On This Day in 1947, Hank Williams Recorded the Single That Set the Bar for Future Success

On this day (August 4) in 1947, Hank Williams stepped into the Castle Studio in Nashville and recorded “On the Banks of the Old Pontchartrain.” He released it a month later, backed with “Fly Trouble,” and both sides failed to chart. For Williams, the song became synonymous with failure.

Williams started his recording career with the New York-based Sterling Records. The label lacked the influence to push his songs up the country charts. However, his early releases sold well enough to catch the attention of MGM, where he eventually found consistent commercial and chart success. His first major label release–and first charting single–was “Move It On Over,” which peaked at No. 4. As a result, expectations were high for his next release.

In hindsight, “On the Banks of the Old Pontchartrain” sounds like a hit. The story of an escaped inmate who falls in love before being recaptured fits comfortably alongside Williams’ other hits. Then, there was the B-side. “Fly Trouble” is a western swing novelty song about how annoying flies can be. It was an objectively odd pairing, to say the least. As biographer Colin Escott pointed out in Hank Williams: The Biography, this release showed how much producer Fred Rose had to learn about Williams, his music, and his ever-growing audience.

Later in his career, he equated this song with a failed release. For instance, he would say, “Sure am glad it ain’t another damn ‘Pontchartrain.’” when congratulated on a hit song.

The Story Behind Hank Williams’ Biggest Flop

Hank Williams was a prolific songwriter. He didn’t write “On the Banks of the Old Pontchartrain,” though. A disabled woman named Ramona Vincent wrote the lyrics as a poem and sent it to Williams. He put those words to music.

This wasn’t the last song to miss the charts before Williams started consistently releasing hits. The now-classic “I Saw the Light” failed to chart. “My Sweet Love Ain’t Around” met the same fate.

[RELATED: Chet Atkins’ Heartbreaking Description of Hank Williams Gives New Meaning to This Classic Country Track From 1952]

After “Lovesick Blues” topped the chart in 1949, he never had another “damn Pontchartrain.” In fact, except for “Lost Highway,” Hank Williams’ singles landed comfortably in the top 10 for the rest of his all-too-short life.

Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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