Written by Robert A. Waters
“These pop bands will play our hillbilly songs when they cain’t eat any other way.” Hank Williams.
Hiram “Hank” Williams was an unapologetic hillbilly. His rise from selling peanuts on the streets of Georgiana, Alabama to music immortality was as unlikely a success story as you’ll find. At a fancy hotel restaurant in New York, he smeared ketchup on his steak, causing staff and customers alike to shake their condescending heads. He once told an interviewer, “You ain’t country unless you’ve walked barefoot through chicken manure.” In the early 1950s, as his records rocketed to the top of the country-western charts, Hank remained skeptical of city folk.
So it was a surprise to nearly everyone when Tony Bennett recorded Hank’s song, “Cold, Cold Heart,” and even more of a surprise when it topped the pop charts.
According to Colin Escott in Hank Williams: The Biography, Bennett, a New Yorker who sang standard pop songs as well big band and show tunes, disliked the song. Escott writes that Bennett had to be coerced into recording it. When Mitch Miller, a conductor and record producer who was pitching “Cold, Cold Heart” to everyone he could think of, played Hank’s version of the song for Bennett, the singer responded, “Don’t make me do cowboy songs.” One New York record producer, on listening to the song, told Miller, “That’s a hillbilly song and there’s no use kidding yourself otherwise.”
Bennett, who at the time had only one hit to his credit, finally relented and “Cold, Cold Heart” shot to number one almost immediately.
Even though everyone except Miller was surprised at the song’s success in the pop music world, Hank was delighted. The song’s number one ranking in both the country and pop field meant he received songwriter royalties for his own recording as well as Bennett’s version. In addition, many other pop singers suddenly jumped on the bandwagon and recorded “Cold, Cold Heart.” Hank received royalty payments from recordings by Perry Como, Louis Armstrong, The Fontane Sisters, Dinah Washington and others.
The song, an autobiographical sketch of Hank’s marriage, had a messy beginning. Hank copped the tune of an obscure country song, and had to pay Dixie Music $7,500 for the rights after the company filed suit.
The lyrics, however, were the product of a sad home-life.
Hank and his wife Audrey fought continually. Both had extramarital affairs that kept them constantly at odds with each other. Hank could be a mean drunk and Audrey was a nag. Hank had spina bifida occulta which caused him excruciating, never-ending back pain. It was especially agonizing while traveling hundreds of miles to and from shows.
Through it all, Hank wrote songs that would change the course of American music. He would eventually be enshrined in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He died at the age of 29 on an icy road traveling to yet another show.
Here are just a few Hank Williams songs recorded by pop stars.
Cold, Cold Heart. Tony Bennett recorded the tune with Percy Faith's orchestra and it stayed on the charts for nearly four months, peaking at number one.
Jambalaya (On the Bayou). This Cajun-themed song has been recorded by literally everyone. Another song that broke the barriers placed on country songs by the tin pan alley crowd, Jo Stafford recorded the tune and it reached number three on the pop charts. Fats Domino recorded his version in 1961 and it was again a hit. John Fogarty also charted with the song.
I Saw the Light. My favorite religious song of all time. (I asked one of the song leaders at the church I attend to lead it and he replied, “They’ll kick both of us out if I did that song.” I never quite understood that reaction since it has the standard Christian theme of sin and redemption.) Almost every country music icon has recorded this song. This version is sung by Roy Acuff and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Your Cheatin’ Heart. Written shortly before his death, the song became the “anthem of country music.” Several pop singers including Joni James and Ray Charles made the charts with this tune, as did Frankie Laine. Pepsi Cola used it in one of their more successful commercials. It is included in the Top One Hundred Great American Songs.
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. In addition to Hank's recording, hundreds of other crooners have recorded it, including Andy Williams, B. J. Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and more. Elvis called it the saddest song he'd ever heard. This version is by B. J. Thomas.
It’s ironic that the most country of all country singers brought hillbilly tunes to the pop music scene.
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