***I have posted my 10 favorite covers of Beatle songs at Keith’s site nostaligicitalian ***
The man was such a great songwriter. His influences stretched from Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Rolling Stones and everyone in between…so lets hear it for The Hillbilly Shakespeare
This could be William’s best known song. Williams wrote this shortly after divorcing his wife, Audrey Mae Sheppard. They married in 1944 right after Audrey got a divorce from her husband. The pair would go on to record several duets together (and produce a son, Hank Williams Jr.), but Williams’ drinking ultimately caused trouble in their marriage.
When Hank described his first wife (Audrey) having a cheatin’ heart to country singer Billie Jean Jones, who would soon become his second wife, he was inspired to write the song.
This song was recorded in September of 1952. He would die in January 1, 1953. This would be his last recording session. He also recorded recording Kaw-Liga, I Could Never Be Ashamed of You, and Take These Chains from My Heart.
His last single during his lifetime was I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive backed with I Could Never Be Ashamed of You which was released in November 1952.
Your Cheatin’ Heart peaked at #1 on the US Country Charts in 1953.
Billie Jean Jones (second wife) on Hank Williams saying the phrase in a car: “Then he said, ‘Hey that’d make a good song! Get out my tablet, baby, you and I are gonna write us a song,'” “Just about as fast as I could write it, Hank quoted the words to me in a matter of minutes.”
From Songfacts
Williams recorded this in September 1952 during what would be his last session at Nashville’s Castle Records. He would die just months later from heart problems (or, some say, suspicious circumstances) on the way to a New Year’s concert in Canton, Ohio. The song was posthumously released in January 1953 and topped the Country & Western Billboard Charts for six weeks.
Many artists have covered this over the years, including Louis Armstrong, Glen Campbell, Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis. Ray Charles’ 1962 version was a hit in both the US and the UK, peaking at #29 and #13, respectively.
Rat Pack member Joey Bishop recorded this in the ’60s on the album Cold, Cold, Heart. Bishop was an actor, and many people considered his version so bad it was actually entertaining. On the album cover, Bishop is dressed in a rhinestone cowboy costume. It contains liner notes by fellow Rat Packer Dean Martin.
For the line “You’ll walk the floor, the way I do,” Williams took inspiration from his friend Ernest Tubb’s “Walkin’ the Floor Over You.” He also recorded three of Tubb’s hits, which were released posthumously: “First Year Blues,” “It Just Don’t Matter Now” and “I’m Free at Last.”
This song shares its name with the 1964 biopic of Hank Williams, starring George Hamilton. Hank Williams Jr. recorded the soundtrack album.
Two versions of this hit the pop charts in 1953: Joni James’ at #2 and Frankie Laine’s at #18.
Your Cheatin’ Heart
Your cheatin’ heart
Will make you weep
You’ll cry and cry
And try to sleep
But sleep won’t come
The whole night through
Your cheatin’ heart
Will tell on you
When tears come down
Like falling rain
You’ll toss around
And call my name
You’ll walk the floor
The way I do
Your cheatin’ heart
Will tell on you
Your cheatin’ heart
Will pine some day
And crave the love
You threw away
The time will come
When you’ll be blue
Your cheatin’ heart
Will tell on you
When tears come down
Like falling rain
You’ll toss around
And call my name
You’ll walk the floor
The way I do
Your cheatin’ heart
Will tell on you
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There’s never a bad time for hank Williams. Junior OR senior.
incredible what he accomplished in such a short period of time… the first punk rocker!
I never thought of it like that but yes you are right
Tablet? they had iPads back in 53? lol
Sure they did! Those old models that came with those things called pencils…lol
BAHAHA
The Hillbilly Shakespeare? I like it! And he wrote that tune shortly after his divorce? I just hope this won’t give aspiring male music artists the wrong idea! 🙂
yes I guess when inspiration comes it comes lol.
That is a great nickname isn’t it?
Perfect nickname!
a real early country classic
I have acquired a taste for Hank Williams over the years…a smidgen of him–just a song every now and then–goes a long way with me. I appreciate his song writing much more than his singing.
I never liked his son’s music but with Hank…like you can’t listen 24/7 but what a songwriter…the ironic thing is though my favorite song by him he didn’t write…Lost Highway.
Well, that makes sense since Bob Dylan’s version is the iconic version, but he didn’t write it either. My favorite Hank Sr. song is Jambalaya. I prefer Fats Domino’s rendition, but I like Hank Sr.’s too. It’s just a great song.
I love Jamalaya. That song works in country or rock. I heard Jason and the Scorchers do a burning version of that.
I can hear Fats Domino do anything. He also does a great version of Lady Madonna.
That’s right. He does a fantastic version. I’m with you, Fat’s could do any style and make you smile. Great musician.
That is real country.
Yes! not pop music with a twang.
Great song. I never k ew the backstory.
A great song by a great artist. I loved learning about him from your post Max.
Thanks Jim
Another great one. I don’t think he has a bad song and this is certainly one of his best.
I agree…there is nothing weak in his catalog.
The man knew how to write. I love his mournful voice.
He was a great songwriter but, no. Can’t take the singing. Ice picks. Now, Hank, Jr.? Yeah.
Do you want me to surgarcoat it some more? lol…I don’t have love for that man.
Damn. Don’t hold back. Tell me exactly how you feel. LOL!
You just described how I feel about Hank, Sr., except, instead of bamboo under the nails, the nails are being dragged down a blackboard.
I’m not a huge fan of Hank, Jr. I don’t own any of his music. I’d just rather hear him than daddy. Eek.
At lease dad was a genius songwriter…he had that going for him.
Also, too…keep in mind that Hank, Jr.’s voice changed after his accident. And, that leads me to, how did Hollyweird decide that Richard Thomas would be a good fit for a biopic? That has always been a head-scratcher for me.
Yea that was odd to say the least about Richard Thomas.. No I hated his writing and singing…really everything. I was southern and I didn’t like being portrayed as that….he just rubbed me the wrong way.
😆
Like Charlie Daniels?
LOL I liked him and Lynyrd Skynyrd…I was a weird kid
Hey. We’re all weird here…
Yup I like his music a lot. I know you’re listening to The Blasters. Check out ‘Long White Cadillac”. Their tribute to Williams. Killer.
You won’t believe this…but that song is what led me to this! I have it in my drafts. It’s been a while since I did a Hank song also.
Very cool. I love Daves guitar solo on that cut. What a great tune and piece of music history