Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Heroes

According to legend, it was at Willie Nelson's Fourth of July picnic when Waylon Jennings drunkenly promised a nobody named Billy Joe Shaver that he'd record a whole album of his songs. Apparently it wasn't until Shaver threatened physical violence on Jennings (in front of a Nashville studio full of people) that he finally made good on his promise, although Jennings had only recently been granted full artistic control by RCA. The result was a stunning achievement: 1973's Honky Tonk Heroes was the defining record of the anti-Nashville Outlaw movement--the term came after the album--and a cornerstone in country music history. Featuring bare-bones production and plainspoken, hard-nosed lyrics that celebrated personal freedoms and simple pleasures, the record was a far cry from the demure Nashville Sound. In each other, Jennings and Shaver had found a kindred spirit, and together they rewrote the country rulebook. --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com essential recording

Great

These items were send quickly and they were in great condition. Shopping at Amazon was a great experience. January 3, 2008

RUGGED AND FREE-SPIRITED ! (Waylon does it his way)

Honky Tonk Heroes (1973) is mostly an album of tough minded and free-spirited road songs, recorded with economic arrangements and instrumentation, and sung by a man who believes in the songs enough bring them all to life. The songs were all written by Billy Joe Shaver, and the lyrics are simple, but thoughtful in the way they express an honest and moving witness to the unconventional world of free living. In Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me, Waylon sings:

Willy, you're wild as a Texas Blue Norther
Ready rolled from the same makings as me
Well I guess we're gonna ramble till Hell freezes over
Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me

The songs are about misadventures and regret (Ain't No God In Mexico, Black Rose), traveling (Omaha, Low Down Freedom), love (You Asked Me To, We Had It All), and reflections on life (Old Five And Dimers, Ride Me Down Easy). And, of course, there's the wild and rowdy barroom fun of the title song, Honky Tonk Heroes.

Piano rolled blues, I danced holes in my shoes
There weren't another, other way to be
For lovable losers, no account boozers
And Honky Tonk Heroes like me

If you like your country music on the rugged side, you really can't go wrong with this one. This was the first album that Waylon Jennings recorded his way, with no interference from the Nashville establishment, and he had said that he had more fun recording it than any of the others. It's a classic, and one of his best, too. September 10, 2007

A Country Classic

I recommend this album to any fan of Music. The album is wrote by country songwriter legend Billy joe Shaver. If your wanting a intro to great country music this is it. also the Band sounds great in this album August 13, 2007

Honky Tonk Heroes by Waylon Jennings

Song for song I think this is one of the best if not the best Waylon CD available. Honky Tonk Heroes is a must own CD for both the serious and the occasional (if there is such a thing) Waylon fan. This CD is vintage Waylon at his very best! January 22, 2007

Husband loves it

I bought this CD for my husband's birthday and he loves it. I would recommend this to anyone who loves true Country Music. January 4, 2007

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