77 Years Ago, Hank Williams Recorded a Song Inspired by His Marriage That Set the Standard for Country Tear-Jerkers
On 30 August 1949, Hank Williams recorded "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" at Herzog Studio in Cincinnati, a track inspired by his troubled marriage to Audrey Williams. Though released only as a B-side, it has since become a genre-defining standard, covered by artists ranging from Johnny Cash to Danish rock band Volbeat, and remains a touchstone for country songwriting to this day.
MGM Records paired the song with "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" as the A-side, betting the livelier tune would fare better on jukeboxes and radio; both reached No. 2 on the country chart, but only "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" endured. Its raw, personal lyricism was unusual for the era and helped cement Williams's reputation as "the Hillbilly Shakespeare." According to Songfacts, he originally intended it as a spoken-word piece before being persuaded to set the words to a melody.
- Hank Williams recorded the classic 77 years ago, on 30 August 1949.
- It was originally just a B-side, yet became a country standard.
- He nearly performed it as spoken word instead of song.