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.
The Taker
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of attention that she's never known
He's a helper, he'll help her to open
The doors that she can't on her own.
He's a lover and he'll love her in ways
That she's never been loved before
He's a getter, he'll get her by gettin' her
He's a charmer, he'll charm her with money
And manners that I never learned
He's a leader, he'll lead her across
Pretty bridges he's plannin' to burn.
He's a talker, he'll talk her right off of her feet
But he won't talk for long
'Cause he's a doer, and he'll do her the way
That I'd never, damned if he won't do her wrong.
He's a taker, he'll take her to places
And make her fly higher than she's ever dared to
He'll take his time before takin' advantage
Takin' her easy and slow.
And after he's taken the body and soul
She gives him he'll take her for granted
Take off and leave her taken all of her
Pride when he goes.
He's a taker, he'll take her to places
And make her fly higher than she's ever dared to
He'll take his time before takin' advantage
Takin' her easy and slow
The lyrics to Waylon Jennings's song "The Taker" describe a man who is everything the singer is not. He is a seemingly perfect gentleman who gives attention, help, and love to the singer's partner in ways that she has never experienced before. He is a charmer who can charm her with his money and manners, a leader who can lead her across pretty bridges he's planning to burn, and a talker who can talk her right off of her feet. He's a doer who does things to her in ways that the singer would never do.
However, despite his seemingly perfect qualities, the man is actually a taker. He takes her to places she's never been before and makes her fly higher than she's ever dared to. But after he's taken her body and soul, he takes her for granted, leaving her with a lack of pride once he takes off. The song tells the story of a woman who falls for a man who seems like everything she's ever wanted, but turns out to be everything she needs to avoid.
Line by Line Meaning
He's a giver, he'll give her the kind
Of attention that she's never known
He is someone who provides love and attention to his partner that she has never experienced before.
He's a helper, he'll help her to open
The doors that she can't on her own.
He is someone who supports and assists his partner to achieve what she cannot do alone.
He's a lover and he'll love her in ways
That she's never been loved before
He is someone who loves his partner in unique and meaningful ways she has never experienced before.
He's a getter, he'll get her by gettin' her
Into the world she's been hungerin' for.
He is someone who helps his partner to achieve the dreams and desires that she has had but not achieved in the past.
He's a charmer, he'll charm her with money
And manners that I never learned
He is someone who is charming and uses money and manners to impress and win over his partner.
He's a leader, he'll lead her across
Pretty bridges he's plannin' to burn.
He is someone who leads his partner through paths that may seem beautiful but are destructive and will ultimately lead to a downfall.
He's a talker, he'll talk her right off of her feet
But he won't talk for long
'Cause he's a doer, and he'll do her the way
That I'd never, damned if he won't do her wrong.
He is someone who talks smoothly and impressively but will not maintain that conversation for long, as he is someone who acts and does things that his partner may not desire, leading to regret and mistakes.
He's a taker, he'll take her to places
And make her fly higher than she's ever dared to
He'll take his time before takin' advantage
Takin' her easy and slow.
He is someone who offers his partner pleasures and experiences that she has never had before; he takes enough time to win over her trust before taking advantage of her.
And after he's taken the body and soul
She gives him he'll take her for granted
Take off and leave her taken all of her
Pride when he goes.
He is someone who, after winning over the trust and love of his partner, will exploit it and take it for granted. Eventually, he will leave her with nothing and steal all the pride that she once held.
He's a taker, he'll take her to places
And make her fly higher than she's ever dared to
He'll take his time before takin' advantage
Takin' her easy and slow.
He is someone who offers his partner pleasures and experiences that she has never had before; he takes enough time to win over her trust before taking advantage of her.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: K. KRISTOFFERSON, S. SILVERSTEIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@paulquails3932
He's a giver, he'll give her the kind
Of attention that she's never known
He's a helper, he'll help her to open
The doors that she can't on her own.
He's a lover and he'll love her in ways
That she's never been loved before
He's a getter, he'll get her by gettin' her
Into the world she's been hungerin' for.
He's a charmer, he'll charm her with money
And manners that I never learned
He's a leader, he'll lead her across
Pretty bridges he's plannin' to burn.
He's a talker, he'll talk her right off of her feet
But he won't talk for long
'Cause he's a doer, and he'll do her the way
That I'd never, damned if he won't do her wrong.
He's a taker, he'll take her to places
And make her fly higher than she's ever dared to
He'll take his time before takin' advantage
Takin' her easy and slow.
And after he's taken the body and soul
She gives him he'll take her for granted
Take off and leave her taken all of her
Pride when he goes.
He's a taker, he'll take her to places
And make her fly higher than she's ever dared to
He'll take his time before takin' advantage
Takin' her easy and slow
@CaribbeanCowboys
The absolute skill and artistry in this "simple little song" is off the charts. The lyrical hook is genius and Waylon is the only voice that could have ever done it justice. God, how I miss country music.
@msherer260
Look up a list of songs Shel SIvestein wrote or co-wrote you will be amazed.
@jimdowning3053
Waylon was and still is a classic country singer. A legend in his time.
@teeger66
You got that right!! No one will ever sound as good as Waylon! Ever.
@allansouthern7332
REST IN PEACE WAYON YOUR MUSIC WILL LIVE ON
@glynisarmbrister5294
One of my all time favourite Waylon's song.
@leesawyer7436
my 1st Waylon song
@randallkoch6183
Mine too.
@dollparts9220
same :)
@Guinizelli777
A brilliant performance by Waylon! A Classic.