FAMILY TRADITION
Written and performed by Hank Williams Jr.
From the album "Family Tradition"
(NOTE: I believe Hank does this on the key of E on the album; I have to do
it in D
since my voice is a tad deeper... ;^)
E A
Country music singers have always been a real close family
B7 E
But lately some of my kinfolk have disowned a few others and me
A
I guess it's because I went and changed my position
B7 E
Lord, I guess I went and broke their family tradition
C H O R U S
(They yell, they wanna know: "Hank..")
E A
Why do you drink? Why do you roll smoke?
B7 E
Why must you live out the songs that you wrote?
A
Stop and think it over - try to put yourself in this position
B7 E
When I get stoned, I'm just carryin' on and old family tradition.
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Now I am very proud of my daddy's name
Although his kind of music and mine ain't exactly the same
Stop and think it over - try to put yourself in my position
When I get stoned and sing all night long it's just a family tradition
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CHORUS 2
(Don't ask me: "Hank...")
Why do you drink? Why do you roll smoke?
Why must you live out them songs that you wrote?
If I'm down in a honky tonk, and some ole slick's tryin' to gimme some
friction
I says "Leave me alone, I'm stayin' all night long 'cause it's a family
tradition"
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Lead SOLO
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Lordy, I have loved some ladies, and I still love Jim Beam
They both tried to kill me in nineteen seventy-three
When that doctor asks me "Son, how'dja get in this condition?"
I says "Hey Sawbones, I'm just a-carryin' on the old family tradition."
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CHORUS 3
(So don't ask me: "Hank...")
Why do you drink? Why do you roll smoke?
Why must you live out them songs that you wrote?
Stop and think it over - try to put yourself in my unique position
When I get stoned and sing all night long, it's just a family tradition.
