"All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)" is a song written and recorded by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

artist

Hank Williams Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of southern rock, blues, and country. He is the son of ...

It was released in September 1981 as the first single from the album ''

The Pressure Is On ''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. Critical and commercial succ ...

''. The song was Williams Jr.'s fifth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of ten weeks on the country chart. The phrase "all my rowdy friends" would later become a catch phrase of sorts for Williams, who would use the line in 1984 for " All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight," in 1987 for " Born to Boogie" and " All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night," and in 2011 for " Keep the Change."

Content

The song itself is told from the point of view of a disillusioned singer who, along with his friends, had lived a wild lifestyle but have since settled down and, in abandoning their high-living ways, want no part of their old lifestyle. Although admitting he himself has mellowed with age and can no longer take the physical toll of his past hard partying, the singer is depressed and wishes there were someone left to relive the old times. References are made to Williams' contemporaries in the outlaw movement, such as

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...

(whom Williams is glad is recovering from his addictions),

Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music. Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...

(spending more time with

Jessi Colter Mirriam Johnson (born May 25, 1943), known professionally as Jessi Colter, is an American country singer who is best known for her collaborations with her husband, country musician Waylon Jennings, and for her 1975 country-pop crossover hit "I'm ...

), Johnny Cash (not living like he did in 1968) and

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are " Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", " Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and " Help Me Make It Through the ...

(who moved to Hollywood to become an actor). Williams compares the situation to the song " Lost Highway" recorded by his father Hank Sr.

Charts

References

1981 singles 1981 songs Hank Williams Jr. songs Songs written by Hank Williams Jr. Song recordings produced by Jimmy Bowen Elektra Records singles Curb Records singles {{1981-country-song-stub