Lord knows that Waylon Jennings' music has helped me get through the bad times, the good times, the sad times, and the rowdy times. There isn't just one song in his collection that affected my life. It was the entire collection. Back 12 years ago today, we lost Waylon Jennings. The music remains, as well as the memories that last.
{Here is more info on the life & times of Waylon Jennings that I featured years ago on Examiner.com.}
Waylon would be the one and only person I never got to see perform live in concert. He would be the one person that I wish I could sit on a bench and talk about his music and the times he lived through. Thank goodness for videos and audio recordings, I can see those moments. I've been fortunate to see his son, Shooter Jennings, perform live in concert. I've also gotten to meet some great friends thanks to his music. It seems as though I've started a collection of Waylon stuff, from clothes to vinyl to other memorabilia. I joke that my car is the little red Waylon wagon as it has a Waylon flying W sticker on the back.
Here are a few of my personal favorite songs and the reasons being:
Belle of the Ball
I'll never forget you and love you in spite of your faults. The good and the bad, I want to remember it all. And I did a new dance and you did your Tennessee Waltz, but the party's all over I came uninvited. I'm leaving and taking the belle of the ball.
We all know the story behind the story with the Belle being Nashville. This song is beautifully produced from the lyrics, the vocals, and instrumentation. You find yourself swaying in a waltz wishing that someone would whisk you away as if you were the belle of the ball.
Mental Revenge
So all in all if the curtain should fall, well I hope that it falls on you. I will have sweet, sweet, sweet mental revenge.
If you have ever had someone to lie, cheat, and do you wrong, you can only hope that they suffer the misery that they put you through.
Lonesome, Onry, and Mean
Been travelin' these highways, Been doin' things my way, It's been making me lonesome, on'ry and mean.
You can't help to get a little rowdy with this song. I've always been a lonesome rambling soul that can get onry and mean.
Dreaming My Dreams
I hope that I won't be that wrong anymore. And maybe I've learned this time. I hope that I find what I'm reaching for. The way that it is in my mind.
By far my favorite Waylon Jennings song is Dreaming My Dreams. We all hope to learn from past mistakes and get over them. It's hard, but you know one day you will find love once again.
We miss you Hoss. I know that heaven definitely has got one rolling honky tonk with your music, as well as the likes of many other honky tonk heroes we have grown to love.
