Country music singers

Have always been a real close family

But lately some of my kin folks

Have disowned a few others and me

I guess it's because

I kinda changed my direction

Lord, I guess I went and broke their family tradition

They get on me, wanna 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 made 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 kinda 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 ol' slick's tryin' to give me corrections

I'll 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 that doctor asked me,

"Son, how did 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 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!