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.
Jack of Diamonds
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jack a diamond
Take my money
You can have my life of luxury
You can have my precious silver
Studded saddle oh Lord
But you cannot take my soul
Sweet mama
Oh sweet mama
Won't you say you love me
Let me hold you hold you in my arms
Please tell me
I'm not really falling to pieces
Keep me tender mama
Tender now keep me warm
Jack a diamond
Jack a diamond
I still got my ace yeah
If you want me to do it
I can throw it right in your face
Go and take my precious silver
Studded saddle yeah
But you cannot take my soul
Lord you cannot take my soul today
Jack a diamond jack a diamond gonna be alright
The lyrics to Waylon Jennings's song "Jack Of Diamonds" tell the story of a man who is willing to give up all his material possessions, including his money and silver studded saddle, to the titular figure, in exchange for his life of luxury. However, the man declares that Jack cannot take his soul from him. The song goes on to showcase the man’s vulnerability and need for emotional comfort, as he implores his "sweet mama" to express her love for him and hold him in her arms. He pleas to her to keep him "tender" and warm, and not let him fall apart.
The song's lyrics reveal a complicated trade-off between the fleeting highs of material possessions and the greater need for emotional sustenance and stability. It also explores the theme of mortality and the fragility of life beyond one's material possessions. As Jack a diamond represents the wealth, riches, and luxuries that come with life, and the singer is willing to exchange everything for it. But he realizes that in the end, there are certain things that Jack cannot take away, such as the protection of the soul and the love of a mother.
Line by Line Meaning
Jack a diamond
The singer is addressing Jack of Diamonds, a metaphorical figure who represents a life of luxury and excess.
Jack a diamond
The singer repeats the phrase, emphasizing Jack's importance in the song.
Take my money
The singer is offering Jack their wealth and possessions in exchange for a life of luxury.
You can have my life of luxury
The artist is giving up their life of luxury to Jack, willingly sacrificing it for the sake of Jack's riches.
You can have my precious silver
The artist's possessions include valuable silver items.
Studded saddle oh Lord
One of the singer's valuable possessions is a saddle decorated with studs.
But you cannot take my soul
The singer is unwilling to part with their morality and values, even in exchange for a life of luxury.
Cannot take my soul today
The artist emphasizes that they will never be willing to give up their soul, even in the future.
Sweet mama
The artist is addressing their lover, whom they refer to as 'sweet mama.'
Oh sweet mama
The artist repeats the phrase, emphasizing the sweetness of their lover.
Won't you say you love me
The singer is seeking verbal reassurance of their lover's affection.
Let me hold you hold you in my arms
The artist desires physical intimacy with their lover.
Please tell me
The singer is asking their lover for emotional support.
I'm not really falling to pieces
The singer is expressing vulnerability and insecurity, and seeking reassurance from their lover that they will not fall apart.
Keep me tender mama
The singer is asking their lover to be gentle and nurturing towards them.
Tender now keep me warm
The artist is seeking comfort and physical warmth from their lover.
I still got my ace yeah
The artist is confident in their abilities and resources, and not completely helpless without their life of luxury.
If you want me to do it
The singer is offering to take a risk or perform a task for Jack of Diamonds.
I can throw it right in your face
The singer is threatening to use their resources or abilities against Jack if necessary.
Go and take my precious silver
The artist is once again offering their valuable possessions to Jack.
Studded saddle yeah
The artist is specifically mentioning the valuable saddle they own.
But you cannot take my soul
The artist is once again emphasizing the importance of their moral values over material possessions.
Lord you cannot take my soul today
The singer is reaffirming that they will never compromise their morality or values for the sake of material gain.
Jack a diamond jack a diamond gonna be alright
The artist ends the song by repeating the refrain, indicating that they are at peace with their decision to not compromise their values for material gain.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RODNEY GRAHAM HAYWARD, CLARE CHRISTINA MOORE, CHRISTOPHER JOHN WALSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind