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.
What About You
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what you get for lovin' me
Everything we had is gone if you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me
Don't you shed a tear for me
I ain't the love you thought I'd be
I've had a hundred just like you, but don't be blue
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
Everything we had is gone if you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me
There you go you're cryin' again
You should have known how things would end
But someday when your poor heart is on the mend
I just might pass this way again
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
Everything we had is gone if you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
The lyrics of "That's what you get for lovin' me" by Waylon Jennings is a classic example of a remorseful narration of a man who seems to be unapologetic about his past behaviour towards women. In the song, Waylon tells the story of a man who has a pattern of being in and out of relationships without much commitment or attachment. The song opens with the confession that the woman in the story has got what she deserves for loving him. The singer is clear that he is not the man that she thought he was and that he has had countless women before her. He takes no responsibility for the end of the relationship, but instead blames the woman for wanting something more than he was willing to give.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "That's what you get for lovin' me" three times, emphasizing the heartbreak and loss that the woman has experienced. The second verse continues with the unapologetic tone and again reiterates that he had "a hundred just like you." Jennings' draws a clear picture of a man who will never settle down, constantly seeking out new relationships without any true connection.
The final verse ends with the suggestion that the singer may come back into the woman's life in the future, but the message is bittersweet. He tells the woman that maybe one day his love will be returned and things will be different, but the chances of that happening are slim.
Overall, the lyrics to "That's what you get for lovin' me" is a sad commentary on the reality of love and relationships. The song conveys the idea that sometimes, no matter how much we love someone or want things to work out, it's just not meant to be.
Line by Line Meaning
That's what you get for lovin' me
I warned you that I'm not good at love, and now that everything is over, you got what you deserved for loving me.
Everything we had is gone if you can see
Our relationship didn't work out, and there's nothing left for us to hold on to.
Don't you shed a tear for me
Don't feel bad for me because I'm not worth your tears, and I don't want you to waste them on me.
I ain't the love you thought I'd be
I'm not the person you thought I was in terms of love, and I couldn't give you what you wanted or needed.
I've had a hundred just like you, but don't be blue
I've had many partners like you before, and I'll have more in the future, so don't be sad about our breakup.
I'll have a thousand before I'm through
I'll continue to have many relationships, even after you, because I can't commit to someone for the long term.
There you go you're cryin' again
You're crying again because you didn't listen to me when I told you what kind of person I am, and now you're upset.
You should have known how things would end
You should have realized that our relationship was doomed because of my inability to love someone fully.
But someday when your poor heart is on the mend
In the future, when you've healed from our breakup, you may see me again.
I just might pass this way again
I may cross your path in the future, but I won't guarantee that I'll be a different person when it comes to love.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gordon Lightfoot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind