night!"
Great synopsis as usual Amber and Jay. These old recordings are raw and not over-produced simply because the technology was not available at the time.
Recording tape had just been invented.
Yes and country musicians like their old R & B counterparts were recording in barebones studios - not Capitol Records in NY or Hollywood.
My favorite country song. Not only was Hank country's first super star he was the original outlaw of country music he died at 29 yrs old
Thank you!!! The master of country music. I learned my first vocal to Your Cheating Heart by Hank. I was a whole 3 years old. This is country music! 1962 was a long time ago for me. Again thank you!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The amount of hit songs he did and the influence he had over music is mind blowing and only in a short period of time. He passed so long ago and there still ahs never been another like Hank, never will be.
Hank is the country GOAT ! There are many treasures to find when you dig into the Hank Williams catalog. He had a lot of silly fun songs, too like, "Hey, Good Lookin" and "Move it on Over"
A masterpiece. From one of the Masters. Can't do better. Enjoy! Simple and so sincere. Thank you.
Hank Williams was the GOAT country. He had the smooth voice. He had the band. "Your Cheating Heart", "Cold Cold Heart", and "Hey Good Looking" are must listens.
Jay, you asked what were studios like in those days. Songs back then were recorded live with the full band into microphones that were directly plugged into to machine that had the disc spinning with the needle cutting the grooves while the were playing. They didn't have tape recorders. If they messed up, they would have to stop, throw away that disk and start again with a new disc. Sometimes they would do a song 10 or 15 times before they got one they liked. Once they got a disc they wanted to keep, then they would have the factory press records from that disc.
My dad was a big Hank Williams fan and while he loved the early Country /Western sound, he did not like "New Country. He called it "Nashville Glitter". Another early Country singer you should react to is Johnny Horton. His big hits include "When It's Springtime in Alaska", "North To Alaska" (Written for the John Wayne movie of the same name), "Sink the Bismark", "Whispering Pines" and "The Battle Of New Orleans". He had a marvelous voice and, like Hank Williams he died very young.
Johnny Horton was actually married to Billie Jean Horton (Jones) who was married to Hank Williams Snr. Before he passed.
Yes I agree , some Johnny Horton would be great I feel they would really enjoy him Also
I was born in the 50s and my parents didn't always have the newest television but we always had a good record player. This is one of the songs I remember my appearance playing when I was a child. Good to hear it again thank you
My parents not appearance
My grandpa, may he rest in peace, was born in 1907, and he listened and played this kind of country. Every time we visited my dad, brother, and grandpa would break out the guitars and play. So whenever I hear these songs it takes me back to those amazing times.💙
A genius taken too young. Another one of our greatest songwriters, Leonard Cohen, wrote this about Hank in his "Tower of Song": “I said to Hank Williams, how lonely does it get? Hank Williams hasn't answered yet, But I hear him coughing all night long,Oh, a hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song.” He puts Hank that far above him, a real tribute to one of his heroes.
Hank singing the blues. Hank really was a blues singer, country style, his lyrics says it all.
One of Hank’s earliest songs, Move It On Over, is often credited with being the very first rock n’ roll record. It was released in 1948!
There's an element of the blues in Hank's song...back then it was all connected, whether people would admit it or not, and the lyrics are really very poetic. The style may be called country, but this is really universal, for the world.
I've always been a hard rocker with my interests in the mid 60's, 70's and up to the late 80's. However, growing up my father was a country music guy. So my early years were filled with this kind of music. My ex went through a country music phase and she was totally and completely amazed that I knew every word to this song and many others of Hank Sr's music.
I can listen to Hank all night. I saw this popup on notification and jumped to see your reaction.
This is one of the most beautiful songs ever. So simple, but so poignant. You really feel his pain.
