I got a hot rod ford and a two dollar bill
And I know a spot right over the hill
There’s soda pop and the dancin’s free
So if you want to have fun come along with me
If you had told me that Chuck Berry wrote those lyrics I would have completely believed you. I have to wonder how often this line has been used in the history of dating since this song came out?
Little Jimmy Dickens said that Williams wrote the song in just 20 minutes while on tour with Dickens and Minnie Pearl. He intended the song for Dickens but decided to keep it for himself after realizing its potential.
The song was released in 1951. It was recorded at Castle Studio in Nashville with his backing band The Drifting Cowboys. After the release, he was on the Kate Smith Evening Show to debut it. The video is at the bottom and the girl beside him is June Carter…later to be June Carter Cash.
Williams was making inroads into a more crossover audience. He was the first country star to make an appearance on the Perry Como show at the time. He was wildly popular in the early 1950s. He probably would have helped broaden country music’s popularity had he lived longer.
This song is very popular, to say the least. It has been covered 252 times and more than once by his son as well. Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Gene Vincent all tackled it in 1958. Other versions have included those by George Jones (1959), Ray Charles (1962), Del Shannon (1964), Roy Orbison (1970), and Waylon Jennings (1985). A 1973 live version by Van Morrison was on the expanded 2016 reissue of his It’s Too Late To Stop Now set.
Hank Williams took 12 songs to #1 and had 55 charted singles in his career, which ended too soon when he died on Jan. 1, 1953, at the age of only 29. He is listed as the writer or co-writer of 167 songs in his lifetime.
The song peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles at the time. In 2004 it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with Jimmy Buffet singing and also #63 on the Billboard 100.
The man lived hard…look at the bottom video. He is just 27 years old in that clip…he could be easily mistaken for much older. He was one of the best songwriters in the 20th Century.
Hank Williams: “If a song can’t be written in 20 minutes, it ain’t worth writing.”
Hey Good Lookin’
Say hey, good lookin’ whatcha got cookin’?
How’s about cookin’ something up with me?
Hey, sweet baby don’t you think maybe
We can find us a brand new recipe?
I got a hot rod ford and a two dollar bill
And I know a spot right over the hill
There’s soda pop and the dancin’s free
So if you want to have fun come along with me
Hey, good lookin’ whatcha got cookin’?
How’s about cookin’ something up with me?
I’m free and ready so we can go steady
How’s about saving all your time for me
No more lookin’ I know I been cookin’
How’s about keepin’ steady company?
I’m gonna throw my date book over the fence
And find me one for five or ten cents
I’ll keep it ’til it’s covered with age
‘Cause I’m writin’ your name down on every page
Say hey, good lookin’ whatcha got cookin’?
How’s about cookin’ something up with me?
…
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Fantastic songwriter, and singer, in my opinion. A lot of great covers out there.
I agree…his songs lend themselves to covers.
No idea what versions I’ve heard, but I didn’t realise this was a Hank Williams’ song.
He is everywhere… his songs can translate to rockabilly easily.
Ha! I remember that song! I didn’t know the background though. It reminds of Hot Rod Lincoln.
That is a cool comparison.
I’ve never heard any covers, just the original. A fantastic song, solid Hank. Maybe in his top 5?
Yea I would think so…I always put I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry at number 1… for me anyway.
The Master! I had/have a buddy in Idaho Falls that he & his Dad took the time to sit me down & play Hank Williams’ music & explain to me his importance to not just Country/Western music but all of popular music. You’ve met Al Green, he always mentions Hank Williams as an influence on him. One of those folks that God sent to us to learn from & admire but only to be here for a blink of an eye in his lifetime. I couldn’t wait to see the episode on Hank on Ken Burn’s ‘Country Music’ documentary a couple of years ago.
The Hillbilly Shakespeare… yea as I said… if you look at these lyrics…you could reasonably say that Chuck Berry could have written these…. so they all tie in with each other.
Very sad that Hank died at a relatively young age. Imagine how many more great songs he would have written later in life.
I agree totally…. he had a lot of unfinished ones as well…I forgot what happened to them.
I never knew the origin of that one, I kinda thought it was older than that. Seems like a song Alfalfa would have sung in ‘the Lil Rascals’ !
I know…it does seem old… it’s fun to see June Carter Cash that young on that video as well.
Love Hank, this and all his songs. I don’t think I ran across that quote before. A bit of hyperbole, even for Hank I think.
I know…I saw it more than twice but yea it’s quite over the top lol.
June carter looks so goofy in that video. I used to go see the country group called Kinderhook creek when I lived in New Jersey, and they played this song all the time. I found a video of them, and I think they are still together, but much older now.
I listened to this and listened to some more on another video of this concert I think…an edgier Eagles vibe to them.
Jim, I thought the same thing. Like a HeeHaw cameo, the subliminal message that country music is for hicks.
If CB has one song that pops up in his head the most it’s this one.
Yep….he earned that title The Hillbilly Shakespeare…
Is this song a gateway drug? It might be the first Hank Williams song most people hear…and shouldn’t be the last. “Why don’t you love me like you used to do?/How come you treat me like a worn out shoe?”
You named it…a gateway drug! That is the perfect description of it!
Oh, I’m all nostalgic now. This is one Mum used to half sing and bumblingly hum through the words she didn’t know while fixing dinner or whatever.
He lived his life on his face, that’s for sure.
That verse about throwing his date book over the fence is genius. Every word- perfect.
Yes…he could have been mistaken for his 40s or really early 50s. I was shocked when I saw his age.
Yeah, he looks beaten down. Talking of, you still being hard worked (over worked?) at work?
I don’t know if you can tell but yes…that is why I’m always late to Daves now and sometimes a no show at others. It’s busy…which is a good thing because I hate saying this…but it goes much quicker than those slow days.
He was stick thin here.
It’s funny, when I read the lyrics of “Hey, Good Lookin'” at the beginning of your post, I also thought, ‘jeez, this could be Chuck Berry’s words.’ Had you not told me this was a Hank Williams song, I never would have guessed it!
Yea…! That is what I was thinking…looks like Chuck was influenced by Hank….or that style anyway.
Glad you pointed out that was June Carter! Kind of a Hee Haw flavor to that little cameo. I love me some Hank Williams. Man could write. Man could sing. His son ain’t no slouch neither.
Hank was brilliant…it just amazed me looking at the lyrics…on how they were so rock and roll as well.
Nothing short of classic from a great songwriter. I also love the Buckwheat Zydeco version.
Thank you…I wasn’t sure if I heard that before but I did…I like that version as well!
another great tune from my youth…..the man had a passion….just rewatched the Last of Us, and they played Alone and Forsaken….I’d feel uncomfortable trying to cover that, even though I’d like to, but you can’t redo something so torchered
Yea I agree…somethings are not meant to be covered.
There’s a Replacements cover too.
I didn’t think about that one.