May 22, 2025
“Then, like the blind man that God gave back his sight, praise the Lord, I saw the light…”
— Hank Williams Sr.
One of the most popular songs by the legendary Hank Williams Sr. was “I Saw the Light,” about a man who lived a wayward life until “Jesus came like a stranger in the night.” Williams, who had a troubled life, was plagued by addiction and died at 29 on January 1, 1953. Despite his short career of six years, he is regarded as one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the modern era. He recorded 55 singles, 11 of which were top 10 on the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers, and sold more than 11 million records.
“I Saw the Light” was the second song Williams recorded. The song was inspired by his mother Lilly, who was driving him and his band back to Montgomery in January 1947 after a show in Fort Deposit, Alabama. When she was coming into the city, she saw the lights at Dannelly Field Airport and said, “I just saw the light” to Williams, who was inebriated and sleeping in the backseat of the car. A few days later, he wrote the first draft of a song that would become a standard for many country and gospel singers in the decades that followed.
Hear Hank Williams Sr. sing “I Saw the Light,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv5odWOpVqw.
I Saw the Light
I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin
I wouldn’t let my dear Savior in
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
Just like a blind man, I wandered along
Worries and fears I claimed for my own
Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
I was a fool to wander and stray
For straight is the gate and narrow’s the way
Now I have traded the wrong for the right
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
©Songwriter: Hank Williams Sr.
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