About the song
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” penned and recorded by Hank Williams in 1949, stands as a poignant classic in the country music genre, epitomizing Williams’s ability to convey deep emotional pain through his music. Released as the B-side to the more upbeat track “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It,” the song’s melancholic tone and heartfelt lyrics struck a chord with listeners, eventually reaching number four on the Billboard Country chart in 1949.
The song was recorded on August 30, 1949, at Herzog Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Williams backed by the members of the Pleasant Valley Boys. The lineup included Zeke Turner on lead guitar, Jerry Byrd on steel guitar, Louis Innis on rhythm guitar, Tommy Jackson on fiddle, and Ernie Newton on bass. The collaboration brought a rich, textured sound to the track, which complemented Williams’s raw and expressive vocals.
There has been some controversy surrounding the song’s authorship. Music journalist Chet Flippo and historian W. Lynn Nickell have suggested that a young Kentuckian named Paul Gilley may have originally written the lyrics, which were then sold to Williams. However, this claim remains unsubstantiated and is not widely accepted in the music industry.
The song’s lyrical content delves into themes of isolation and sorrow, capturing the essence of loneliness through vivid imagery. Williams’s evocative lines, such as “I hear the lonesome whistle blow,” and “The silence of a falling star lights up a purple sky,” convey a profound sense of despair, making it a timeless anthem of emotional solitude.
The song has been covered by numerous artists across various genres, including B.J. Thomas, Charlie McCoy, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Each rendition has contributed to the song’s enduring legacy. Notably, B.J. Thomas’s version reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, and Terry Bradshaw’s 1976 recording also enjoyed significant chart success.
In recognition of its lasting impact, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was included in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and ranked number 3 on their list of the 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time. The song’s ability to resonate with listeners through its heartfelt portrayal of loneliness underscores Hank Williams’s masterful songwriting and his influence on the country music genre.
Overall, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” remains a quintessential representation of Hank Williams’s legacy, showcasing his remarkable talent for translating personal anguish into universally relatable music.
Video
Lyrics
Awful pretty song
I think one of the prettiest things that I ever had the pleasure of comin’ up with
I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry
Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I’m so lonesome, I could cry
I’ve never seen a night so long
And time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide its face and cry
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
Like me, he’s lost the will to live
I’m so lonesome, I could cry
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
That’s a good one
It’s a lonesome song, ain’t it?
Ain’t that lonesome, woo
Now you can’t get any much lonesome right, can you?
Want to whip a will so lonesome it can’t fly
He done got lonesome, man
He needs some company, bad
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