Hank Williams – Move It On Over

Whenever I’m asked if I like country music…at first, I wonder what country they mean. If they mean commercial top 40…then not. If they mean Hank Williams, then a big fat yes. In this country, I hear a little rockabilly and country mix…which is a great thing.

Hank Williams as a songwriter is up there with the greats. Bob Dylan and more idolized him and his writing. This song was his first big hit. The song was written by the man himself. He released this song in 1947. Two years later, he received his invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry after his successful recording of the minstrel era song, “Lovesick Blues.”

Move It On Over peaked at #4 in the Country Charts in 1947.

Despite never learning to read music, Williams was a prolific songwriter including country music classics such as “Hey, Good Lookin’,” “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” He recorded a total of 66 songs in his six-year recording career, 37 of which became hit records. It was not unheard of for Williams to record three hit songs in one afternoon. Now think about this… out of 66 songs recorded…37 were hits… That is like batting over .500.

Williams was plagued by back pain throughout his life, likely due to spina bifida. Life on the road as a Country singer only made it worse. An operation in 1951 gave him no relief and actually increased his pain. The combination of unending physical pain and the pressure of being a successful recording artist led to Williams seeking solace in drugs in alcohol.

Many of you will remember this song by George Thorogood released in 1978 and picked up a lot of airplay.

Move It On Over

I come in last night about half past ten
That baby of mine wouldn’t let me in
So move it on over, rock it on over
Move over little dog, the mean old dog is movin’ in

She told me not to mess around
But I done let the deal go down
Move it on over, rock it on over
Move over nice dog, a big fat dog is movin’ in

She changed the lock on my back door
Now my key won’t fit no more
Move it on over, rock it on over
Move over nice dog, the mean old dog is movin’ in

She threw me out just as pretty as she pleased
Pretty soon I’ll be scratchin’ fleas
Move it on over, slide it on over
Move over nice dog, a mean old dog is movin’ in

Yeah, listen to me dog before you start to whine
That side yours and this side mine
So move it on over, rock it on over
Move over little dog, the big old dog is movin’ in

Yeah, she changed the lock on my back door
Now my key won’t fit no more
Move it on over, rock it on over
Move over little dog, the big old dog is movin’ in

Move it on over, move it on over
Move it on over, won’t’cha rock it on over
Move over cool dog, the hot dog’s movin’ in

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

25 thoughts on “Hank Williams – Move It On Over”

  5. Great pick, Max. While I’m well familiar with his name, I think I only knew “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. What a sad story Hank Williams had – something I had not known either! BTW, that George Thorogood cover is awesome. Seeing him live in concert must be a ball!

    For the longest time, I dismissed county as hillbilly music until I finally realized this is such a broad genre with lots of cross-over into other genres like rock, blues, pop and rockabilly. So it really had been ignorance on my part.

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    1. Christian…you and I have very similiar tastes…love the Uriah Heep live in 1973 by the way… listen to “Lost Highway” by Williams…I think you would like it. It’s beautiful.

      I know where you are at. Being from Nashville…I was force fed country music and I rebelled until I was in my twenties for the most part…but it it earthy music…roots. Heck The Band were really influenced by country.
      Plus….Hank Williams was one hell of a songwriter.

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      1. Thanks, Max, you’re right, “Lost Highway” is beautiful!

        Have you ever heard the original? It’s by Leon Payne, a blind country singer-songwriter who was also known as “the Blind Balladeer”:

        Or this cover by Tom Petty? Great!

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      2. Both of them are great! I can’t believe I never heard the Tom Petty version before!
        I like the country version also…such a great song.

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      3. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were such a versatile band. And they truly loved to play music, and not only their own.

        Have you ever listened to their “Live Anthology” box set?

        In addition to originals, it has great covers of songs by artists/bands like Thunderclap Newman, Manfred Mann, Van Morrison and Booker T. & the M.G.s. They even play “Goldfinger”! And all of it sounds really great!

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      4. Yes I’ve heard that one…it’s great…The Thunderclap Newman cover is great.
        My friend got that one…really good package.

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      2. Bob was given some unfinished songs by Hank Williams and he picked different people out to put music to them. He might have done some also.

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  8. I found this episode genuinely chilling. I don’t think I had a Chatty Cathy but someone I know had one. That the same person’s voice was used for Talking Tina is danged clever and creepy. They used full-on noir for this which took it to the next level.

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    1. It is a scary episode and STILL works! Telly Savalas was great in this one. I couldn’t figure out if he was all bad or just really terrible at being a step father…or just insecure.

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      1. Yea…it’s been doing that. Open up word or notepad and copy and paste….I was going to throw my laptop out the window because it kept doing that…now I copy and paste.

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