"You got to have smelt a lot of mule manure before you can sing like a hillbilly"

This quote by Hank Williams is a metaphor for the idea that one must have experienced a great deal of difficulty and battle in order to truly comprehend and appreciate a particular type of music. In this case, the music is hillbilly, which is a type of c and w. The phrase "smelt a great deal of mule manure" is a referral to the effort and labor that was often connected with rural life in the early 20th century. The expression implies that a person need to have gone through a lot of difficult times in order to understand the music and the way of life that it represents. By stating this, Williams is recommending that a person need to have a deep understanding of the struggles of rural life in order to really appreciate the music. He is likewise indicating that the music is a reflection of the challenges and battles of rural life, which it is just through understanding these battles that a person can genuinely appreciate the music.