"A Country Boy Can Survive" | ||||
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Single by Hank Williams Jr. | ||||
from the album The Pressure Is On | ||||
B-side | "Weatherman" | |||
Released | January 18, 1982 | |||
Recorded | 1981 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 4:16 | |||
Label | Elektra/Curb | |||
Songwriter(s) | Hank Williams Jr. | |||
Producer(s) | Jimmy Bowen Hank Williams Jr. | |||
Hank Williams Jr. singles chronology | ||||
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"A Country Boy Can Survive" is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. The song was released as a single in January 1982 and reached a peak of number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in March 1982. [1] It is considered one of Williams' signature songs even though it never reached number one.
Shortly after 9/11, Williams re-wrote and re-recorded the song with a patriotic theme under the name "America Will Survive"; the rewrite peaked at number 45 on the Billboard country charts.
In early 2007, Williams re-released the original version to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its original release, in addition to creating a music video for it. This re-release peaked at number 45 on the Billboard country charts.
This song was released in January 1982. It reflects changes to American lifestyle and society that corresponded with rural concerns of the negative impact from increasing urbanization, and exalts the self-reliance of 'country boys'.
The second verse mentions the narrator's relationship with a New York City businessman; despite their differing backgrounds (urban vs. rural) the two had become good friends and exchanged gifts ("he'd send me pictures of the Broadway nights/And I'd send him some homemade wine"). The businessman is "killed by a man with a switchblade knife/for $43 my friend lost his life"; Williams replies that he would like to personally shoot the mugger himself, but not before "(spitting) Beech-Nut in that dude's eyes". The "America Will Survive" remix has the businessman being a victim of the 9/11 attacks.
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [2] | 2 |
Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 2 |
Chart (1982) | Position |
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US Hot Country Songs (Billboard) [3] | 9 |
Chart (2001) | Peak position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 45 |
Chart (2007) | Peak position |
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U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 45 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA) [4] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Kid Rock recorded a cover of the song, which appeared on the 1993 EP Fire It Up , and as a B-side to his 1993 single "I Am the Bullgod". Country music singer Toby Keith covered the song from the television special CMT Giants: Hank Williams Jr.
"A Country Boy Can Survive (Y2K version)" | ||||
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Single by Chad Brock, Hank Williams, Jr., and George Jones | ||||
from the album Yes! | ||||
B-side | "Going the Distance" | |||
Released | November 22, 1999 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:59 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. Nashville | |||
Songwriter(s) | Hank Williams, Jr. | |||
Producer(s) | Buddy Cannon Norro Wilson | |||
Chad Brock singles chronology | ||||
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Hank Williams,Jr. singles chronology | ||||
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George Jones singles chronology | ||||
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In late 1999,Chad Brock and George Jones collaborated with Williams to record a re-written version of the song with a Y2K theme,with lines such as "If the bank machines crash,we'll be just fine." This version peaked at number 30 on the Billboard country charts,and number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
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Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) [5] | 66 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [6] | 75 |
US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [7] | 30 |
"Hey,Good Lookin'" is a 1951 song written and recorded by Hank Williams,and his version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2003,CMT voted the Hank Williams version No. 19 on CMT's 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music. Since its original 1951 recording it has been covered by a variety of artists.
"Get Rhythm" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter and musician Johnny Cash. It was originally released as the B-side to the single release "I Walk the Line" in 1956 on Sun 241. It was re-released with overdubbed "live" effects in September 1969 as an A-side single and reached number 60 on the Billboard Pop chart.
"Lovesick Blues" is a Tin Pan Alley song,composed by Cliff Friend,with lyrics by Irving Mills. It first appeared in the 1922 musical "Oh,Ernest",and was recorded that year by Elsie Clark and Jack Shea. Emmett Miller recorded it in 1925 and 1928,followed by country music singer Rex Griffin in 1939. The recordings by Griffin and Miller inspired Hank Williams to perform the song during his first appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in 1948. Receiving an enthusiastic reception from the audience,Williams decided to record his own version despite initial push back from his producer Fred Rose and his band.
Chad Brock is an American country music singer and disc jockey. Before beginning his musical career in the late 1990s,he was a professional wrestler in World Championship Wrestling (WCW),until an injury forced him to retire.
"Honky Tonk Blues" was a hit country and western song written and performed by Hank Williams. The original 1952 recording was a major hit,and it later became a hit for Charley Pride.
