The Wild Side of Life
Hank Thompson
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You wouldn't read my letter if I wrote you You asked me not to call you on the phone But there's something I'm wanting to tell you So I wrote it in the words of this song I didn't know God made Honky Tonk angels I might have known you'd never make a wife You gave up the only one that ever loved you And went back to the wild side of life The glamor of the gay nightlife has lured you To the places where the wine and liquor flow Where you wait to be anybody's baby And forget the truest love you'll ever know know I didn't know God made Honky Tonk angels I might have known you'd never make a wife You gave up the only one that ever loved you And went back to the wild side of life
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Written by: Buddy Guy
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Release Date"The Wild Side of Life" by Hank Thompson was released in 1952 and became one of his most popular hits.
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Chart PerformanceThe song was a major hit and reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts, where it remained for 15 weeks.
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Cover VersionsThe song has been covered by various artists over the years, including Tom Petty, Rod Stewart, and Freddy Fender.
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Cultural Impact"The Wild Side of Life" is recognized as one of the classic honky-tonk songs, often associated with traditional country music.
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Answer SongThe song is famous for its "answer" song titled "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," recorded by Kitty Wells. This song was an answer from the female perspective to the themes of Thompson's hit.
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Song's ThemeThe song tells the story of a man who loses his woman to the nightlife and blames the allure of the bar scene and the wild side of life.
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SongwritersThe song was written by Arlie Carter and William Warren, making it one of the iconic pieces of the 1950s country genre.
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Album AppearanceOne of the earliest album appearances of this song was on Hank Thompson's 1955 album titled "Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys."
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Live PerformancesThompson often performed this song live, and it became a staple at his concerts, usually receiving the most applause from the audience.
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Critical Recognition"The Wild Side of Life" is often cited by critics as one of the greatest country songs of all-time. It was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2016.
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Citation
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"The Wild Side of Life Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/1755272/Hank+Thompson/The+Wild+Side+of+Life>.
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