Hank Williams – They’ll Never Take Her Love from Me

Hank Williams – They’ll Never Take Her Love from Me, is a country song popularized by Hank Williams in 1950. In 1961, Johnny Horton also had a hit with the song, and many others have covered it.

The song was first recorded by singer-songwriter Leon Payne in 1948, but its lyrics may have been written by Paul Gilley, a ghost writer from Kentucky.

Williams cut the song on June 14, 1950, at Castle Studio in Nashville, with Fred Rose producing and backing from Sammy Pruett (lead guitar), Jack Shook or Rusty Gabbard (rhythm guitar), Don Helms (steel guitar), Jerry Rivers (fiddle), and Ernie Newton (bass). The song was released as the flipside to Williams’ own «Why Should We Try Anymore,» but Payne’s song outperformed the A-side, peaking at number 5, while «Why Should We Try Anymore» rose to number 9. As Williams biographer Colin Escott observes, «The message was clear: the public wanted brisk, up-temp juke joint songs. History might decide that Hank Williams was the finest writer and singer of ‘heart’ songs in all country music, but that wasn’t what radio and jukebox audiences wanted in 1950.»

Single They’ll Never Take Her Love from Me
A-side «Why Should We Try Anymore»
Published August 2, 1950 Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc.
Released August 1950
Studio Castle Studio, Nashville
Genre Country
Label MGM 10760
Songwriter(s) Leon Payne
Producer(s) Fred Rose

COUNTRYPEDIA

Hank Williams – They’ll Never Take Her Love from Me Lyrics

[Verse 1]
If today the sun should set on all my hopes and cares
There is one who’s smiling face the gods would see
‘Cause she’ll walk along beside me up the golden stairs
Oh, they’ll never, never take her love from me

What a fool I was to go and break the trust she gave
And see her love turn into sympathy
It’s the one regret I’ll carry with me to my grave
Oh they’ll never, never take her love from me
[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 2]
I’m so thankful for each golden hour of happiness
That we shared together in the used to be
Someone else’s arms may hold her now in fond caress
But they’ll never, never take her love from me

I thought I’d make her happy if I’d step aside
But I knew her love would never set me free
And even on the morning she became another’s bride
I said they’ll never, never take her love from me

GENIUS