Luke the Drifter aka Ol' Hank Williams

Subject: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: StandingBear (inactive)
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 02:30 PM

In 1951-52, Hank decided that he wanted to put out some more socially relative songs than the honky-tonk numbers he was famous for. Record company execs cringed; If Hank put his name on a disc, the jukebox owners in bars would RUSH to get it. If they expected "Hey, Good Lookin" and got "Pictures From Life's Other Side", they might get gun-shy. Hank himself developed the solution: an anonymous character called Luke The Drifter, a man with no promo headshot for the papers, no hot band behind him, just a lonesome, sensitive wayfarer singing from the heart with minimal accompaniment. WOOOOSH!!! These discs took off like a rocket! Fans in the know, however, waited till they saw a Williams show. They waited till he announced, "Here's a song by my friend Luke The Drifter." Then when Williams opened up to sing, they elbowed each other and said, "See? Ah toya iwwuz ole Hank."

Anyone ever hear any of these recordings? I have heard a couple. EXCELLENT IMHO.

Anyone ever feel like a different person when they get away from the hustle and bustle of the world and just open up and sing saome good old folk songs or songs from the heart?

Whoever wants to answer either of those (or both) please feel free. I'd love to share my thoughts with you.

Peace on you,

'Bear

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 03:10 PM

Picture From Life's Other Side
We're Still A'Livin', So Everything's OK
The Bad Girl Who Lives Down The Street
Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals

'Bear, some of these should be in the DT. We've mentioned them in threads before. I grew up on these and love them.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 03:26 PM

I have a Hank Williams box set, The Original Singles Collection. It has a number of Luke the Drifter songs on it. A pretty thorough Box set. Can't tell you offhand which Luke songs are on it, but I know I enjoyed them.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: BigDaddy
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 03:52 PM

I grew up on these as well. Even put together my own compilation by recording them onto cassette so I can listen to them in my car. Especially enjoy them when I'm driving south. "Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine," is another great one. I even did "The Bad Girl Who Lives Down The Street" impromptu in a bar one time to quell some annoying gossip. And yes to the second question as well. Sometimes it's hard to get away, but I can't get through a day without singing. Was actually surprised recently to find that not everyone sings daily. Another good song similar to the Luke the Drifter material is "Tramp on the Street." I've got it on a 78RPM by a Bill Carlisle.

Peace on you too, 'Bear

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 06:43 PM

"The Schyzoid Tendencies in the Country Music Singer, as Illustrated by Hank William's Luke the Drifter Recordings" ought to be the topic of some psychologists thesis. You find this popping up over and over in the country music field. The need to "testify" on Sunday after cutting loose on Saturday night seems to me at least to be a common pattern that can turn serious when the individual can't control his/her demons. After all, Luke the Drifter died along with Hank, drunk in the back of a Cadillac on the way to a New Year's Eve performance.

You need look no farther than Elvis hisself to see more evidence of how success, fame and a whole lot of money can't split a po' country boy's psyche right in half. All that womanizing and pre-scription drug abuse and yet his Gospel recordings were some of his most powerful. It seems the only recordings worth a damn by the king in his later days were of sacred songs.

The Luke recordings have real power because I think they reflect a deeply rooted need on the part of Hank Williams to justify the life he had chosen to live. Drinking, divorce, womanizing - his whole world was out of control, at least in the terms of his upbringing. Those recordings might have been a lot more than a way to maximize his record sales; maybe they were his way to save his soul.

Picture this:
A hung over, slightly dishevelled looking Hank Williams standing outside the Pearly Gates, holding a stack of "Luke the Drifter" 78's out to a frowning St. Peter and saying, "How 'bout these? Don't they count for nothin'?"

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Stewie
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 07:00 PM

I reckon the best of the Luke the Drifter songs was the magnificent 'Ramblin' Man'. Kieran Kane did an excellent cover of it not so long ago on his 'Dead Reckoning' album.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 08:29 PM

INFO and LINKS to HANK WILLIAMS, SR WEBSITES

* CLICK/HANK WILLIAMS, SR *

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 08:33 PM

DISCOGRAPHY LINK FROM ABOVE REFERENCED SITE-

* CLICK/HANK WILLIAMS, SR. DISCOGRAPHY *

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 10:29 PM

Hey Big Daddy - maybe you could do "Bad Girl..." on Hearme for the unitiated?

