LogFAQs > #953811688

241. Hank Williams Im So Lonesome I Could Cry (1949)
non-album single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WXYjm74WFI

Key lyrics:
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
Like me, hes lost the will to live
Im so lonesome I could cry

Oh, country music, what did they do to thee? An entire genre has been co-opted by ultra-patriots, to the point I cant even recommend the classics without getting a certain look. Its rarely a genre I turn to by choice, but Hank Williams hits me on another level. This is almost certainly a breakup song, but the lyrics rely on poignant metaphors over direct information. Whatever caused this pain was so shattering, the birds and even the sky weep with him. This is the raw emotion for which classic country is sometimes mocked, but Hank Williams sells it like no other.

Though country music had been around for decades by this point, Hank Williams tragically brief career feels like a key turning point, not just for country but the burgeoning rock scene. In its sound, I hear the American West, but theres also something deeply personal. Hank Williams feels like the prototypical troubled rocker, which heightens the impact of his desperate crooning. The lack of specifics lend a universal element; this might just be the definitive country song for that reason. This is another classic that has been covered by dozens of artists, but no one can match Williams stellar delivery.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/