Goodness, haven't heard that in years! That was my Daddy's favorite ❤
My bf had to make a sudden move several states away. For reasons too complicated to get into, it's likely we'll never see each other again. So how funny is it that this reaction popped up in my feed. Hank has always been my standby during heartbreaking moments. Thanks for putting this up! I agree with Rob - old school country sounds superior to modern country. I'll be sure to count my blessings despite my troubles. Thanks y'all ❤
This song is more than a country song -- it's a SONGWRITER'S song. Its sentiment is so universal that it's been covered dozens and dozens of times by people who normally have no relation to country music whatsoever. Bernadette Peters, possessor of one of the greatest voices (and bodies) ever, performed this song on the Johnny Carson show a few years back and it was so good it gave me goosebumps. You should be able to find that performance online and it's definitely worth listening to.
Cab Calloway - Minnie the Moocher
Duke Ellington - Take the A-Train
Andrew’s Sisters - Bei Mir Bist Du Shön
Boswell Sisters - 42nd Street
Paul Whitman - Paper Moon
That voice and those lyrics. This is when country wasn't homogenized crossover pop.
Really love “spending some time” with y’all when you do your reactions. Right now, I’m so HAPPY I could cry! Thanks for sharing your time with us. Keep on being the sweet and kind souls that you are. The world needs so many more folks like y’all.
He laid the foundations of modern country music that everyone took and ran with.
Hank Williams Sr - " JAMBALAYA " another Country Classic this song is Fantastic in its sound and Hank Williams awsome voice. Also available in Spanish version also called JAMBALAYA sung in Mix of Spanish and English together sounds Amazing too Country Rock Mix released in the early 1970s
Such beautiful, poetic lyrics. Now you need to see & hear Elvis sing it. The song always gave him chills when he sang it. You can see his little shudder in a couple of live performance videos. He loved it.💙💫💫
Elvis sang this best in his Aloha from Hawaii concert ❤️
Bj Thomas did an incredible version of it, too.
The lyric, “The silence of a falling star lights up a purple sky, and as I wonder where you are, I’m so lonesome I could cry,” just empties my soul and makes me feel homesick.😩😩😩
"Did you ever see a robin weep when leaves begin to die, that means he's lost his will to live". I am so lonesome I could cry" Pure poetry.
Hank Williams Sr. is my favorite country music. None better. ❤️. My favorite song is Lovesick Blues.
It's very fun to hear again what I suppose is the original version by Hank Williams! I always remember the version from my Generation by B.J. Thomas in 1966. Definitely worth a Reaction, You Guys. Or at least a listen when you'd like. :) Great Choice, You Guys!! :)
I agree! I heard the '66 version first so this is new for me!
BJ Thomas was no slacker...loved his version as much as Hank's
I love Hank preforming I saw the light
My Dad played Hank all the time when I was little. My favorite 2 songs by him is Jambalaya and Kowliga.
He gets to the heart of it at the end. "And as I wonder where you are." Devastating close.
This was one of my favourite songs back when I could barely remember. This was a staple on our AM radio back in the day, almost 2 decades after it was released.
Hank was a poet. "Silence of a falling star, lights up a purple sky." So beautiful.
Not much of a country person, but I absolutely love Don Williams. Tulsa Time, I Believe in You and Lord, I hope This Day is Good.
We used to listen to that song at meemaa's and grandads. On Sunday, after church. ⛪️
Awesome! Probably first heard this when I was in a baby crib. Really nice to hear it today.
There was a great triple LP record made in the 1970s that brought old school country to the ears of millions of young folks who’d missed out on most of it. It’s called “Will the Circle Be. Unbroken” It featured many old timers playing country and bluegrass classics along with a young country/rock band that really admired and honored them-The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Check it out someday -some day when you’re on vacation, preferably in a cabin in the woods and it’s raining all day so you’re stuck inside by a fireplace. You will fall in love with it, and all the musicians it featured. An American Classic.
hank sr. was, is and always will be a legend... his son and grandson could only wish they could be this good! hanks music was simple and to the point... music will never be this innocent again, his voice is so haunting.. 70+ yrs after his death and his music still lives, that says alot about this man..
Hank Williams recorded virtually all of his songs at radio stations in Cincinnati, Ohio and Nashville, Tennessee. They had good facilities to make pre-recorded commercials on audiotape. Also, in the years before television became the dominant form of media, radio stations would have music programs, where music artists and bands would perform live in the radio studio, so the radio stations had to have good microphone systems so the music artists and bands could be heard by radio listeners.
Hank Williams, Sr. had a couple of local radio shows of his own, with his best one being “Mother’s Best Flour” radio show, which was pre-recorded with his recording studio band weeks in advance, and broadcast on 650 WSM Nashville, Tennessee at around 5:30 AM on weekday mornings.
Those recorded broadcasts were tied up in courts for years, but in the 2010s, the Williams Estate won the rights to the broadcasts, and CDs and CD box sets of the “Mother’s Best Flour” broadcasts were finally available for sale. Some of the music performances were released as “Hank Williams: The Unreleased Recordings”, as most of the music performances were never recorded during recording sessions during Hank Williams, Sr.’s lifetime.
Thank you for show casing Hank Williams.
This song breaks my heart every time I listen to it. Don’t get me wrong I love it , he died way to young ❤🥹
Hank Williams Sr. could turn a phase he used words to make you feel things you didn't know you could feel. He was known as the hillbilly Shakespeare.
His son Hank Junior took it to a whole new level. 😊❤
Three Hank songs that are must listens are "Caliga", "Jambalaya", and "Hay, Hay, Good Lookin'". They are all up-beat juke joint numbers! Have a blessed day.
What I consider to be not only the greatest COUNTRY song but the greatest song written ever!!
That's what George Jones said too
Hank Williams was called The hillbilly Shakespeare
Brings back memories of my childhood in the 1950's here in West Virginia listening to the WWVA Jambpree on Saturday nights in Wheeling WV .
I need to go buy a guitar in case of an emp.
Can you imagine life without interruption?
No tv, no internet, no sounds except the lonesome sound of the whippoorwill coming to tell me we're once again back home.
Hank Williams is the reason that genre we call country music came to be. And for every country outlaw that would come after, including his own son, Hank Williams forged that hard, hard path for them to follow. Peace.✌🏽
You really had to be able to sing in these times loved it yall😊
My uncle, who just turned 99 and is a WWIi vet, was in a band with Hank Williams when they were 13-14 years old. Hank learned to play guitar from a Black street performer and you can hear that in a song like Lovesick Blues. I have always thought of Hank as a great songwriter in the same category as Smokey Robinson.
😮
Hank Williams Sr. is part of the second generation of country music that really cemented it as a part of our culture. If you want to see the genres origins the big 3 to check out are the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, & Woody Guthrie
...Class of 76"...This was on one of the old 78 vinyls that was in my parents collection that they played on their Victrola...for those that don't know what a Victrola is...it's a record player that wasn't electric and was powered by cranking the crank on it's side to wind up the spring and sound came out of the front of the cabinet with no speakers...the sound carried from the record through the needle that was hollow...
It is strange to think that this song is nearly 100 years old, and yet still holds a special place in the modern industry AND appeals to new generations that have never heard Hank Sr's work.
It's poetry. Then you got that lonesome sounding voice. Then that beautiful, mysterious steel guitar. Just...mmmm....what a song.
If you want to see how they did things ing the studio back in the day, go tour Sun Studios in Memphis. Elvis, Johnny Cash, and many others, including U2 in later years, recorded there. The tour is really great.
He not only sang, but one of the greatest if not the greatest country song writers of all time!!!
Classic country song! Covered by many artists and charted by Johnny Tillotson, B.J. Thomas and even Terry Bradshaw! (yes, the NFL quarterback)
Gosh, you two are young. Dad was born in 35 and Mom in 40. I'm 57. Mom's family would listen to the Opry on a battery operated Philco table top radio on the farm in Sparta NC. We still have that radio. As a family we went to Nashville in 82 and went to the Opry and the Ryman Auditorium and saw all the cool sights in Nashville. Hank Sr was a big star in his short life.
