Jonah and the Hillbilly Shakespeare

“The world changed because of Hank Williams’ songs,” claims country music singer, Marty Stuart. Okay, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but there’s no denying that Williams had a way with words.

I’m not a big country music fan, so when I recently starting watching Ken Burns’ newest film series, Country Music, I wasn’t sure how long I’d last. 16.5 hours, 8 episodes, 101 interviews, and 100,000 photos later I was sad to see it end. I have to admit, the distinctly American stories of the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and the so many others are well-told and uniquely compelling.

“The Hillbilly Shakespeare” (Episode 3), the story of Hank Williams, particularly moved me. Frequent appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and string of huge hits made Williams, despite his short life, one of the most celebrated and influential popular musicians in America in the 20th century.

Tragically, years of pain triggered by undiagnosed spina bifida and ongoing alcohol and drug abuse severely compromised his health and ability to perform. On New Year’s Day, 1953, Williams died suddenly of a heart attack in the back seat of a car on the way to a scheduled performance in Canton, Ohio.

His words live on:

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I’m so lonesome I could cry

Did you ever see a robin weep
When leaves begin to die
That means he’s lost the will to live
I’m so lonesome I could cry

The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I’m so lonesome I could cry

And these:

I wandered so aimless life filed with sin
I wouldn’t let my dear savior in
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
Praise the lord I saw the light.

Chorus:

I saw the light I saw the light
No more darkness no more night
Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the lord I saw the light.

And so many others . . .

The story of Hank Williams reminds me of the story of Jonah. Remember the famous story of Jonah? Like Williams, Jonah hits rock bottom. He is the troubled Old Testament prophet who runs from God, sinks into depression, gets buffeted by a storm at sea, and then thrown overboard and swallowed by a fish. Jonah’s is a life of running, pain, hiding, and despair.

What you may not remember is Jonah’s Song (Jonah 2). In the midst of his despair Jonah prays, in verse form. He sings!

He turns to God and sings a new song:

For you cast me into the deep, 
Into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows 
passed over me.

The waters closed in over me to take my life;
the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head.

When my life was fainting away,
I remembered the LORD,
and my prayer came to you . . . 
Salvation belongs to the LORD! 

We are never without hope. There is always a new song. There is always, “I saw the light!”