Hank Williams' Musical Warning About VD Is MIA
One of Hank Williams' most sought-after songs is one that was never released commercially and probably never will be. It was likely heard on radio, although just how many times it was played is impossible to ascertain. It's one of Hank's most engaging story-songs - complete with solemn recitations - and I suspect you'd like it. It's called "Stars in Her Eyes," and it was run as a 15-minute radio PSA warning about the dangers of venereal disease.
This was in 1951, and it was recorded by Hank for an early morning radio show on Nashville's WSM. The show was sponsored by Mother's Best Flour and there's a CD package by that name -- although it doesn't include "Stars in Her Eyes." The song finds Williams earnestly telling and singing the sad story of a little farm girl with stars in her eyes who runs off to the big city to seek fame and fortune. She finds only a dreary assembly line job. Eventually a supervisor discovers and marries her. But after only a month of bliss he is off on a three-month business trip. And a dastardly so-called "friend" of her husband starts coming around to console and keep company with the lonely heroine. I think you can guess what happens next. One drink too many, a reckless kiss or two and POW! Our poor heroine awakens next morning to not only a life of regret over her unfaithfulness but also the results of the horrible secret the "friend" passed on to her. V-D! She was dosed by him, my friend, and her life was never the same after that. You can only guess the horrible consequences she paid. Hank never sounded more convincing and more forlorn in his message.
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Chris N. says:
Just what you’d want to hear at 7 AM in 1951!
King says:
Hilarious!
Azor says:
Do you have reason to believe that it “never will be” released? My understanding is that the Williams estate plans to eventually release the entirety of the radio show catalogue.
RedMaZ says:
That brings a whole new meaning to “crawfish pie”.
Chet Flippo says:
Note to Azor: I think I said “probably” will never be released. When I last spoke with Jett Williams, she said that it may be included on a final big box set containing all of the Mother’s Best shows. That has not been scheduled.
Fred Bals says:
We have a friend in common, I believe Chet, Kerry Dexter.
I’ve been doing some research on this, and there’s any interesting connection between “Stars In Her Eyes,” and Woody Guthrie’s so-called “V.D. Songs.” Guthrie, as you may known, also did a PSA about venereal disease called “The Lonesome Traveler.”
Both shows were part of a long-term Department of Health campaign called “The V.D. Radio Project,” and eventually included shows from Roy Acuff, Merle Travis and Sister Rosetta Tharpe as well as Williams and Guthrie. The Guthrie and Acuff shows - all around the 15-minute mark like “Stars in Her Eyes” - were written by Alan Lomax.
I wish I could lay my hands on a decent copy of “Stars in Her Eyes.” Every cut I’ve heard so far has a tremendous amount of hiss. Maybe if the Williams estate *does* finally release it, we’ll get a clean (no pun intended) version.
Marlene says:
I would really appreciate it if you could change the “My CMT Morning” commercial. The part with Jessica Simpson is the commercial is getting REALLY annoying. That commercial gets played a lot throughout the day and she is not a good singer lol. I’m sorry. My family and I watch this station a lot and we just can’t stand her voice
anymore lol.
Thanks for listening.