Hank Williams – Lost Highway, is a country music song written and recorded by blind country singer-songwriter Leon Payne in 1948. It was released in October 1948 on Nashville-based Bullet label.
As Williams’ biographer Colin Escott observes, “In recent years, ‘Lost Highway’ has been the title of several books, a stage show, a record label, and a television series. In 1997, director David Lynch used it as a film title. It’s seen as one of Hank’s defining records, if not a defining moment in country music, which makes it ironic that it barely dented the charts on release and doubly ironic that it’s not even one of Hank’s songs.” Although he did not write the song, “Lost Highway” was a natural for Williams, the song’s combination of perdition and misogyny sounding “like pages torn from his diary.” Williams recorded the song with Fred Rose producing and backing on the session from Dale Potter (fiddle), Don Davis (steel guitar), Zeb Turner (lead guitar), Clyde Baum (mandolin), Jack Shook (rhythm guitar), and probably Ernie Newton (bass).
Hank Williams – Lost Highway
A-side “You’re Gonna Change (Or I’m Gonna Leave)”
Released September 9, 1949
Recorded March 1, 1949[3]
Studio Castle Studio at The Tulane Hotel, Nashville, TN
Length 2:40
Label MGM K10506
Songwriter(s) Leon Payne
Producer(s) Fred Rose
TOP 100 COUNTRY SONGS
Hank Williams – Lost Highway Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I’m a rolling stone, all alone and lost
For a life of sin, I have paid the cost
When I pass by, all the people say
“Just another boy down the lost highway”
[Verse 2]
Just a deck of cards and a jug of wine
And a woman’s lies make a life like mine
Oh, the day we met, I went astray
I started rollin’ down that lost highway
[Verse 3]
I was just a lad, nearly twenty-two
Neither good nor bad, just a kid like you
And now I’m lost, too late to pray
Lord, I’ve paid the cost on the lost highway
[Verse 4]
Now, boys, don’t start your ramblin’ round
On this road of sin or you’re sorrow bound
Take my advice or you’ll curse the day
You started rollin’ down that lost highway
GENIUS
