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.
Hey Good Lookin'
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whatcha got cookin'?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
Hey, sweet baby,
Don't you think maybe
We could find us a brand new recipe?
I got a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill
And I know a spot right over the hill.
So if you wanna have fun come along with me.
Hey, good lookin',
Whatcha got cookin'?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
I'm free and ready,
So we can go steady.
How's about savin' all your time for me?
No more lookin',
I know I've been tooken
How's about keepin' steady company?
I'm gonna throw my date-book over the fence
And find me one for five or ten cents.
I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age
'Cause I'm writin' your name down on every page.
Hey, good lookin',
Whatcha got cookin'?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
The song Hey Good Lookin' by Waylon Jennings is a cheerful and flirtatious tune from the perspective of a young man looking for a good time with a pretty girl. The song is marked by its playful lyrics, with the singer encouraging the object of his affection to cook something up with him or come along for a night of dancing and soda pop. Despite the lighthearted tone of the song, there is an underlying desire for companionship and commitment, with the singer declaring that he is ready to go steady and asking his would-be partner to save all her time for him.
The opening lines of the song, "Hey, hey, good lookin', / Whatcha got cookin'?" immediately establish the flirtatious nature of the song, with the singer expressing his interest in the girl's cooking and hinting at his desire to spend time with her. The references to a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill suggest a sense of youthful independence and freedom, while the refrain of "How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?" reinforces the theme of the singer's desire for companionship.
In the second half of the song, the singer becomes more explicit in his desire for a committed relationship, declaring that he is ready to go steady and asking the girl to keep her time free for him. The image of throwing his date book over the fence and finding a new one for five or ten cents suggests a willingness to leave behind his old way of life in pursuit of something new and exciting. The repeated refrain of "Hey, good lookin', / Whatcha got cookin'?" at the end of the song reinforces the underlying desire for companionship and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey, good lookin',
Greetings, attractive person,
Whatcha got cookin'?
What are you cooking up or planning?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
Would you like to collaborate with me or spend time together?
Hey, sweet baby,
Hello, affectionate person,
Don't you think maybe
Do you have any thoughts or considerations that we should discuss?
We could find us a brand new recipe?
Why don't we try something new or exciting?
I got a hot-rod Ford and a two-dollar bill
I possess a fast car and some cash,
And I know a spot right over the hill.
I am familiar with a nearby location,
There's soda pop and the dancin's free,
There are beverages and no charge for entertainment,
So if you wanna have fun come along with me.
If you desire enjoyment, join me on this adventure.
I'm free and ready,
I am available and prepared,
So we can go steady.
We can date exclusively if you wish.
How's about savin' all your time for me?
Would you consider dedicating all of your free time to me?
No more lookin',
I am no longer searching for companionship,
I know I've been tooken
I am aware that I have been taken or claimed by you,
How's about keepin' steady company?
Would you like to be with me for a prolonged period?
I'm gonna throw my date-book over the fence
I will discard my planner carelessly,
And find me one for five or ten cents.
Then purchase another at a cheap price.
I'll keep it 'til it's covered with age
I'll keep it until it's old and worn,
'Cause I'm writin' your name down on every page.
Because I will write down your name on each page as a symbol of my devotion.
Hey, good lookin',
Hello, attractive person,
Whatcha got cookin'?
What are you up to or planning?
How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?
How about we collaborate or spend time together?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Sr. Williams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind