Waylon Jennings - "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit Done Got Out Of Hand" (1979)

Howdy Friends,

Here's a clip of Waylon Jennings performing his hit song "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit Done Got Out of Hand" on Cheryl Ladd's Television Special from 1979-- back from an era where just about anyone who was anyone on t.v. had some sort of variety show special!

"The Cheryl Ladd TV Special" is notable for a couple of reasons.  First, in 1979, Cheryl Ladd was at the peak of her Charlie's Angels' hotness.  And a close second, of course, is because the hour long special features three fantastic Waylon Jennings' tunes, who was also at the peak of his powers in 1979.

Here's a link to the entire specials if you're innerested.

I've Always Been Crazy

Waylon Jennings - "I've Always Been Crazy" (1978) - RCA Victor

Hello Friends,

There's two great bits of trivia in regards to the life and career of Waylon Jennings.  The first is, did you know that Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on Buddy Holly's plane the night of the infamous crash which killed Holly, Richie Valens, the Big Bopper, etc.?

The other is that he sang the Dukes of Hazzard theme song!

This is a great, late 70's outlaw country record by the world-weary and coked-addled Jennings.

It kicks off with the great title track, "I've Always Been Crazy" where Jennings confesses:

I've always been crazy and the trouble that it's put me through
I've been busted for things that I did, and I didn't do
I can't say I'm proud of all of the things that I've done
But I can say I've never intentionally hurt anyone


Awesome!

Also on the record is a cover of a Tony Joe White song ("Billy"), a Shel Silverstein-penned tune ("Whistlers & Jugglers"), a medley of Buddy Holly hits, a Merle Haggard cover ("Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down") and a cover of Johnny Cash's early hit, "I Walk The Line" (which in Jennings's hands takes on a whole new, more somber tone!)

A must listen if you're into the boozy & druggie outlaw country movement of the late 70's.

Extra points for Jennings's coked out stare on the album's cover!

RATING: 4.5 close watches on this heart of mine out of 5

Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold...

Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson - "Waylon & Willie" (1978) - RCA Victor

Howdy Partners,

We've got some golden era outlaw country on the turntable tonight and its fucking great!

This 1978 release captures these two singing cowpokes at the height of their strung out, rebellious powers!

Things get kicked off with the ultimate cowboy anthem, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys", a # 1 song on the Country charts as well as a Grammy Winner that year!

This song alone is worth the price of admission but Side One continues on with a Kris Kristofferson tune, "The Year 2003 Minus 25"; two Nelson originals "Pick Up The Tempo" & "It's Not Supposed to Be That Way"; a Jennings original, "Lookin' For A Feelin'"; and Nelson's gorgeous take on Lee Clayton's mesmerizing, "If You Can Touch Her At All."

If you can believe it, Side Two gets even better!

Kicking off with the only tune penned by both Jennings & Nelson for this record, "I Can Get Off On You" with amazing lyrics like:

Take back the weed, Take back the cocaine baby
Take back the pills, Take back the whiskey too,
I don't need them now, You love was all I was after,
I can make it now, I can get off on you.



This is followed by another Kristofferson tune, "Don't Cuss the Fiddle" and then Waylon's sincere & fantastic interpretation of Stevie Nicks' "Gold Dust Woman."

The partners in crime sing back and forth vocals on the Shel Silverstein-penned, "A Couple More Years" and the results are nothing short of stunning!  Absolutely perfect!

The side and the album ends with Waylon's classic ballad, "The Wurlitzer Prize" aka "I Don't Want To Get Over You".  A great and fitting end to a great record!

As Rolling Stone associate editor writes on this record's liner notes, "I humbly submit that the world needs a lot more Willie and Waylon right now and a whole lot less of that other crap!"

True 'dat!

RATING: 4.5 silver spoons to dig your grave out of 5

Johnny Cash & Waylon Jennings - "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang"

Hello Friends and Happy Friday,

Here's a great outlaw country song from 1978.  

If nothing else I've learned four things from this song:

1) There ain't no good in an evil-hearted woman,

2) I ain't cut out to be no Jesse James,

3) You don't go writin' hot checks down in Mississippi, and

4) There ain't no good chain gang!

On a related note, can you imagine the massive amount of speed consumed by these two after this performance? 

They probably drove cross-country afterwards! #thegoodol'days