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.
Lines
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'm gettin' pretty tired of it
You keep a steppin' out of line and messin' with my mind
If you had any sense you'd quit
'Cause ever since you were a little bitty teeny girl
You said I was the only man in this whole world
Now, you better do some thinkin', then you'll find
I keep a workin' every day, all you want to do is play
I'm tired of stayin' out all night
I'm comin' unglued from your funny little moods
Now honey baby, that ain't right
'Cause ever since you were a little bitty teeny girl
You said I was the only man in this whole world
Now, you better do some thinkin', then you'll find
You got the only daddy that'll walk the line
You keep a packin' up my clothes, nearly everybody knows
That you're still just a puttin' me on
When I start a walkin', gonna hear you start a squawkin'
And beggin' me to come back home
'Cause ever since you were a little bitty teeny girl
You said I was the only man in this whole world
Now, you better do some thinkin', then you'll find
You got the only daddy that'll walk the line
You got the only daddy that'll walk the line
The lyrics of Waylon Jennings's song "Walk the Line" are about a man who is tired of his partner's behavior and is threatening to leave her. The song is divided into three verses and a chorus. In the first verse, the man tells his partner that he is tired of her stepping on his toes and messing with his mind. He suggests that she should quit, but also reminds her that he is the only man in her life who would tolerate this behavior.
The second verse emphasizes how hard the man works every day, and how his partner only wants to play. He is tired of staying out all night and is coming unglued due to her mood swings. The man warns his partner to think and realize that he is the only one who would accept and tolerate her behavior.
The chorus of the song is repeated twice, and it is the central message of the song. The man reminds his partner that ever since she was a little girl, she considered him the only man in her life, and that she should do some thinking and find that he is the only one who would walk the line. He highlights her behavior, including packing up his clothes and putting him on, but as soon as he starts walking away, she pleads for him to come back home.
Overall, "Walk the Line" is a classic country song that combines heartache, fidelity, and despair in its lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody knows you've been steppin' on my toes
I've been aware that you have been crossing my boundaries for quite some time now.
And I'm gettin' pretty tired of it
It has exhausted me mentally and physically seeing you set my patience on fire.
You keep a steppin' out of line and messin' with my mind
You keep crossing the line and making me question my sanity.
If you had any sense you'd quit
It would be in your best interest to stop doing what you're doing.
'Cause ever since you were a little bitty teeny girl
From a very young age, you have held me in high regard.
You said I was the only man in this whole world
You have always believed that I am the only man in your life.
Now, you better do some thinkin', then you'll find
It's time for you to reflect, and you will realize that you made a mistake.
You got the only daddy that'll walk the line
Realize that I am the only person who will tolerate your recklessness.
I keep a workin' every day, all you want to do is play
I am working hard, while all you're interested in is having fun.
I'm tired of stayin' out all night
I am exhausted from staying out late every night.
I'm comin' unglued from your funny little moods
Your unpredictable and often inexplicable mood swings are taking a toll on me.
Now honey baby, that ain't right
It's not right to treat me this way, my dear.
You keep a packin' up my clothes, nearly everybody knows
Everyone around us is aware that you're the reason behind my clothes disappearing.
That you're still just a puttin' me on
You're still trying to deceive me, and I'm not falling for it anymore.
When I start a walkin', gonna hear you start a squawkin'
When I leave, I know you'll start complaining and begging me to come back.
And beggin' me to come back home
You'll plead with me to return home, but I'm not sure if I should.
'Cause ever since you were a little bitty teeny girl
Again, from a very young age, you have looked up to me.
You said I was the only man in this whole world
You have always thought of me as the only man in your life.
Now, you better do some thinkin', then you'll find
It's time for you to reflect and realize your mistake.
You got the only daddy that'll walk the line
I am the only one who will tolerate your behavior and forgive you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ivy J. Bryant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind