Poor Ol' Kaw Liga

Lyrics in Songwriting Example:
"Kaw Liga" music and lyrics by Hank Williams Sr. and Fred Rose

One of my favorite songwriters of all time is Hank Williams Sr. Simple melodies, simple chords, simple structures, simple lyrics, simple sentiments -- but oh how wonderful and great when all those elements are weaved together. Today I'd like to share one of my favorite Hank songs with you (co-written by Fred Rose). Forgive some of the un-politically correct lyrics and please try to look at it from my perspective...this is just a sweet, clever story about the pangs of love...


Kaw Liga
(Recorded by Hank Williams)
(Written by Hank Williams and Fred Rose)

Kaw-liga was a wooden Indian standin’ by the door
He fell in love with an Indian maid over in the antique store
Kaw-liga just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

He always wore his Sunday feathers and held a tomahawk
The maiden wore her beads and braids and hoped someday he’d talk
Kaw-liga too stubborn to ever show a sign
Because his heart was made of knotty pine.

Poor ol Kaw-liga, he never got a kiss
Poor ol Kaw-liga, he don’t know what he missed
Is it any wonder that his face is red
Kaw-liga, that poor ol wooden head...


Kaw-liga was a lonely Indian never went nowhere
His heart was set on the Indian maid with the coal black hair
Kaw-liga just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

And then one day a wealthy customer bought the Indian maid
And took her, oh, so far away, but ol Kaw-liga stayed
Kaw-liga just stands there as lonely as can be
And wishes he was still an old pine tree.

Poor ol Kaw-liga, he never got a kiss
Poor ol Kaw-liga, he don't know what he missed
Is it any wonder that his face is red
Kaw-liga, that poor ol wooden head...


Hank Williams Gold CD (among many other hits collections) contains "Kaw-Liga"

Gold


Hank Williams Links:
Hank Williams: Gold CD
HankWilliams.com
Hank Williams Wikipedia