Saturday, January 21, 2012

Hawkshaw Hawkins - Lonesome 77203

(Image via Wikipedia)
Hawkshaw Hawkins lived a life that's hard to believe isn't out of a Hollywood script.  He got the money to buy his first guitar as a kid by trapping rabbits.  He enlisted in the Army in World War II, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.  And he made the big time with this song three days before his death in the plane crash that killed Patsy Cline, leaving behind a pregnant wife with a small child.

The song spent 25 weeks on the Country charts.

It was a different world back then.  This is old fashioned honky tonk music, although it was close enough in sound to Patsy's "Countrypolitan" that he fit into the tour.  But looking back, it strikes the "New Nashville" as being as out dated as trapping rabbits.  Or leaving your singing career to enlist.

ProTip to "New Nashville": that's why we like it.



Lonesome 77203 (Songwriter: Justin Tubb)
Had our number changed today, although I hated to
But each time the phone would ring,
They'd want to speak to you
And it hurts to tell them, you're not here with me
Maybe now, ole telephone will let me be.

It's not in the book now, so you'd better write it down
Just in case your love for me should ever come around
You might want to call and break the news to me
Just call Lonesome 7-7203

I keep the telephone beside me all the time
Hopeing you might want to call and say you've changed your mind
If you do, then darling you know where I'll be
I'm at Lonesome 7-7203

You're the only one I've given our new number to
So now if the telephone should ring I'll know it's you
If you ever long for love that used to be
Just call Lonesome 7-7203

Just call Lonesome 7-7203
Just like Hawkshaw Hawkins, they don't make 'em like that anymore.  Too bad.

3 comments:

Old NFO said...

I've never heard that one, and yeah that is 'old school'... No question!

Ken said...

I like it the way it is, but I'm getting a "mental radio" of covering it in the style of Sweetheart of the Rodeo-era Byrds, or even the Bobby Fuller Four.

Makes me sort of wish I had a guitar or my bass with me here in FOB Ken. :-)

TOTWTYTR said...

Great song and a talent that died too soon.