It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells (1952)

As I sit here tonight the jukebox playin'
The tune about the wild side of life
As I listen to the words you are sayin'
It brings memories when I was a trusting wife

It wasn't God who made Honky Tonk angels
As you said in the words of your song
Too many times married men think they're still single
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong

It's a shame that all the blame is on us women
It's not true that only you men feel the same
From the start most every heart that's ever broken
Was because there always was a man to blame

It wasn't God who made Honky Tonk angels
As you said in the words of your song
Too many times married men think they're still single
That has caused many a good girl to go wrong



In March of 1952, Hank Thompson landed his first No. 1 song with the jukebox smash ‘The Wild Side Of Life,’ The song blames a woman for ruining a relationship because of her honky tonk ways. The song became a bar room classic, but by July of ’52, housewives of the nation responded — and their spokeswoman was “The Queen of Country Music,” Kitty Wells. Wells had a rebuttal with ‘It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels.' In a time when women rarely spoke up, this was a brave, groundbreaking recording and statement. In this No. 1 smash, Wells loudly proclaimed that most every heart that’s ever broken was because there'd always been a man to blame! Not only are both of these recordings tied at No. 1 on our list of the best ‘50s songs, but they were both inducted into the Grammy Song Hall of Fame.