[Strophe]
E                                A 
Country music singers have been a real close family, 
   B7                                                         E 
But lately some of my kinfolks have disowned a few others and me. 
                              A 
I guess it's because I kind of changed my direction. 
B7                                        E 
Lord I guess I went and broke their family tradition.
[Refrain]
                                     E                 A 
They get on me and want to know Hank why do you drink? Why do you roll smoke? 
B7                                      E 
Why must you live out the songs that you wrote? 
                  A 
Over and over everybody makes my predictions. 
B7                                                    E 
So if I get stoned, I'm just carrying on an old family tradition.
[Strophe]
E                     A 
I am very proud of my daddy's name 
   B7                                                    E 
All though his kind of music and mine ain't exactly the same. 
                        A 
Stop and think it over. Put yourself in my position. 
B7                                                   E 
If I get stoned and sing all night long it's a family tradition.
[Refrain]
                      E                       A 
So don't ask me, Hank why do you drink? Hank, why do you roll smoke? 
B7                                        E 
Why must you live out the songs that you wrote? 
                             A 
If I'm down in a honky-tonk some ole slick's trying to give me friction. 
B7                                                            E 
I said leave me alone I'm singing all night long it's a family tradition.
[Strophe]
E                             A 
Lord I have loved some ladies and I have loved Jim Beam 
B7                                E 
And they both tried to kill me in 1973. 
                               A 
When that doctor asked me, Son how did you get in this condition? 
B7                                                      E 
I said, hey sawbones, I'm just carrying on an ole family tradition.
[Refrain]
                      E                       A 
So don't ask me, Hank why do you drink? Hank, why do you roll smoke? 
B7                                         E 
Why must you live out the songs that you wrote? 
                             A 
Stop and think it over, try and put yourself in my unique position. 
B7                                                    E 
If I get stoned and sing all night long, it's a family tradition