"I'm a Long Gone Daddy" is a country song written and recorded by

Hank Williams Hank Williams (born Hiram Williams; September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, he reco ...

. It was released in 1948 on

MGM Records MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...

and became his second top ten hit.

Background

"I'm a Long Gone Daddy" laid the blueprint for what would become the typical Williams A-side: an up-tempo

honky tonk A honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, or tonk) is both a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons and the style of music played in such establishments. It can also refer to the type of piano ( tack piano) ...

song in the

Ernest Tubb Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 – September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" (1941), m ...

tradition with a bluesy edge. The song was recorded in anticipation of a recording ban that would result from the

American Federation of Musicians The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM/AFofM) is a 501(c)(5) labor union representing professional instrumental musicians in the United States and Canada. The AFM, which has its headquarters in New York City, ...

possibly calling a strike at the end of December when agreements with all the record companies expired. Producer Fred Rose wanted eight usable sides that could be doled out over the length of the strike. It was recorded on November 6, 1947, at Castle Studio in

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

. Williams was supported by a group that producer Rose assembled from two

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...

bands: Zeke Turner (lead guitar),

Jerry Byrd Gerald Lester Byrd (March 9, 1920 – April 11, 2005) was an American musician who played the lap steel guitar in country and Hawaiian music, as well as a singer-songwriter and the head of a music publishing firm. He appeared on numerous radio p ...

(steel guitar), and Louis Ennis (rhythm guitar) were from

Red Foley Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the gen ...

's band while

Chubby Wise Robert Russell "Chubby" Wise (October 2, 1915 – January 6, 1996) was an American bluegrass fiddler. Originally starting out playing the banjo and guitar, Wise began playing fiddle at age 12, working locally in the Jacksonville area. He joined ...

(fiddle) was a member of

Bill Monroe William Smith "Bill" Monroe (; September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996) was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, who created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the " Father of Bluegrass". The genre take ...

's band. Rose may have played piano. The same session produced "I Can't Get You Off of My Mind," a second recording of "

Honky Tonkin' "Honky Tonkin'" is a 1947 country music song, written and recorded by Hank Williams. His song went to #14 on the ''Billboard'' country music chart in 1948. In 1982, it became the sixth chart topping single for Williams' son, Hank Williams Jr. ...

," and the Rose composition " Rootie Tootie".

Chart performance

Cover versions

Bobby Helms Robert Lee Helms (August 15, 1933 – June 19, 1997) was an American country singer, who is best remembered for his 1957 Christmas hit "Jingle Bell Rock". Additionally, he had two other hit records from that year: " Fraulein" and "My Special Ange ...

recorded a version in the 1950s. *

recorded the song in 1959. *

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 ...

recorded it for his 1964 album ''Sings the Songs of Hank Williams''. In 1996, he recorded it again with his son

Hank III Hank is a male given name. It may have been inspired by the Dutch name Henk,The Origins of 10 Nicknam ...

using Williams' 1947 vocal as part of their '' Three Hanks: Men with Broken Hearts''. *

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", ...

recorded the song twice, the first time on his 1987 album '' Too Wild Too Long''. Another unreleased version was included on the LP ''A Collection of My Best Recollection''. *

The The () are an English post-punk band. They have been active in various forms since 1979, with singer-songwriter Matt Johnson being the only constant band member. achieved critical acclaim and commercial success in the UK, with 15 chart singles ...

recorded the song for their 1994 album '' Hanky Panky''.

Popular culture

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

quotes the song's title in "

Born in the U.S.A. ''Born in the U.S.A.'' is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Bruce Springsteen, released by Columbia Records on June 4, 1984. It topped the charts in nine countries, including the US and UK, becoming his most commercially su ...

" ("I'm a long gone daddy in the U.S.A.!")

References

{{authority control 1947 songs Hank Williams songs Songs written by Hank Williams MGM Records singles Song recordings produced by Fred Rose (songwriter)