The Song Has Been Covered An Abundance Of Times
“Hey, Good Lookin'” was written by the legendary Hank Williams in the spring of 1951 during an airplane ride where Williams can be found sitting beside Grand Ole Opry member Little Jimmy Dickens and Hee Haw star Minnie Pearl. The three music icons were in a charter plane owned by Pearl’s husband, Henry Cannon, heading to Wichita Falls, Texas. Williams had originally intended to spend the entire flight writing something new for his friend Dickens, whose catalog of novelty songs — most of which focused on his own pint-sized reputation — had yet to produce a chart-topping hit. After Williams finished writing “Hey, Good Lookin'”– in a burst of midair inspiration – he decided to keep it for himself. He memorably told Dickens, “That song’s too good for you!” Remarkably, Williams wrote the song within twenty minutes. Dickens quoted the music legend saying: “If a song can’t be written in twenty minutes, it ain’t worth writing.” One week later, he rounded up his Drifting Cowboys and recorded the song at Nashville’s Castle Studio, and released it that same year. It quickly peaked at No. 1 on U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles. But the song “Hey Good Lookin'” has been a hit song for multiple artists too, including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Ray Charles, Ernest Tubb, Waylon Jennings, Jimmy Buffett, among others. Indeed, this flirtatious hit has since become a country classic being passed through generations. In 2001, Williams’ version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. “I got a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill. And I know a spot right over the hill. There’s soda pop and the dancin’s free. So if you wanna have fun come along with me, say, good lookin’ whatcha got cookin’? How’s about cookin’ somethin’ up with me?” the song goes. Tune in and watch these music icons as they all take the stage together and perform the iconic “Hey Good Lookin'”? It really is something to see!
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