About the song
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry is a country song written and recorded by Hank Williams. It was first released in 1949 as a single on the MGM label. The song is considered to be one of Williams’s most popular and influential songs. It has been covered by many artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson.
Background and writing
Williams wrote “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” in 1949, while he was living in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was reportedly inspired to write the song after seeing a lonesome robin sitting on a telephone wire. The song is a simple, yet powerful ballad about loneliness and heartbreak.
Recording and production
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was recorded on August 30, 1949, at the Herzog Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. The song was produced by Fred Rose. The recording session featured Williams on vocals and guitar, backed by a band of session musicians.
Release and reception
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was released in November 1949 as a single. The song was a commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It also crossed over to the pop charts, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The song was a critical success as well. It was praised for its simple, yet powerful lyrics and Williams’s heartfelt performance. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
Legacy
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” is considered to be one of the most important and influential country songs of all time. It has been covered by many artists and has been used in numerous films and television shows. The song is a classic example of Williams’s songwriting genius and his ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level.
Other facts about the song:
- The song was inspired by a lonesome robin that Williams saw sitting on a telephone wire.
- The song was recorded in a single take.
- The song has been covered by many artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson.
- The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
- The song is considered to be one of the most important and influential country songs of all time.
“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” is a timeless classic that continues to be enjoyed by fans of all ages. It is a song about loneliness and heartbreak, but it is also a song about hope and resilience. The song’s message is as relevant today as it was when it was first released.
Video
Lyrics
Awful pretty song
I think one of the prettiest things that I ever had the pleasure of comin’ up with
I’m So Lonesome, I Could Cry
Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I’m so lonesome, I could cry
I’ve never seen a night so long
And time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide its face and cry
Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
Like me, he’s lost the will to live
I’m so lonesome, I could cry
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I’m so lonesome, I could cry
That’s a good one
It’s a lonesome song, ain’t it?
Ain’t that lonesome, woo
Now you can’t get any much lonesome right, can you?
Want to whip a will so lonesome it can’t fly
He done got lonesome, man
He needs some company, bad