Hank Williams was inspired to write the song in January 1947 while returning from a show in Fort Deposit, Alabama.

: Williams was asleep in the backseat of a car while his mother, Lilly, was driving them back to Montgomery.

: Williams, often described as a "backslider" who struggled with alcoholism and personal demons, turned this literal observation into a metaphor for spiritual awakening and redemption.

Watch the official trailer for the biopic and a breakdown of the song's spiritual themes: I Saw The Light - Official Trailer Sony Pictures Entertainment YouTube• Jul 15, 2016

The movie I Saw the Light is a biopic that dramatizes Williams' life, starring Tom Hiddleston as Hank and Elizabeth Olsen as his first wife, Audrey.

The story behind "" primarily refers to the inspiration for Hank Williams' 1948 country gospel classic and the 2015 biographical film of the same name. The Song's Inspiration

: Much of the film centers on his turbulent marriage to Audrey, marked by mutual infidelities and her own aspirations to be a singer despite a lack of vocal talent.

: It chronicles his meteoric rise to fame at the Grand Ole Opry, his struggle with spina bifida (which caused chronic back pain), and the heavy drinking and drug use that led to his death at age 29.