I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive


"I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" is a song written by Fred Rose and American country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams, released by Williams in 1952.

Background

The song was the last single to be released during Williams' lifetime. Co-writer Fred Rose, who died a year after the song's release, played a critical role in the development of Williams' songwriting; as Colin Escott points out, it was up to Rose "to separate the gold from the dross and work with Hank to transform the best ideas into integrated, complete statements, taut with commercial logic. If Rose contributed substantially, as he did on "A Mansion on the Hill" and later "Kaw-Liga," he took half-credit; if he simply doctored Hank's songs, he didn't take a share. Rose knew that he would get the publisher's half of the royalty, and there is consensus that he was not a greedy man."
Meant to be a humorous song, as evidenced by its ironic title and chorus, the composition took on additional poignancy following Williams' death. In fact, the urban legend that the song was #1 at the time of his demise is not far from the truth, as he did in fact die in the first hours of January 1953. Williams recorded the song at Castle Studio in Nashville on June 13, 1952 with backing provided by Jerry Rivers, Don Helms, Chet Atkins, Chuck Wright and probably Ernie Newton. Atkins recalled later, "We recorded 'I'll Never Get Out of this World Alive' and after each take, he'd sit down in a chair. I remember thinking, 'Hoss, you're not jivin',' because he was so weak that all he could do was just sing a few lines, and then just fall in the chair."

Chart performance

"I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive "reached #1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart posthumously in January 1953.

Hank Williams version

Cover versions

The song has been covered by artists such as