Kaw-Liga


"Kaw-Liga" is a country music song written by Hank Williams and Fred Rose.

Background

Hank Williams was from Alabama, and would vacation on Lake Martin. The Lake Martin area was once the home of Kowaliga, a former unincorporated town and a historically African-American community that was active from roughly 1890 until the mid-1920s. When the song was written, it was originally Kowaliga, but Fred Rose changed the spelling to "Kaw Liga". In 1953, "Kowaliga Day" was proclaimed by Alexander City Mayor Joe Robinson.
"Kaw-Liga" is one of just a handful of songs that Williams wrote with Fred Rose, who produced his records and published his songs through his company Acuff-Rose. Rose often "doctored" the songs Williams composed, making suggestions and revisions, with biographer Roger M. Williams noting that Rose's contribution to Williams' songs was probably craftsmanship, whereas Williams' was genius. Roy Acuff later recalled:

Content

The song tells the story of a wooden Indian, Kaw-Liga, who falls in love with another sculpture in the form of an Indian maid in an antique store, but never tells her how he feels:
Meanwhile, the Indian maid waits for Kaw-Liga to signal his affection for her, but because of his stubbornness, Kaw-Liga's love continues to be unrequited. Hank Williams, the narrator/singer of the song, laments:
The song ends with the Indian maid being purchased and taken away, leaving Kaw-Liga alone:

Recording and release

The song was recorded during Williams' final recording session on September 23, 1952, at Castle Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The session also produced "I Could Never Be Ashamed of You,", "Take [These Chains From My Heart]", and Williams' signature ballad "Your Cheatin' Heart." ' More than any other song, "Kaw-Liga" bears evidence of the guiding hand of Rose, who molded the song into nothing like Williams had recorded up to that point. It begins in a minor key, which modulates into a major key on the chorus, and also features big-band drummer Farris Coursey, who had played brushes on Williams' previous song "Moanin' the Blues" and played in WSM's dance band. In addition, the song fades out, the only Hank Williams song to do so. Williams is also backed by Tommy Jackson, Don Helms, Chet Atkins, Jack Shook, and Floyd "Lightnin'" Chance. The single was released posthumously in January 1953 on the MGM Records label and it remained number one on the Billboard country chart for 14 weeks. The flipside, "Your Cheatin' Heart, remained at number one on the country chart for six weeks.
A demonstration version of Williams singing "Kaw-Liga" with just his guitar, likely recorded in 1951, is also available. On the recording, Williams misplays a chord and can be heard muttering "shit" before starting the song again.
The song is featured in two Wes Anderson films: Moonrise Kingdom and Asteroid City.

Other versions