Country Music Memories: ‘All My Rowdy Friends’ Hits No. 1

Chances are good that 39 years ago today (Nov. 21, 1981), Hank Williams Jr. didn’t do much settling down. It was on that date that his single “All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)” soared to the top of the charts.

“All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)” was the first single released from Williams Jr.’s The Pressure Is On album and became his fifth No. 1 hit. The singer wrote the tune by himself and included references to Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings in the lyrics, citing all the different things that they were doing with their lives instead of partying with him.

Nearly four decades later, Williams Jr. still doesn’t seem to be ready to settle down any time soon: One of his latest singles, from his 2013 Old School New Rules album, was a cover of Merle Haggard‘s “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink.” Williams Jr. included the country music legend on his version of the tune.

Williams Jr.’s most recent Top 40 hit was in 2006, with “That’s How They Do It in Dixie,” which peaked at No. 35. The Louisiana native is still enjoying making music, but he says that he is not concerned with getting airplay anymore.

“My whole career, I have done things my way and the way that I wanted,” he tells Taste of Country. “I don’t listen to today’s country radio, so I am not sure who gets played and who doesn’t … I really don’t give a s–t!”