Known for his role as a pioneer in the outlaw movement, Waylon Jennings made an undeniable mark on country music. Here are some lyrics from some of his best-known songs.
“Drinkin’ and Dreamin’”
“So, tonight at the bar, I’ll get in my car / Take off for the promised land.”
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Troy Seals and Max D. Barnes wrote this one. “Drinkin’ and Dreamin’” is all about using alcohol as an escape. In this song, Jennings sings about abandoning what society uses to measure “success” so he can hit the bar and imagine a different life. I’m sure we can all relate to that feeling one way or another, whether you’re using a substance to escape reality or not.
“Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” (with Willie Nelson)
“Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys / ‘Cause they’ll never stay home, and they’re always alone / Even with someone they love.”
In this song, originally written and released by Ed Bruce, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson offer valuable insight into the realities of cowboy culture. Take it from them, it’s much better to encourage your kids to want to be “doctors and lawyers and such.”
Bruce told The Billboard Book Of Number One Country Hits that he’d actually planned on naming the song something else.
“…I was good at what I did, but nobody really knew, and my first thought was, ‘Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Play Guitars’,” he said. “Then I changed it to ‘Don’t Let ‘Em Grow Up To Be Cowboys’, and worked in guitars.”
“Highwayman” by The Highwaymen
“I’ll find a place to rest my spirit if I can / Perhaps I may become a highwayman again.”
“Highwayman” was actually written by Jimmy Webb, who had a dream in which police were chasing him.
“…It was very real,” he told Lydia Hutchinson. “I sat up in bed, sweating through my pajamas. Without even thinking about it, I stumbled out of bed to the piano and started playing “Highwayman”. Within a couple of hours, I had the first verse.”
This is one of Jennings’ signature songs, which he recorded with the other Highwaymen: Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson.
Photo by: Tom Hill/Getty Images
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