I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive

Co-writer Fred Rose, who died two years after the song's release, played a critical role in the development of Williams' songwriting; as Colin Escott points out, it was up to Rose "to separate the gold from the dross and work with Hank to transform the best ideas into integrated, complete statements, taut with commercial logic.

If Rose contributed substantially, as he did on "A Mansion on the Hill" and later "Kaw-Liga," he took half-credit; if he simply doctored Hank's songs, he didn't take a share.

Rose knew that he would get the publisher's half of the royalty, and there is consensus that he was not a greedy man."

Meant to be a humorous song, as evidenced by its ironic title and chorus, the composition took on additional poignancy following Williams' death early in the first hours of January 1953.

Williams recorded the song at Castle Studio in Nashville on June 13, 1952, with backing provided by Jerry Rivers (fiddle), Don Helms (steel guitar), Chet Atkins (lead guitar), Chuck Wright (bass) and probably Ernie Newton (bass).