Song #82: Hank Williams - "Move It On Over"

Song #82: Hank Williams - "Move It On Over" (1947)

40 Greatest Hits

"This doghouse here is mighty small, but it's better than no house at all..."

After eighteen songs, I think it's time to bring Hank Williams into the picture, the man I cite as one of my favorite artists of all time and my favorite country artists of all time. Williams' songs are total products of their time, some replicating a rare but unrefined sense of wholesomeness and whimsy, while others possess a cold, unflinching tone that is able to humanize and truly capture the downtrodden feelings one experiences during a breakup, or a nasty episode with your significant other.

I picked up on Williams thanks to my grandfather, who has been a diehard Williams fan all his life. The den in his house is laced with Hank Williams posters, blankets, old, rare vinyls, bobbleheads, action figures, etc, all of which give Hank Williams life. I'll never forget the day my grandfather and I talked classic country music for about an hour and a half and the conversation ended with my grandfather pulling out his wallet, handing me one-hundred dollars and telling me to buy "The Complete Hank Williams," a set containing most of his music along with a lengthy book and some other little collectibles. That CD set became the soundtrack to my summer in 2010, when I graduated middle school, and it only feels right that I'm reflecting on Williams' music and impact on my life as I just graduated high school (and writing this blog on June 4th, 2014, my last official day, as well). 

We're starting off on a lighter note with Williams - although his truly dark songs like "Your Cheatin' Heart" aren't on this list, for the record - which is "Move It On Over," one of his many big hits. The song tells the story of a man who is not allowed in his own home by his wife, and must sleep in the doghouse, paying tribute to that saying we all have heard and probably experienced. The song tells of the man moving all his belongings to said doghouse in a fun, playful manner. 

Like with all songs by Williams, his voice is most prominent on this one, deep and occasionally raspy when hitting higher notes - or if you have the pleasure of hearing him yodel - but also able to spark a spring in ones step or a steady tap of ones foot. The song, to say the least, is infectious and beautiful in its basic qualities. Even the simple instrumentation is addicting when the song dedicates brief segments to it and just it. 

Like Dolla, Hank Williams III, and Toby Keith, Hank Williams is somebody you better get used to seeing on this list - he's not going away any time soon.

Give "Move It On Over" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lza3NVH6Ig