Hank Williams was one of country music’s first stars. With songs like “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” and “Hey Good Lookin’,” his warbly voice still rings out today. Fast-forward a few decades and one of country music’s newest stars is the Nashville-born Jelly Roll, famous for songs like “Need a Favor” and “Son of a Sinner.”
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But while Williams passed away in 1953, we wondered what it might be like for an O.G. and a rising newcomer to work together. And while that partnership can’t ever happen, we sought out the next best thing, ChatGPT, to find out what a duet between Williams and Jelly Roll might look like.
[RELATED: We Asked A.I. to Write a Song in the Style of both Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra]
Though this is of course a ficitonal offering, it may give readers some insight into what a pairing between the two big names could look like.
“Wherever You Go”
(Verse 1 – Hank Williams I style)
Well, I’m sittin’ here in my ol’ rocking chair,
With a bottle of whiskey and a heart full of despair,
My baby done left me, took my dog and my truck,
Left me with nothin’ but this lonesome luck.
(Chorus – Hank Williams I style)
I’m singin’ them old lonesome blues,
Wearin’ holes in my worn-out shoes,
I’m cryin’ out to the moon above,
Oh, baby, come back and give me your love.
(Verse 2 – Jelly Roll style)
I’m rollin’ down these dusty roads, my pockets thin,
Lost in a world of trouble, caught in a spin,
Gotta find a way to ease this pain,
Sippin’ on gin, tryin’ to break these chains.
(Chorus – Jelly Roll style)
Oh, these hard times got a hold on me,
Livin’ ain’t easy when you’re wild and free,
I’m playin’ my piano, singin’ the sorrow,
Hoping for a brighter day, a better tomorrow.
(Bridge – Hank Williams I and Jelly Roll styles)
I remember the nights we danced ‘neath the stars,
Your laughter like music, strummin’ on my heart’s guitars,
Now I’m strummin’ these strings, feelin’ so low,
Missin’ you, darlin’, wherever you go.
(Verse 3 – Hank Williams I style)
The train whistle blows, a lonesome sound,
Echoin’ the emptiness, deep and profound,
I’ll keep singin’ my songs, through sunshine and rain,
Hoping someday you’ll come back again.
(Chorus – Hank Williams I and Jelly Roll styles)
I’m singin’ them old lonesome blues,
Piano keys and a heart that’s bruised,
Through the highs and lows, I’ll stand tall,
Singing my story, giving it my all.
(Outro – Hank Williams I and Jelly Roll styles)
So I’ll keep playin’ my tunes, down at the local bar,
Where the whiskey flows and the troubles are far,
A melody of heartache, a rhythm of pain,
In this country song, my love will remain.
Final Thoughts
At the heart of both artists’ styles, they are bluesmen. They sing of forlorn and downtrodden times. While Jelly Roll may have been a rapper before becoming a country hit-maker, participating in a newer genre of music, he has roots that go deep in American songs. And Williams, of course, is one of the founding fathers of country music, with his piercing lyrics. Together, they make a formidable duo, even if the above is fictional. Maybe one day, in heaven or hologram, we’ll hear them sing the above tune.
Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images
