1949 Hit, Named One of the 'Best Country Songs Ever,' Was the 'Saddest' Song Elvis Presley Ever Heard
- Elvis Presley considered Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" to be the saddest song ever written and covered it during his Aloha from Hawaii concert in 1973.
Elvis Presley was no stranger to singing the blues, but there's one song in particular that he found to be the "saddest" track ever written.
It was none other than Hank Williams ' iconic track "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," that struck an emotional cord with the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis covered the song during his legendary Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite concert recorded in January 1973, introducing it as the "probably the saddest song" he'd ever heard, per American Songwriter .
He then performed a live version of Williams' track, using his smooth, soulful vocals to deliver an equally emotional rendition of the beloved country ballad. (The concert filmed from Honolulu was broadcast live around the world, but it didn't air in the U.S. until April 1973 due to a conflict with Super Bowl VII.)
Elvis never recorded a studio version of the song, but his cover was included on his Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite live album, which released in February 1973 and ended up hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Top LPs Chart (now known as the Billboard 200 albums list), in May 1973.
As for Williams, who recorded "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" in August 1949, he released the song that November as the B-side to the single "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It." It never reached the top of the Billboard chart, peaking at No. 4, but it would still become one of the most enduring songs from Williams' catalog.
In fact, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is ranked at No. 4 on Rolling Stone 's list of the 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time , and in addition to Elvis, it has been covered by a number of other music superstars, including the likes of Johnny Cash , Al Green , Roy Orbison , B.J. Thomas , Dean Martin and more.
Related: 1957 Jukebox Classic Became a No. 1 Hit 69 Years Ago Today
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
