Origins: I Saw the Light

Subject: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Haruo
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 12:14 AM

I know "I Saw the Light" is normally credited to Hank Williams, but I was watching this Roy Acuff version on YouTube and noticed it is referred to as a "spiritual" and there's no mention of Williams. Is there any evidence that the song predates Williams' version?

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 12:22 AM

No.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 12:25 AM

Hank and Roy were friends but Hank's style of living didn't sit well with Roy's more straightlaced outlook on life. Probably Roy tried harder to see the light but Hank wrote it!

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 01:38 PM

Recorded date by Hank Williams-1956

BMI work Number 676208 Composer Hank Williams CAE/IPI# 58261964
    " "                Composer Hiriam Hank Williams CAE/IPI# 58262177

Roy Acuff is listed as one of many artists who recorded, recognizing this copyright.

There are a number of other compositions, unrelated, with the same title.

http://repertoire.bmi.com

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: 12-stringer
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 02:53 PM

Of course Roy "recognized the copyright." The copyright belonged to a Nashville music publisher called Acuff-Rose.

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 03:25 PM

Yeh 12-stringer and so did the rest of Hank's copyrights! That is perhaps more to do with Fred Rose who refined, scanned and scored Hank's rougher lyrics and limited guitar accompanyment but it was a partnership that stood the test of time! Without Hank Acuff-Rose would have been one of Nashville's top publishers and recorders, but with Hank they set the pace.

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 04:48 PM

Performers such as Williams find it impossible to handle copyright on their own, hence association with Acuff Rose, which was affiliated with BMI.
I should have said Williams was the composer; he assigned the copyright so that Acuff Rose could handle royalties and business matters connected with it and other of his compositions.

The company was taken over by Gaylord-Grand Old Opry, and in turn that was purchased by Sony-ATV, recognized by BMI and now the largest publisher of country music.

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Haruo
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 03:14 PM

Wait, when did Hank Williams die?

So what does "Recorded date by Hank Williams-1956" mean? Was it channeled from the beyond?

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Mark Ross
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 03:44 PM

Obviously a typo, Hank died New Years Day 1953.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 03:57 PM

Good question. He died in 1953. The song was being sung on that date.
I took an album date, which was wrong. Sorry about that.

His discography says-
Format 78, MGM Cat. No. 10271, Release year 1948
21/04/1947 (recording date)
Hank Williams, Tommy Jackson, Dale "Smokey" Lohman, Zeke Turner, Louis Innis, Bronson "Brownie" Reynolds.

Recorded on the same date, "Six More Miles (To the Graveyard)"


http://www.hankwilliamsdiscography.com

Subject: RE: Origins: I Saw the Light
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 04:07 PM

Personnel listed above were his "Drifting Cowboys" in that recording.