On this day (November 3) in 1980, Waylon Jennings was atop the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with “Theme from Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys).” As the theme from the hit TV show, The Dukes of Hazzard, it became one of Jennings’ best-known singles. Even those who weren’t country music fans likely tuned in to watch the adventures of the Duke boys and their car, the General Lee.
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The Dukes of Hazzard was based on the 1975 movie Moonrunners. Jennings narrated the movie. Four years later, when CBS began planning to launch the TV show, they tapped Jennings to return as the series’ narrator. He also penned the theme song. He recorded a version for the show and released a second version of the song as a single from his 1980 album Music Man.
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Both versions of the song are similar. However, a close listen reveals a handful of important differences. For instance, the rendition used on the hit show included banjo, but the single version didn’t. The single version also features an instrumental break after the first chorus. Maybe the most obvious difference comes in the third verse of the single version, in which Jennings sings I’m a good ol’ boy / You know my mama loves me / But she don’t understand / They keep a-showin’ my hand and not my face on TV. This is a reference to the TV show’s intro, which shows him from the neck down while playing his guitar.
Waylon Jennings Discusses The Dukes of Hazzard
Waylon Jennings discussed his involvement with The Dukes of Hazzard during a conversation with Ralph Emery.
“They wanted to do a pilot for a television thing. So, they asked me if I’d do that. So I did that. Really, I’ll be honest with you. I knew the kids would have to love this thing, because no adult was going to go for it,” he said of the TV show. “I never thought it would last nine years,” he added.
Emery clarified that Jennings got the gig on the TV show because he narrated Moonrunners. Then, he admitted that he didn’t remember the movie. “No, you probably don’t,” Jennings said. “Most folks don’t.”
Featured Image by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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