Hey Good Lookin' (song)

"Hey, Good Lookin'"
Single by Hank Williams
from the album Memorial Album
B-side	My Heart Would Know
Released	June 22, 1951
Format	10" single
Recorded	March 16, 1951
Genre	Country, rockabilly
Length	2:35
Label	MGM
Writer(s)	Cole Porter; adaptation by Hank Williams
Producer(s)	Jim Vienneau
Hank Williams singles chronology
"Howlin' At the Moon" (1951) "Hey, Good Lookin'" (1951) "(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle" (1951)

"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. Since its original 1951 recording it has been covered by a variety of artists.

Background

The Hank Williams song is a variation of another song by the same title, which was written by Cole Porter in 1942. The lyrics for the Williams version of "Hey Good Lookin'" begin as a come on using double entendres related to food preparation ("How's about cooking somethin' up with me?"). By the third and fourth verses, the singer is promising the object of his affection that they can become an exclusive couple ("How's about keepin' steady company?" and "I'm gonna throw my date book over the fence").

"Hey, Good Lookin'" was recorded on March 16, 1951 at Castle Studio in Nashville. The same session also produced the single's B-side "My Heart Would Know" as well as another pair of tunes that would be released as singles: "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" and "Howlin' at the Moon," released on April 27, 1951. The "Hey, Good Lookin'" single would follow on June 22. Williams was backed on the session by members of his Drifting Cowboys band, including Jerry Rivers (fiddle), Don Helms (steel guitar), Sammy Pruett (electric guitar), Jack Shook (rhythm guitar), Ernie Newton or "Cedric Rainwater," aka Howard Watts (bass), and either Owen Bradley or producer Fred Rose on piano. As author Colin Escott observes, "On one level, it seemed to point toward rock 'n' roll (hot rods, dancing sprees, goin' steady, and soda pop), but the rhythm plodded along with a steppity-step piano, and Hank sounded almost dour."

Williams was friendly with musician Jimmy Dickens. Having told Dickens that Dickens needed a hit record if he was going to become a star, Williams said he'd write it, and penned the song in only 20 minutes while on a plane with Dickens, Minnie Pearl, and Pearl's husband Henry Cannon. A week later Williams cut the song himself, jokingly telling Dickens, "That song's too good for you!"

Williams performed the song on the Kate Smith Evening Hour on March 26, 1952; the appearance remains one of the few existing film clips of the singer performing live. He is introduced by Roy Acuff and banters with a young June Carter. He is wearing his famous white cowboy suit adorned in musical notes. He performed "Hey Good Lookin'" and joined in with the rest of the cast singing his own "I Saw The Light." The rare clip displays the singer's exuberance on stage while performing an up-tempo number, and he appears at ease in the relatively new broadcast medium of television. The kinescope from this show would provide the footage for the Hank Williams, Jr. video "There's A Tear In My Beer" some 37 years later.

"Hey Good Lookin'"
Single by The Mavericks
from the album From Hell to Paradise
Released	1992
Genre	Neotraditional Country, Americana
Length	2:37
Label	MCA
Writer(s)	Hank Williams
Producer(s)	Steve Fishell Raul Malo
The Mavericks singles chronology
"This Broken Heart" (1992) "Hey Good Lookin'" (1992) "I Got You" (1992)

"Hey Good Lookin'"
Single by Jimmy Buffett with Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait
from the album License to Chill
Released	May 17, 2004
Format	Airplay
Recorded	2004
Genre	Neotraditional Country
Length	3:03
Label	Mailboat/RCA Nashville
Writer(s)	Hank Williams
Producer(s)	Mac McAnally Michael Utley
Jimmy Buffett singles chronology
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" (2003) "Hey Good Lookin'" (2004) "Trip Around the Sun" (2004)
Clint Black singles chronology "The Boogie Man" (2004) "Hey Good Lookin'" (2004) "My Imagination" (2004) Kenny Chesney singles chronology "I Go Back" (2004) "Hey Good Lookin'" (2004) "The Woman with You" (2004) Alan Jackson singles chronology "Remember When" (2003) "Hey Good Lookin'" (2004) "Too Much of a Good Thing" (2004) Toby Keith singles chronology "Whiskey Girl" (2004) "Hey Good Lookin'" (2004) "Stays in Mexico" (2004) George Strait singles chronology "Desperately" (2004) "Hey Good Lookin'" (2004) "I Hate Everything" (2004)

Cover versions

• In 1951, Jo Stafford and Frankie Laine released a rendition of the song as a duet, peaking at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
• Johnny Cash recorded a version during his tenure with Sun Records.
• George Jones recorded the song for his 1960 LP George Jones Salutes Hank Williams.
• Ray Charles covered the song in the first volume of his 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.
• Dean Martin included it "Hey, Good Lookin'" on his 1963 LP Country Style.
• Del Shannon recorded it for his 1964 album Del Shannon Sings Hank Williams.
• Ernest Tubb included it on his 1968 LP Ernest Tubb Sings Hank Williams.
• The Residents covered the song in 1986.
• Buckwheat Zydeco and Dwight Yoakam covered the song in 1990.
• Waylon Jennings recorded the song for his 1992 album Ol' Waylon Sings Ol' Hank.
• Country music band The Mavericks released a cover version in 1992 from the album From Hell to Paradise. This rendition peaked at number 74 on the country singles charts.
• In 2004, Jimmy Buffett recorded a version for his License to Chill album. Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait were all featured on this rendition, which peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts in 2004. It was also the last Top Ten country hit for Black. This rendition was made into a music video, directed by Trey Fanjoy and Stan Kellam.
• The song appears in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the country music radio station K-Rose.

Chart performance

Hank Williams

Chart (1951)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles	1

The Mavericks

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)	73
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)	74

Jimmy Buffett

Chart (2004)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)	8
US Billboard Hot 100	63

Year-end charts

Chart (2004)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)	53

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics