Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Band of the Week: Waylon Jennings - Song #5: Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?

Greetings,

I talk a lot online about rock and roll, but a lot of people don't know that I really love old outlaw country music as well. Waylon Jennings, perhaps more than any other artist, encompasses everything I love about it. Musically, it's true to form, and lyrically, Waylon was about as honest as they come. I must admit that, while I've liked Waylon ever since I was exposed to him as a small boy, I never really got into him until this last summer. The first time I heard this song was on the movie "Crazy Heart," when Jeff Bridges' character, Bad Blake, shows up to open for his former pupil's big-time country music show. The great thing about GOOD country music is that, like good literature, it very accurately and precisely hits a nerve of the human condition by simple, indirect means. And this song, coupled with that scene in the movie, precisely and accurately explains everything that I hate about today's mainstream country music, and really about pop music in general. If you get a chance watch the movie, but until then, just listen to Waylon sing it.

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