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.
Wrong
Waylon Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We had the whole world at our feet
Everyone thought we were heading
Down a lovers easy street
We'd have a house out in the country
A picket fence, the whole nine yards
They said our love would last forever
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
I was all but devastated
When she told me we were through
In a while the heartache faded
And I found somebody new
I swore that this time would be different
I had it all figured out
I wouldn't make the same mistakes
I knew what love was all about
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
Everything was going strong
The sky was always blue I thought my dreams had all come true
Wrong
Wrong
The song "Wrong" by Waylon Jennings is a poignant tale about the consequences of blind faith in love and the painful realization that things are not always what they seem. The opening verses paint a picture of a picture-perfect wedding with the whole world at their feet, with everyone around them believing that they are headed for a lifetime of enduring love and happiness. The couple even has a dream house out in the country with a white picket fence and are convinced that their love would last forever, as if it was written in the stars.
The chorus of the song, "Wrong", serves to illustrate the stark contrast between the optimistic and joyful tone of the wedding day and the eventual outcome. The singer regrets having such faith in love, the idea that the future was so bright that it could not possibly be anything but right. In the second verse, the singer is devastated when his partner suggests that they should end things but eventually he moves on and finds someone who he thinks could be different. All seems well, and he is confident that he knows what love is all about and wouldn't make the same mistakes again. Unfortunately, the chorus soon returns, reminding the listener that the sky will not always be blue and that sometimes things can go terribly wrong.
Overall, the lyrics of the song suggest that it is unwise to have blind faith in love and that things don't always go as planned – however, it also highlights the power of moving on and making new connections.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a picture perfect wedding
The marriage started with high expectations and was seemingly perfect.
We had the whole world at our feet
The couple was happy and confident about their future together.
Everyone thought we were heading
Down a lovers easy street
Their relationship was envied by others who saw them as being on the path to an easy and happy life together.
We'd have a house out in the country
A picket fence, the whole nine yards
They said our love would last forever
It was written in the stars
They were expected to have a perfect and long-lasting relationship, complete with a charming country home and white picket fence.
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
The artist realizes that his idealized vision of the future was flawed and that he should have known better than to assume everything was going to be perfect. When things seem too good to be true, they probably are.
I was all but devastated
When she told me we were through
The singer was crushed when his marriage ended.
In a while the heartache faded
And I found somebody new
The singer eventually moved on and found a new partner.
I swore that this time would be different
I had it all figured out
I wouldn't make the same mistakes
I knew what love was all about
The artist was confident that he had learned from his previous mistakes and was ready to approach his new relationship in a more mature and informed way.
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
Despite his newfound confidence, the artist realizes that there are no guarantees in love and that he can't assume his new relationship will be perfect either. Once again, his idealized vision of the future proves to be flawed.
Everything was going strong
The sky was always blue
I thought my dreams had all come true
Wrong
Wrong
Although his relationship seemed to be going well, the artist came to the painful realization that his idealized dreams were once again flawed and that he had been wrong to assume everything would be perfect.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: STEVE SESKIN, ANDRE PESSIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mikey Bourke
It was a picture perfect wedding
We had the whole world at our feet
Everyone thought we were heading
Down a lovers easy street
We'd have a house out in the country
A picket fence, the whole nine yards
They said our love would last forever
It was written in the stars
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
I was all but devastated
When she told me we were through
In a while the heartache faded
And I found somebody new
I swore that this time would be different
I had it all figured out
I wouldn't make the same mistakes
I knew what love was all about
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
Everything was going strong
The sky was always blue I thought my dreams had all come true
Wrong
Wrong
Jason Jones
Who misses the Outlaw.?
_________________________
I remember when i heard this song on the radio the first time,
Went straight to Sam Goodies music store & baught the single -
Thank you Waylon for a life long journey & adventure of songs to never be forgotten about,
Rest well our good friend..
79tazman
I wish Waylon could come back to us but he is still alive in his music
Marty Humble
"Just like the songs I leave behind me
I'll live forever, wait and see."
Mikelino Ferrara
Waylon was one of a kind God bless him and his family, I know he didn't want to leave us so soon it's like he had more to sing about 🇺🇸💪
A T
Go Waylon!!! One of my favorite songs by him!!
Mikey Bourke
It was a picture perfect wedding
We had the whole world at our feet
Everyone thought we were heading
Down a lovers easy street
We'd have a house out in the country
A picket fence, the whole nine yards
They said our love would last forever
It was written in the stars
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
I was all but devastated
When she told me we were through
In a while the heartache faded
And I found somebody new
I swore that this time would be different
I had it all figured out
I wouldn't make the same mistakes
I knew what love was all about
Wrong
I should have known it all along
When the future looks to bright can't be anything but right
Wrong
Everything was going strong
The sky was always blue I thought my dreams had all come true
Wrong
Wrong
Michael Vance
The lyrics explain what capitalism has done to Ruin love for everyone but the rich
nemesisgenius
I thought this Waylon classic was going to be a #1 Billboard country hit and well should have. One of Waylon Jennings' best radio country singles ever. Love that tropical sound. Waylon did reach the top 10 for the last time, peaking at #4 on Billboard on 8-18-1990.
Eamonn Obrien
Waylon you were the greatest country singer never be forgotten RIP
ɢᴏᴅ ʙʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀᴇꜱᴀᴋᴇ
I have to admit this is one of the fuuniest videos of Waylon Jennings. The end is priceless. 😁😂
Angelina Robert
That's what life is all about. The oops moments. And the fumble recoveries.