Hank is arguably, the greatest American songwriter who ever lived, regardless of the genre, and he passed away too young at the age of 29. If you want some great, rockin' Hank Williams Sr., check out the songs "Move it One Over", and "Mind Your Own Business". His entire catalogue is amazing (having influenced everyone from the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, to an entire generation of country music artists), but those are 2 great songs to start with.
Peace
I am here for Hank! I just did a tribute on my last radio show to him as it would have been his 100th birthday this year! One of his best is ‘Move It On Over’ 🖤
Love you guys, love it that you are willing to listen to such old songs with an open mind. On a funny side note, there were 534 likes when i started to watch this now there are 688! You are making a difference!!
And now there are 994 😊
@@KimNevelzer They deserve it!!!
@@KimNevelzer Now 3.5K!!
Hank is in my blood. Always will be. My father had old 78 lps we used to play of ole Hank. Then my Dad got with his brothers and formed a country band that frequented the area venues back in the late 60's and early 70's. All they played were the classics...Hank, Merle, Conway, Porter, and I could go on. I'm 65 now and still feel those times every time I hear any of those songs today. But, may I add, I also love classic rock, heavy metal, grunge, alternative, 80's, and more!
Great masterpiece , no matter what style it’s labeled as.
The fiddle/steel guitar on his songs was always so beautiful on top of the percussive drum feel in Hank’s acoustic guitar & the upright bas.
My dad had an album of his and he played it all the time. Dad’s gone now but it brings back memories of him going in his room and playing the guitar and singing this. Thank you.😢
Hank is legend. He was indeed called the King of Country Music and had a lot of hits in his far too brief lifetime. You really need to listen to I Saw the Light, Your Cheatin' Heart, Cold Cold Heart, Kaw-Liga and so many more. He was an amazing song writer as well as singer and musician. He literally defines the genre.
Some of the greatest lyrics ever written! Dozens of his songs have been re recordered/covered hundreds of times. Really could have discussed the lyrics some more.
Hank Williams was awarded a citation by the Pulitzer Prize Committee for his songwriting and his contributions to moving Country music into the mainstream of American culture. Yes, THAT Pulitzer Prize Committee.
Hank was known as the Hillbilly Shakespeare because of his brilliant songwriting, which was essentially poetry put to music.
Hi Amber and J. After listening to this song "There is a Tear in My Beer". Hank has so many Great Songs. Here are a couple of my favourite songs to add to your list "I Saw the Light" and "Lost Highway". A couple songs by Hank Jr. are "Hand Me Down" and "Old School ". A favourite song by Holly (daughter of Jr.) is "The Highway".
I actually found a version of " There is a Tear in My Beer" the other day on Spotify that was a duet with Hank Snr and Hank Jnr. Fabulous version.
@@racheltrezise1132If you can find the video with Sr and Jr, that is also amazing.
Hank Williams was a great American wordsmith. Simple, picturesque, profound- all the things my poetry professor tried to teach me way back when.
Add his melodic instincts, you’ve got a star. Poor guy died way too soon.
For a newer country song with an older sound, check out Patty Loveless with "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive". One of the best country songs of the last 20 years.
I was born in 1951....so I wasn't there either...but I did start my broadcasting career in 1970 in Atlanta. There was a very historic high-power radio and tv station called WSB and they actually had a 50's/60's studio museum and several sound studios with the "new" 70's technology. Most of the swing bands, soul quartets, and country artists recorded mostly in Atlanta at WSB, if they could afford it. I remember the studio museum with mikes on overhead gaffes that looked like an elephant's head! On a recording such as "So Lonesome I Could Cry", there would be probably a maximum of four mikes, one which was the main vocal and instrument solos. The steel guitar took a mike, and the other two were used to pick-up the rhythm sections. The soloists usually had to move in and out of the main mike range, while they were playing, to get enough gain on the mike to record. There were no tape recorders in the 40's and 50's. Songs were done live, all at one time, in one or two takes and recorded on master disks for pressing into records later. It was caveman stuff! Nothing like today's technology. Hope that gives you an insight into the time this was recorded
They call him the Hillbilly Shakespear, he influenced so many artists.