Ballad Of Hank Williams

(album: The Pressure Is On - 1981)

(Don, tell us how it really was when you was working with daddy)
Well, in 1950, I took a little nip
Along with Mr Williams on the way to Mississippi
We were stacked eight deep in a Packard limousine
When we met this promoter in the town of New Orleans
Well the man told daddy he had what it took
And he liked the way he sang and he liked the way he shook
He said pretty soon he'd make us all rich
And we started believing that fat sumbitch
Now daddy told the man if you wanna make some dough
Take a little money and book me on a show
And we played them dates and we filled the places well
But Hank he done blowed the profit all to hell
Cause he'd run through a ten and he'd run through a twenty
And he'd run through a hundred just as hard as he could go
Like a big (unknown) to a little bitty feller
He'd spend a thousand dollars on a hundred dollar show
Hank looked at me with a funny looking grin
Said I been to the Opry and I'm going back again
We met the owner in a little office there
A big fat fella with some artificial hair
He told Hank he wanted half of everything he made
Or he'd have to tell Audrey bout some women Hank had laid
And you told daddy he'd better get smart
Get rid of them fellas and make a new start
Then he fired my ass and he fired Jerry Rivers
And he fired every body just as hard as he could go
He fired old Cedric and he fired Sammy Pruitt
And he fired some people that he didn't even know
Well every song he made it went to number one
Y'all was workin like hell and you was havin fun
We was ridin every day and playin every night
And every twenty minutes some of us had a fight
Now daddy he was makin money hand over fist
And y'all was getting screwed but you wasn't gettin kissed
Yeah I told him to pass a liitle bit around
But he said he'd rather send it to his folks in Alabama
So he fired your ass and he fired Jerry Rivers
And he fired everybody just as hard as he could go
He fired old Cedric and he fired Sammy Pruitt
And he fired some people that he didn't even know
Now the owner of the Opry he's doin pretty good
He's got a music company that they call Cedarwood
And Hank played nothin but sold out halls
And I was pumpin gas in greasy overalls
Cause he fired my ass and he fired Jerry Rivers
And he fired everybody just as hard as he could go
He fired old Cedric and he fired Sammy Pruitt
And he fired some people that he didn't even know
Hank'd run through a fifty and he'd run through a hundred
And he'd run through a thousand just as hard as he could go
Buying Cadillac coupes paying double alimony
And he fired some people that he didn't even know