Jennings then worked as a DJ in Coolidge, Arizona, and Phoenix. He formed a rockabilly club band, The Waylors. He recorded for independent label Trend Records and A&M Records before succeeding with RCA Victor after achieving creative control.
During the 1970s, Jennings was instrumental in the inception of Outlaw country movement. He released critically acclaimed albums Lonesome, On'ry and Mean and Honky Tonk Heroes followed by hit albums Dreaming My Dreams as well as Are You Ready for the Country. In 1976, he released the album Wanted! The Outlaws with Willie Nelson, Tompall Glaser, and Jessi Colter, the first platinum country music album. That success was followed by Ol' Waylon and the hit song "Luckenbach, Texas". Jennings was featured in the 1978 album White Mansions performed by various artists documenting the lives of people in the Confederacy during the Civil War. The songs on the album were written by Paul Kennerley. By the early 1980s, Jennings was struggling with a cocaine addiction, which he quit in 1984. Later, he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash, which released three albums between 1985 and 1995. During that period, Jennings released the successful album Will the Wolf Survive. He toured less after 1997 to spend more time with his family. Between 1999 and 2001, his appearances were limited by health problems. On February 13, 2002, Jennings died from complications of diabetes.
Jennings also appeared in films and television series. He was the balladeer for The Dukes of Hazzard, composing and singing the show's theme song and providing narration for the show. In 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, which he chose not to attend. In 2007, he was posthumously awarded the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award by the Academy of Country Music.
Jennings's music was characterized by his "powerful" singing voice, noted by his "rough-edged quality", as well as his phrasing and texture. He was also recognized for his "spanky-twang" guitar style. To create his sound, he used a pronounced 'phaser' effect' plus a mixture of thumb and fingers during the rhythmic parts, while using picks for the lead runs. He combined hammer-on and pull-off riffs, with eventual upper-fret double stops and modulation effects. Jennings played a 1953 Fender Telecaster, a used guitar that was a gift from The Waylors. Jennings's bandmates adorned his guitar with a distinctive leather cover that featured a black background with a white floral work. Jennings further customized it by filing down the frets to lower the strings on the neck to obtain the slapping sound. Among his other guitars, Jennings used a 1950 Fender Broadcaster from the mid-1970s, until he gave it to guitarist Reggie Young in 1993. The leather covers of his guitars were carved by leather artist Terry Lankford.
His signature image was characterized by his long hair and beard, as well as his black hat and the black leather vest he wore during his appearances.
Jennings's music had a major influence on several neotraditionalist and alternative country artists, including Hank Williams Jr., The Marshall Tucker Band,[124] Travis Tritt, Steve Earle, Jamey Johnson, John Anderson, his son, Shooter Jennings, Sturgill Simpson, and Hank Williams III.
In 2008, his first posthumous album, Waylon Forever, was released. The album consisted of songs recorded with his son Shooter when he was 16. In 2012, Waylon: The Music Inside a three-volume project, consisting of covers of Jennings's songs by different artists, was released. The same year, it was announced for September the release of Goin' Down Rockin': The Last Recordings, a set of 12 songs recorded by Jennings and bassist Robby Turner before his death in 2002. Jennings's family was reluctant to release any new material because they did not feel comfortable at the time. The songs only featured Jennings and Turner on the bass, while further accompaniment would be added later. Ten years after, Turner completed the recordings with the help of former Waylors. The Jennings family approved the release despite the launch of a new business focused on his estate. Shooter Jennings arranged deals for a clothing line, while also launching a renewed website, and started talks with different producers about the making of a biographical film.
Burning Memories
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Teardrops fall while I am
Burning memories
Burning all the memories of you that I can't lose
Tonight I'm burning old love letters
Photographs and memories of you
Hoping somehow I'll feel better
Burning memories
Teardrops fall while I am
Burning memories
Burning all the memories of you that I can't lose
My heart to you no longer matters
And I can't live alone with memories
Into the fire those dreams that you've shattered
And when the smoke is gone then I'll be free
Burning memories
Teardrops fall while I am
Burning memories
Burning all the memories of you that I can't lose
The lyrics of Waylon Jennings's song Burning Memories express the pain of a failed relationship and the desire to move on by burning all memories of a past love. The singer of the song is clearly heartbroken and haunted by the memories of a lost love. He seeks to free himself from the weight of these memories by destroying all reminders of the past, including old love letters, photographs, and dreams that have been shattered.
The song is uncompromising in its desire to move on, as the singer is willing to destroy every trace of the past, even if it means burning everything to the ground. The repetitive chorus of "Burning Memories" underscores this sentiment, emphasizing the emotional intensity of the situation. The teardrops that fall during the burning are a poignant reminder of the pain that must be endured to move forward.
In the end, however, the song offers a glimmer of hope. When the smoke clears, the singer will be free of the memories that have held him back, and he will be able to start anew. This message will resonate with anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak and knows the pain that comes with trying to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Burning memories
The singer is burning all the memories of his former lover that he cannot bear to keep around anymore.
Teardrops fall while I am
The singer is crying as he burns the reminders of his past relationship.
Burning all the memories of you that I can't lose
The singer is getting rid of all the tangible things that remind him of his ex and which he cannot let go of.
Tonight I'm burning old love letters
The singer is getting rid of old love letters from his ex that he has been holding onto.
Photographs and memories of you
The singer is burning any photos or mementos of his past relationship.
Hoping somehow I'll feel better
The singer is hoping that getting rid of these reminders will help him start to heal from his heartbreak.
And when the smoke is gone I won't want you
The singer believes that once he has rid himself of these tangible memories, he will be able to let go of his feelings for his ex.
My heart to you no longer matters
The singer no longer has any emotional attachment to his ex.
And I can't live alone with memories
The singer cannot stand to be constantly reminded of his past relationship and needs to move on.
Into the fire those dreams that you've shattered
The singer is burning any lingering hopes or dreams he had with his ex that have been shattered due to the breakup.
And when the smoke is gone then I'll be free
The singer believes that once he has let go of these physical reminders, he will be free from the emotional baggage of his past relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MEL TILLIS, WAYNE P. WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind