Family Tradition

Country music singers

Have always been a real close family

But lately some of my kinfolk

Have disowned a few others and me

I guess it's because

I kinda changed my direction

And Lord, I guess I went

And broke their family tradition

They get on me want to know

Hank, why do you drink?

Hank, why do you roll smoke?

Why must you live out

The songs that you wrote?

Over and over

Everybody met my prediction

So if I get stoned I'm just carryin'

On an old family tradition

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

Put yourself in my position

If I get stoned and sing all night long

It's a family tradition

So don't ask me

Hank, why do you drink?

Hank, why do you roll smoke?

Why must you live out

The songs that you wrote?

If I'm down in a honky tonk

Some old slicks trying to give my friction

I say leave me alone I'm singin' all night long

It's a family tradition

Lordy, I have loved some ladies

And I have loved Jim Beam

And they both tried to kill me in 1973

When my doctor asked me

"Son, how'd you get in this condition?"

I said "Hey sawbones, I'm just carryin' on

An old family tradition"

So don't ask me

Hank, why do you drink?

Hank why do you roll smoke?

Why must you live out

The songs that you wrote?

Stop and think it over

Try to put yourself in my unique position

If I get stoned and sing all night long

It's a family tradition