Hank Williams – Lovesick Blues – CD

To celebrate his centenary, here is a great double album covering all the hits of the immortal Hank Williams, country music’s biggest star: 11 No.1s and 36 Top Ten classics. Hiram “Hank” Williams (1923-1953) was without doubt the biggest star in the history of country music, and one of its most charismatic figures. Influenced by Roy Acuff, and belonging to the blues tradition of Jimmie Rodgers, his songs and his passionate performances of them communicated with extraordinary sympathy the texture of everyday emotional life. But he ran a hedonistic race to death; problems with drink and drugs killed him before he reached 30. 20 million records were sold in the ten years after he died. Disc One of Lovesick Blues (the title of his million-selling breakthrough hit) covers the first four years of Hank Williams’ brief but spectacular career. Disc Two covers his few remaining years – a golden period of even greater success. Here are no fewer than 25 Top Ten Country hits, including nine Number Ones between them covering the gamut of emotions from heartrending blues to joyous celebration.

Disc: 1
1 Lovesick blues
2 Calling you
3 Never again will I knock on your door
4 Pan American
5 Move it on over
6 I saw the light
7 Last night I heard you crying in your sleep
8 Fly trouble
9 I’m satisfied with you
10 Rootie Tootie
11 I can’t get you off of my mind
12 I’m a long gone daddy
13 Honky tonkin’
14 My sweet love ain’t around
15 The blues come around
16 A mansion on the hill
17 I’ll be a bachelor ’til I die
18 There’ll be no teardrops tonight
19 Please don’t let me love you
20 Jesus remembered me – Williams, Hank & Audrey
21 Lost highway
22 May you never be alone
23 Mind your own business
24 You’re gonna change, or I’m gonna leave
25 Weddings bells
26 I just don’t like this kind of livin’
27 My bucket’s got a hole in it
28 Long gone, lonesome blues

Disc: 2
1 Why don’t you love me?
2 ‘Why should we try anymore?
3 My son calls another man daddy
4 Everything’s okay
5 They’ll never take her love from me
6 Nobody’s lonesome for me
7 Moanin’ the blues
8 Cold, cold heart
9 Dear John
10 I can’t help it if I’m still in love with you
11 Howlin’ at the moon
12 Hey, good lookin’
13 My heart would know
14 Ramblin’ man
15 I’d still want you
16 I heard that lonesome whistle
17 Crazy heart
18 Half as much
19 baby, we’re really in love
20 Weary blues from waitin’
21 Honky tonk blues
22 Window shopping
23 Jambalaya
24 Settin’ the woods on fire
25 I’ll never get out of this world alive
26 You win again
27 I won’t be home no more
28 Your cheatin’ heart
29 Kaw-Liga
30 Take the chains from my heart