"Yes!" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Chad Brock. It was released in February 2000 as the second single and title from his album of the same name. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles &Tracks chart. It is considered to be Brock's signature song and his only number-one single,spending three weeks at No. 1 in the U.S.,and one week in Canada. Brock wrote this song with Stephony Smith and Jim Collins.
"The Last Thing on My Mind" is a song written by American musician and singer-songwriter Tom Paxton in the early 1960s and recorded first by Paxton in 1964. It is based on the traditional lament song "The Leaving of Liverpool". The song was released on Paxton's 1964 album Ramblin' Boy,which was his first album released on Elektra Records.
Yes! is the second studio album by American country music artist Chad Brock,released on May 2,2000. Lead-off single "A Country Boy Can Survive ",featuring George Jones and Hank Williams,Jr.,is a rewritten version of Williams' hit "A Country Boy Can Survive",rewritten to address the Y2K problem. This song peaked at #30 on the country charts in late 1999. Following it were the title track,which became Brock's only Number One hit in mid-2000,and finally "The Visit" at #21.
"Ordinary Life" is a song written by Connie Harrington and Bonnie Baker,and recorded by American country music artist Chad Brock. It was released as the second single in November 1998 from his self-titled debut album,it peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles &Tracks chart,giving Brock his first Top 10 single.
The discography of all albums and singles released by Hank Williams Jr. consists of 54 studio albums and 25 compilation albums. He has released 109 singles and 24 music videos. Eleven of his singles have reached Number One in either the United States or Canada.
"Midnight in Montgomery" is a song written by American country music singer Alan Jackson and Don Sampson,and recorded by Jackson. It was released in April 1992 as the fourth single from Jackson's second album,Don't Rock the Jukebox. The song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles &Tracks chart,and number 3 as well on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
"A Little Less Talk And A Lot More Action" is a song written by Keith Hinton and Jimmy Alan Stewart. Originally recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams Jr. on his 1992 album Maverick,the song was also recorded by Toby Keith one year later on his self-titled debut album. Keith's version was released in November 1993 as that album's third single. Also,it reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles &Tracks chart and peaked at number 25 on the Canadian RPM charts.
Hank Williams Jr.'s Greatest Hits,Vol. 3 is a compilation album by American musician Hank Williams Jr. released by Warner Bros. Records in February 1989. The album includes eleven tracks,eight of which were Number One and Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles &Tracks chart released on the studio albums Five-O,Montana Cafe and Born to Boogie. The song "My Name Is Bocephus" was originally a track recorded for Montana Cafe,but Williams later recorded a live version of the song and included it on the live album,Hank Live. The live version was the one used for the compilation. The album included two original singles,"There's a Tear in My Beer" and "Finders Are Keepers",that peaked at number 7 and number 6 respectively on the Billboard Hot Country Singles &Tracks chart.
"I'll Think of Something" is a song written by Bill Rice and Jerry Foster,which has been recorded by American country music singers Hank Williams Jr. and Mark Chesnutt. The song was also recorded by Loretta Lynn for her 1985 album Just a Woman.
"Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound" is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. It was released in September 1979 as the first single and title track from his album of the same name. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and reached number-one on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
"All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. It was released in October 1984 as the second single from his album Major Moves. It peaked at number ten on the country music charts. From 1989 to 2011,Williams performed a version of the song as the opening theme to Monday Night Football. The song was reinstated in 2017,with a new version by Williams Jr.,Florida Georgia Line and Jason Derulo.
"Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line" is a song written by Jimmy Bryant. Originally recorded by American country music singer Jim Alley,it was made famous by American country music singer and musician Waylon Jennings.
The Pressure Is On is the thirty-third studio album by American musician Hank Williams Jr. It was released by Elektra/Curb Records in August 1981 and was Williams' seventh studio album on the Elektra/Curb label.
"Good Friends,Good Whiskey,Good Lovin'" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Hank Williams Jr. It was released in May 1990 as the second single from his album Lone Wolf. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and peaked at number 16 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. This was Williams' last Top 10 hit.
"Can't You See" is a song written by Toy Caldwell of The Marshall Tucker Band. The song was originally recorded by the band on their 1973 debut album,The Marshall Tucker Band,and released as the album's first single. Record World called it "a strong rhythm item that continually builds and builds." A live version was released in 1977 and peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cover versions of "Can't You See" have charted for Waylon Jennings and the Zac Brown Band with Kid Rock (2010).