Sam Williams, the son of Hank Williams Jr. and the grandson of Hank Williams, reflects on the ties that bind on "Can't Fool Your Own Blood," a gripping ballad he co-wrote with Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris.
Videos by Wide Open Country
"I knew since I wrote ["Can't Fool Your Own Blood"] that it was something important that I wanted to be on my record," Williams says. "I was just dealing with some family stuff and I just wanted to write something that spoke to that. And it's not only just about other people lying to you and the dangers and pitfalls of that, but also not being true to yourself."
Read More: Hank Jr.'s Son Sam Williams Honors Late Sister With 'The World: Alone'
Williams says despite growing up as the youngest grandchild of one of the most influential singer-songwriters in history, he discovered much of his grandfather's music all on his own, poring over Hank Williams classics and lesser known deep cuts on YouTube.
"My grandfather died 45 years before I was born. So there's a large disconnect there," Williams says. "I kinda delved into the family catalog myself, listening to songs on YouTube growing up and I'm like, 'Holy cow, where did all this come from? How did this happen? Why is it me that's kind of next in line for this?'"
With "The World: Alone" and "Can't Fool Your Own Blood," which features a nod to "Lost Highway," a song written by Leon Payne and made famous by Williams Sr., Sam Williams is forging his own path in country music -- just like his fiercely independent family. But Williams says he has felt the pressure of carrying on the Williams family legacy.
"It's always in the back of people's minds when they see something of yours for the first time. They might not be in awe. They might be like 'is it as good as this?'...Or they want a copy of something that's already been done," Williams says. "So there's definitely a pressure and I try not to be too hard on myself about it... I think that's why I kind of shied away from music for a while until it found me."
'Can't Fool Your Own Blood' Lyrics:
There's a sparkle in her eye
And how I love to see her laughing
Oh, do I God knows I've prayed, for that smile
She got a suite at the new hotel downtown
That ain't something she does
And tried to call me out of the blue, and act like
That was someone she was
But you can't fool your own blood
You can lie to a liar
Go ahead and flame the fire
Burn down, everything you love
You can steal from a thief
I'll act like I believe
But you can't fool your own blood
I don't walk down
Not no more
They take me places, I don't wanna go
Don't wanna go again
But now and then, I take a wrong turn
I've got a voice in my head
Tells me it's fine, no matter what it does
Got a broken compass in my pocket
It's telling me, where it is I come from
But you can't fool your own blood
Go ahead and flame the fire
And burn down, everything you love
You can steal from a thief
I'll act like I believe
But you can't fool your own blood
Go ahead and flame the fire
And burn down, all it is you love
You can steal from a thief
I'll act like I believe
But you can't fool your own blood
No, no, you can't fool
No, you can't fool
You can't fool your own blood
Now Watch: Remembering John Prine Songs Through the Years
https://rumble.com/embed/u7gve.v6i81x/
