Story Behind The Song

It's a song about the night Hank Williams died, from the perspective of the teen-age kid who was being paid to drive Hank to the Canton, Ohio New Years Day concert that he never made.

Song Description

A left-handed homage to the king of country music.

Lyrics

DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS


Bubba's slumpin' in the backseat -- Reckon by now he's asleep
His cheeseburg's cold on the dashboard--what a way to spend New Years Eve
But the sumbitch is payin' me four hundred bucks --to drive his Cadillac
So's he can catch twenty winks in between -- a beer and a shot of jack
DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS-- THAT WAS HIS REQUEST
DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS-- AND LET THE POOR SOUL REST

Wonder what it's like to be him -- Seven-day long Saturday nights
With Sunday morning hellfire--That's haunted him his whole life
And I wonder what's in that package- that he picked up from that doctor?
And I wonder what he sees starin' him back from the bottom of that bottle of vodka?
DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS-- THAT WAS HIS REQUEST
DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS-- AND LET THE POOR SOUL REST

White lines weavin' like a hypnotist--puttin' me under his spell
Hey Falling Star, it's a lost highway--if it ends, then I can't tell
I'm a midnight rider down moonlight mile and I'm lookin' for a little relief
I hope his mama whispers one more prayer and I hope she really believes
'cause Bubba's pretty quiet in the backseat--makes for a lonesome ride
But I can make Canton by ten o'clock-- if the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise

Radio's spittin' static-- through a strange lullaby
Smokey Mountain skyline sure gets spooky--here in the dead of night
Hey sweet baby, wanna hear your voice--but I know I best not stop
If I drive like hell and dodge the law, we can make Canton by nine o'clock
DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS-- THAT WAS HIS REQUEST DELIVER MR. WILLIAMS-- AND LET THE POOR SOUL REST

copyright 1996 – David Burk – (612)521-5574; email-bizurko@aol.com