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.
Crazy Arms
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the storm's brewing in this heart of mine
This ain't no crazy dream I know that it's real
You're someone else's love now you're not mine
Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
My troubled mind knows soon to another you'll be wed
But for now I'm just lonesome all the time
So take all the treasured dreams I had for you and me
And take all the love I thought was mine
Someday these crazy arms may hold somebody new
But for I'm just lonesome all the time
Crazy arms that reach
But for now I'm just lonesome all the time
The lyrics to Waylon Jennings's song Crazy Arms describe the heartache of a man who has lost the love of his life to someone else. The opening line, "blue ain't the word for the way that I feel," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is not just sad or depressed, he is feeling a deep, overwhelming sense of despair. He compares his emotions to a storm brewing in his heart, which gives an image of turbulence and unrest.
Jennings's use of the phrase "crazy arms" is a metaphor for reaching out to someone who is no longer there. The singer's heart yearns for his lost love, but his arms are left empty and "crazy." The lyrics acknowledge that the object of his affection has moved on with someone else, but the singer's heart is unwilling to let go just yet. He knows that soon she will be wedded to another, but for now, he is just lonesome all the time. He is holding onto treasured dreams and love that he thought was his, but he knows that it is time to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Now blue ain't the word for the way that I feel
I'm feeling more than just sad and blue
And the storm's brewing in this heart of mine
I'm feeling overwhelmed with emotions
This ain't no crazy dream I know that it's real
I'm not imagining things, this is really happening
You're someone else's love now you're not mine
You're in love with someone else and I've lost you
Crazy arms that reach to hold somebody new
I can't control my arms from reaching out to hold someone else
While my yearning heart keeps saying you're not mine
My heart is still yearning for you even though you're not mine
My troubled mind knows soon to another you'll be wed
I know that you're going to marry someone else soon
But for now I'm just lonesome all the time
Right now, I'm just sad and lonely all the time
So take all the treasured dreams I had for you and me
All the hopes and dreams I had for us are gone
And take all the love I thought was mine
The love I thought we shared is gone too
Someday these crazy arms may hold somebody new
Maybe someday I'll be able to hold someone else instead
But for I'm just lonesome all the time
But for now, I'm just sad and lonely all the time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHUCK SEALS, RALPH EUGENE MOONEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind