Honky Tonk Blues

"Honky Tonk Blues" was a hit country and western song written and performed by Hank Williams. The original 1952 recording was a major hit, and it later became a hit for later-day superstar Charley Pride.

Hank Williams version

"Honky Tonk Blues" is one of the most problematic songs Williams ever recorded. According to Colin Escott's 2004 Williams memoir, Hank and producer Fred Rose had attempted to record the song several times previously: in August 1947 (the session that produced the novelty "Fly Trouble"); in March 1949 (this version featured a light, jazzy feel and an intricate solo from guitarist Zeb Turner, but Hank broke meter and it was abandoned); and again in June 1950.^[1] The backing on the December 1951 session is believed to have been Don Helms (steel guitar), Jerry Rivers (fiddle), possibly Sam Pruett (electric guitar), probably Jack Shook (acoustic guitar), and Ernie Newton or Howard Watts (bass).^[2] The song was about a young farmboy who leaves his father's farm for the enticements of the city, only to become worn down and disillusioned. The version that was released did not contain all the lyrics on his original demo; the next-to-last verse in which Maw and Paw are "really gonna lay down the law" was missing, emphasizing in a way that Hank himself never made it back from the honky-tonks to pappy's farm.^[3] Williams' version reached #2 on the Billboard magazine country best-sellers chart.

The title served as the name for a documentary about Williams broadcast by PBS as part of its American Masters series.^[4] The documentary was also shown at the 48th London Film Festival in 2004.^[5]

Chart performance

Chart (1952)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	2

Cover versions

"Honky Tonk Blues"
Song by Huey Lewis and the News from the album Sports
Released	1983
Recorded	1983
Genre	Pop rock, rock and roll
Length	3:26
Label	Chrysalis
Composer	Hank Williams
Producer	Huey Lewis

Hank Williams, Jr. recorded the song as an overdubbed duet with his father in 1965 for MGM and then again in 1996 with his own son Hank III on the album Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts.
It appears on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1972 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken.
The most successful cover version was by Charley Pride; his version reached the top of the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in April 1980.^[6]
Waylon Jennings included a version of the song on his 1982 album Black on Black.
Huey Lewis and the News covered the song on their 1983 album Sports.
The song was also recorded as the debut single by American country music group Pirates of the Mississippi. Released in 1990, it was the first single from the album Pirates of the Mississippi. The song reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.^[7]
Jason and the Scorchers covered the song.
Roy Gaines recorded the song on his 1999 album I Got the T-Bone Walker Blues.
The Kentucky Headhunters recorded the song for their 2005 LP Big Boss Man.
Don Williams recorded the song for Pulse in 1999.
Dion Dimucci covered "Honky Tonk Blues" on his 2007 Grammy Nominated album, Bronx in Blue.
Richard & Linda Thompson do a live version on the 2010 Deluxe Edition of Shoot Out the Lights.
Lacy J. Dalton recorded the song for her 2010 LP Here's to Hank.

Charley Pride version

"Honky Tonk Blues"

Single by Charley Pride

from the album There's a Little Bit of Hank in Me

Released

January 1980

Format

Recorded

1979

Genre

country

Length

2:00

RCA

Jerry Bradley, Charley Pride

Charley Pride singles chronology

"Missin' You"
(1979)

"Honky Tonk Blues"
(1980)

"You Win Again"
(1980)

Chart performance

Chart (1980)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	1

Pirates of the Mississippi version

"Honky Tonk Blues"

Single by Pirates of the Mississippi

from the album Pirates of the Mississippi

Released

1990

Genre

Country

Length

3:00

Label

Capitol Nashville

Producer(s)

James Stroud, Rich Alves

Pirates of the Mississippi singles chronology

"Honky Tonk Blues"
(1990)

"Rollin' Home"
(1990)

Chart performance

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)^[8]	12
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[9]	26

References

↑ Escott, Colin 2004.
↑ Escott, Colin & 2004 346.
↑ Escott, Colin & 2004 194.
↑ "Hank Williams ~ About Hank Williams | American Masters". PBS. 2005-08-10. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
↑ https://web.archive.org/20060929110113/http://www.lff.org.uk/films_details.php?FilmID=455. Archived from the original on September 29, 2006. Retrieved January 12, 2007. Missing or empty |title= (help)
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 277.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 270.
↑ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 1298." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. October 6, 1990. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
↑ "Pirates of the Mississippi – Chart history" Billboard Hot Country Songs for Pirates of the Mississippi.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Preceded by "Sugar Daddy" by The Bellamy Brothers	Billboard Hot Country Singles number-one single April 12, 1980	Succeeded by "It's Like We Never Said Goodbye" by Crystal Gayle
Preceded by "I'd Love to Lay You Down" by Conway Twitty	RPM Country Tracks number-one single April 26, 1980	Succeeded by "Two Story House" by George Jones and Tammy Wynette

Hank Williams

Discography Songs

Albums	Hank Williams Sings Hank Williams on Stage 40 Greatest Hits Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts The Complete Hank Williams Memorial Album

Songs	"Move It On Over" "Honky Tonkin'" "I Saw the Light" "Lovesick Blues" "Mind Your Own Business" "Lost Highway" "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" "Long Gone Lonesome Blues" "Why Don't You Love Me" "Cold, Cold Heart" "Hey Good Lookin'" "Honky Tonk Blues" "Half as Much" "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" "You Win Again" "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" "Kaw-Liga" "Your Cheatin' Heart" "Take These Chains from My Heart" "The Blues Come Around" "Six More Miles (To the Graveyard)" "The Pale Horse and His Rider"

Family	Hank Williams Jr. Jett Williams Hank Williams III Holly Williams

Related articles	Death of Hank Williams List of tributes to Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys Sterling Records MGM Records Grand Ole Opry The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams The Garden Spot Programs, 1950 Rufus Payne

Charley Pride

Studio albums	Make Mine Country Songs of Pride...Charley That Is Country Feelin' Pride of America There's a Little Bit of Hank in Me

Compilation albums	The Incomparable Charley Pride

Notable singles	"Kaw-Liga" "All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)" "(I'm So) Afraid of Losing You Again" "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone" "Wonder Could I Live There Anymore" "I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me" "I'd Rather Love You" "I'm Just Me" "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'" "All His Children" "It's Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer" "She's Too Good to Be True" "A Shoulder to Cry On" "Don't Fight the Feelings of Love" "Amazing Love" "We Could" "Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town" "Then Who Am I" "I Ain't All Bad" "Hope You're Feelin' Me (Like I'm Feelin' You)" "The Happiness of Having You" "My Eyes Can Only See as Far as You" "A Whole Lotta Things to Sing About" "She's Just an Old Love Turned Memory" "I'll Be Leaving Alone" "More to Me" "Someone Loves You Honey" "When I Stop Leavin' (I'll Be Gone)" "Burgers and Fries" "Where Do I Put Her Memory" "You're My Jamaica" "Missin' You" "Honky Tonk Blues" "You Win Again" "You Almost Slipped My Mind" "Roll On Mississippi" "Never Been So Loved (In All My Life)" "Mountain of Love" "I Don't Think She's in Love Anymore" "You're So Good When You're Bad" "Why Baby Why" "More and More" "Night Games" "Ev'ry Heart Should Have One" "The Power of Love" "Have I Got Some Blues for You" "Shouldn't It Be Easier Than This" "I'm Gonna Love Her on the Radio"

Related articles	Discography RCA Records 16th Avenue Records Pride: A Tribute to Charley Pride

Pirates of the Mississippi

Rich Alves Jimmy Lowe Bill McCorvey Pat Severs Dean Townson Greg Trostle

Studio albums	Pirates of the Mississippi Walk the Plank A Street Man Named Desire Dream You Paradise Heaven and a Dixie Night

Compilation albums	The Best of Pirates of the Mississippi

Notable singles	"Honky Tonk Blues" "Feed Jake" "Speak of the Devil" "Til I'm Holding You Again" "Too Much"

Related articles	Capitol Records Liberty Records Giant Records

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