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.
Just To Satisfy You
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone's gonna pay for the things you do
How many hearts must break,how many will it take
To satisfy you,just to satisfy you
Another love,another fool
To play your game
Another love,another fool
Someone's gonna get hurt before you're through
Don't be surprised if that someone is you
You're gonna find when it's too late,a heart that just won't break
To satisfy you,just to satisfy you
How many tears were cried,how many dreams have died
To satisfy you,just to satisfy you
The lyrics to Waylon Jennings's song "Just To Satisfy You" delve into the dangers and selfishness of pursuing a relationship purely for one's own satisfaction. The opening lines set a foreboding tone, warning of the inevitable harm that will come to others in the wake of the singer's rash actions. The repeated mention of "someone" reinforces the idea that this behavior is not only reckless, but callous and uncaring.
The second verse depicts the singer's willingness to exploit and manipulate those they encounter in order to satisfy their own desires. The repetition of "another love, another fool" suggests a pattern of behavior, one where the singer sees potential partners as disposable, easily replaced. The third verse hits home the risk of such behavior. By the time someone recognizes their mistakes, it may be too late to reverse the damage done. The image of a "heart that just won't break" paints a vivid portrait of an individual left alone and unloved as a result of their toxic behavior.
Jennings's lyrics serve as a warning of the dangers of self-centeredness in relationships. Rather than valuing the feelings of their partners, the singer of the song seeks to fulfill their own desires at any cost. Ultimately, this behavior leads to pain and heartbreak for all involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone's gonna get hurt before you're through
You will hurt someone before finishing your actions
Someone's gonna pay for the things you do
You will pay for your wrongdoings
How many hearts must break,how many will it take
how many people will be hurt before you've had enough?
To satisfy you,just to satisfy you
You only care about what you want, just to satisfy yourself
Another love,another fool
You're looking for someone else to be in love with, someone who will allow themselves to be fools for you
To play your game
You're going to manipulate and cheat to get what you want
They're all the same
You think all the people that fall for you, are just the same: they're dispensable
Don't be surprised if that someone is you
You should not be surprised if you end up hurt, after trying to hurt others
You're gonna find when it's too late,a heart that just won't break
At some point, it will be too late and you'll run out of options for people to manipulate, hurt and use
How many tears were cried,how many dreams have died
You don't care about how many people were hurt, how long they cried or how many of their dreams were destroyed
To satisfy you,just to satisfy you
People's emotions don't matter, you only care about your own satisfaction
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON BOWMAN, WAYLON JENNINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimbotc2000
THE TOP 50 BILLBOARD ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE
HOT COUNTRY SINGLES
1982
Number 06
JUST TO SATISFY YOU
Waylon & Willie
Words & music by
Waylon Jennings, Don Bowman
Produced by
Chips Moman
Willie Nelson appears
courtesy of CBS Records
RCA Records
PB-13073
From the Album
BLACK ON BLACK
First Chart Date:
Saturday, March 13, 1982
75-43-39-30-27-16-14-11-4-2-1-1-12-26-46-59-80-93
Last Chart Date:
Saturday, July 10, 1982
Total weeks on the chart:
18
Peak Position on the chart:
1 [2 weeks]
@theblackbulletytchannel4648
Waylon and Willie are the ultimate combination for country music overall.
@charlottemousseau4938
Whos still listening to waylon jennings in 2020 close to 2021 you fn ROCK
@RF-bc4ij
2021 too!
@randy1randy1
I am , That I am 2022 !!
@Mr-qg8xw
Same with me 2022
@dustinstuart2861
this guy! best outlaw there ever was!
@nancylemm8807
Me
@anthonyromero1392
Let's stop the hate sit down and have a few beers while listening to Waylon and Willie.
@bradleyrotterman3052
First round's on me...
@danielmills5557
It's refreshing to hear the musicians actually playing their instruments instead of relying on samples, computers and drum machines.
Country music used to be the alternative to rock. Artists like Waylon, Willie, Cash, Jones, Paycheck and Kristofferson ised to be staples of country radio. Now the only time they are played is maybe on an oldies show. The new pop oriented country, while some of it good, can't hold a candle to the loo legends of the past.
I once said that I am attracted to the darkness in music, meaning that instead of being evil, the darkness refers to the flaws of the artists. The drug use, the scandals, etc. Everybody has a dark side (and well as a light side). I have been on a Waylon kick lately. Maybe it's because it has been nearly 20 years since his passing or perhaps it's because he made damn good music. So, I think I am going to embrace the darkness awhile longer. Long live Waylon Jennings and his music.