Search - Hank Williams Jr :: America (Way I See It) (Original Classic Hits 18)

Kathleen L. (katlupe) from OXFORD, NY
Reviewed on 5/3/2007...

If you like Hank Jr. you will like this cd. All of his famous hits are here.

Hank tells it like it is!

Kristy | La Porte City, IA | 03/17/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am a lover of many types of music, but many people would be suprised to know this is one of my favorite albums. I like how genuine and charming Hank Williams Jr. can be. I think the media and entertainment business could take a lesson from him. Instead of trying to popularize his songs, he raises controversial subjects that might offend people, but he really does not care. I may not always agree with everything he says like on his song "I've Got Rights," because he talks about using murder to avenge his deceased wife and son. He really strikes a chord in "Mr. Lincoln" laying bare the corruptness of todays government and how he wishes we could go back to the good old days when America still beleived in its slogan "In God We Trust." The track that means most to me personally would have to be "Country Boy Can Survive." It has a bluegrass feel...it talks about how even if things get bleak and dangerous in todays world, the simple who live off the land will survive and I agree with this statement. He may be most popularly known for his football party song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin Over For Monday Night Football," but I like his geniune bluegrass/rock songs best. This album is a keeper. It may be a little dated (The song "Don't Give Us a Reason" was about Desert Storm") it still relates to things going on in America today. This is the way Hank sees America, check it out to see if you agree."

Hank's message to Saddam

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent build-up of British and American troops in the region, then known as Desert Shield, Hank wrote and recorded a message to Saddam Hussein in the form of a song, Don't give us a reason. It proved popular for a while but then people realized that maybe it was over the top, although nobody could deny that Hank's heart was in the right place. If only Saddam had heeded Hank's advice, Desert Shield would not have been upgraded to Desert Storm.



Hank wasn't planning an album release at the time but somebody had the bright idea of collecting some of Hank's thought-provoking songs together. This compilation is the result. In his brief liner notes, Hank says he's seen enough of the world to convince him that America is the greatest country in the world, but his songs show that he still sees plenty of things that he wants changed. So this is an interesting compilation with one completely new song (Don't give us a reason), eight old songs culled from previous albums, and another song (All my rowdy friends are coming over for football Monday night) that is a re-working of one of his earlier classics.



I particularly like The coalition to ban coalitions, his protest about the way people organize themselves into special interest groups. In Give a damn, he protests about people who don't care about things that they ought to. In Mr Lincoln, he protests about the way government behaves, harking back to an earlier era, In Practice what I preach, he says he lives the way he says others ought to. In A country boy survive, he gives encouragement to those who are struggling. In a lighter vein, he sings All my rowdy friends are coming over for football Monday night. In USA today, Hank contrasts the problems of America with many of the good things, pointing out that you don't see any refugees leaving the USA for other countries. The titles of the other songs (I've got rights, The American way) give you a fair idea of what they are about.



If you like Hank singing these kinds of songs, this is a handy way to get a lot of them in one place. As any dedicated fan will know, there are plenty of other songs that could have been included, but these are certainly among the best."