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: ddw
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 11:07 PM

I found a Luke the Drifter album in a bargain bin in about 1970 and it quickly became my favorite HW record. Still pull it out and play it once in a while. Great stuff!

david

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Hotspur
Date: 18 Oct 00 - 11:31 PM

Was it as Luke the Drifter that Hank did some recordings with his wife Audrey? I remember from college that he did do a few, they were part of his contract, I believe, b/c he was trying to keep her happy.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: StandingBear (inactive)
Date: 19 Oct 00 - 11:04 AM

This is a great thread... Just to answer a few of the questions/statements:

Bartholomew: SO true! I have struggled that way yself; before I got straightened out.

Stewie: Kane's version of "Ramblin' Man" is also on the Steel Rails train song compilation Vol. 1.

Hotspur: No, Hank did the recordings with Audrey when she was a member of the Drifting Cowboys (Hank's band). She was arguably not the best "girl singer" in country music or even in Hank's band's history; she joined and acted interested simply so she could keep an eye on her amorous and wandering husband. "I Want To Live In Love" was probably Audrey's best singing on record (in a spirited duet with Hank) but again, she couldn;t have been HORRIBLE; She was in the band as long as their first attempt at marriage lasted.

Peace on you,

'Bear

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Oct 00 - 06:49 PM

Just remembered another:
"Heavenly Father, Help Me Understand".

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 01:58 PM

I had to go back to a 2 CD collection of "Hanks William's All Time Greatest Hits" to see if any of the Luke the Drifter songs were there. Although the booklet gives a pretty good discussion of his life, and talkes about the LtD sides, they notes don't identify any of the included cuts as released under that ID. It's a great set and has a ton of incredible songs. Can you imagine having that many really good songs under your name and the Luke the Drifter songs, too? YOW.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Gern
Date: 20 Oct 00 - 02:11 PM

The MGM LP "Luke the Drifter" is one of the finest recordings I know. It contains masterpieces of compassion, and although some of it has become corny and melodramatic by contemporary standards, the songs are thoughtful and delivered with unmistakable sincerity. As Hank looks deep into the heart of heartsick characters, the listener can similarly explore Hank's wounds. Not all of the compositions are his own: "Too Many Parties" and "Beyond the Sunset," for example, come from Tin Pan Alley origins. Other songs include "Men With Broken Hearts" (a recitation covered well by Johnny Cash,) "Be Careful of Stones That You Throw," "I Dreamed About Mama Last Night," "Picture From Life's Other Side," "Help Me Understand," "Why Don't You Make Up Your Mind?," "I've Been Down That Road Before," "The Funeral," "Just Waiting" and "Everything's OK."

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: GUEST,Old Timer
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 03:55 PM

I have a Luke the Drifter record that was put out by MGM and recorded in England. Numbered mgm D-119 the record has the following songs on it

Careful of Stones You Throw Dreamed About Mom Last Night The Funeral Beyond The Sunset

Side 2

Picture From Life Other SideMen With Broken Hearts Help Me Understand Too Many Parties And Too Many Pals

Can anyone tell me anything about this record and if it has any value? Thanks

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: GUEST,Rolling Stone
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 04:05 PM

I have found that the ultimate form of redemption after a hair raising Saturday night is to get up the next morning, force down enough beer to stop the shakes, and then listen to an hour or so of Luke the Drifter. Its better than going to confession.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: JenEllen
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 04:58 PM

Much agreed GuestRS. Nothing like a wink and a "Here's a little song from my friend Luke the Drifter"

'Drifter Recordings found on MGM Recordings (10718, 10630, 10806, 10932, 11120, 11017)

1/10/50: Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals: Rose/Dixon/Henderson
1/10/50: Beyond the Sunset: Brock/Brock/Rowswell
1/10/50: The Funeral: Williams
1/10/50: Everything's Okay: Williams
8/31/50: Help Me Understand: Williams
8/31/50: No, No Joe: Rose
12/21/50: Just Waitin': Williams/Gazzaway
12/21/50: Men With Broken Hearts: Williams
6/01/51: Ramblin' Man: Williams
6/01/51: Pictures From Life's Other Side: Williams
6/01/51: I've been Down That Road Before: Williams
6/01/51: I Dreamed About Mama Last Night: Rose
7/11/52: Be Careful Of Stones That You Throw: Dodd
7/11/52: Please Make Up Your Mind: Williams

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: kendall
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 07:38 PM

I like "Alone and forsaken" 'bout as much as any of Hanks songs.

Subject: RE: BS: Luke The Drifter aka 'Ol Hank Williams
From: Marymac90
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 08:10 PM

I was interested in checking out the HW sites from the links above, but they both connected me to About.com's citysearch. Huh?

Marymac