"Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand" | ||||
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Single by Waylon Jennings | ||||
from the album I've Always Been Crazy | ||||
B-side | "Girl I Can Tell" | |||
Released | October 1978 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:00 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Waylon Jennings | |||
Producer(s) |
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Waylon Jennings singles chronology | ||||
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"Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand" (posthumously released as "Outlaw Shit" in 2008) is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Waylon Jennings. It first released in October 1978 as the second single from his album I've Always Been Crazy . The song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. [1] It also reached number 1 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. [2] Waylon redid the song specifically as well as several others in a session in the mid-1990s in a much slower and more regretful tone towards his previous actions dubbing it 'Outlaw Shit' and it would be released on the 2008 album Waylon Forever, Waylon's first posthumous studio album release. [3] [4]
The song is based on Jennings's own longstanding drug habit, which culminated in a 1977 arrest on federal drug charges in which a package from New York City was traced to a studio in Nashville, Tennessee where Waylon was recording. DEA agents busted down the door to find longtime drummer for Jennings and co-producer for the album Richie Albright at the control board and immediately questioned him. Albright put his hand on the talkback button of the control board to let Jennings hear what was happening. Jennings hid the package, then examined the arrest warrant which was faulty, with the wrong owner listed. With the agents distracted, Albright flushed the cocaine down a toilet. [5]
Jennings reworked the song in the mid-1990s in a session that would later be handed to producer Dave Cobb along with his youngest son Shooter Jennings and his backing band the .357's to produce after Waylon's death in 2002. This version with slight lyrical changes and a slower tempo was released as "Outlaw Shit" on the 2008 album Waylon Forever, Waylon's first posthumous album. [6]
Chart (1978–1979) | Peak position |
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US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) [7] | 5 |
Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
Waylon's son Shooter Jennings performed a cover of this song on CMT Crossroads as a duet with Jamey Johnson.
On the tribute album I've Always Been Crazy: Tribute to Waylon Jennings, the song was covered by Metallica frontman James Hetfield.
Ben Hoffman, performing as Wheeler Walker Jr., performed a cover on the podcast "Your Mom's House".
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is considered one of the pioneers of the outlaw movement in country music.
David Allan Coe is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly in the blues style, before transitioning to country music, becoming a major part of the 1970s outlaw country scene. His biggest hits include "You Never Even Called Me by My Name", "Longhaired Redneck", "The Ride", "Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile", and "She Used to Love Me a Lot".
Mirriam Johnson, known professionally as Jessi Colter, is an American country singer who is best known for her collaborations with her second husband, country musician Waylon Jennings, and for her 1975 crossover hit "I'm Not Lisa".
Waylon Albright "Shooter" Jennings is an American musician and record producer. He is the son of country singers Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. In a career spanning three decades, Jennings has explored a variety of musical genres.
Only the Greatest is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1968 on RCA Victor. It includes the single "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line," which Jennings took to #2 on the country music charts that year.
Dreaming My Dreams is the twenty-second studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings. The album was co-produced with Jack Clement and recorded at Glaser Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, between February and July 1974.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1979 by RCA Records.
Leather and Lace is a duet album by Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, released on RCA Records in 1981.
I've Always Been Crazy is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1978.
What Goes Around Comes Around is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1979.
Black on Black is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1982.
Waylon's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 is a compilation album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1984. It contains several songs recorded primarily in the later period of the singer's career, encompassing the late 1970s as well as the early 1980s. Although several relatively obscure tracks were included, the compilation also contains the hits "Theme from the Dukes of Hazzard " and "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand". "Looking for Suzanne", "America" and "Waltz Me to Heaven" are all previously unreleased Jennings recordings; the first of these made a reappearance on Jennings' Sweet Mother Texas (1986). "America" and "Waltz Me to Heaven" charted as singles, reaching #6 and #10, respectively, with a music video being released for the former; the album peaked at #27 on the country charts.
Jessi is the third studio album released by American country music artist Jessi Colter. It was her second release for Capitol Records and was produced by Ken Mansfield and husband, Waylon Jennings. It was recorded September–October 1975 at Woodland Sound Studios in Nashville and released in January 1976, becoming one of two albums issued by Colter in 1976.
Waylon Forever is an outlaw country album by Waylon Jennings which was released on October 21, 2008, on the Vagrant Records label. The backing band for this album is Waylon's son Shooter and his band, the .357's.
Diamond in the Rough is the fourth studio album released by American country artist Jessi Colter. It was the second album issued by Colter in 1976; the previous was Jessi, released earlier in the year. Diamond in the Rough was issued under Capitol Records and was produced by Ken Mansfield.
"Good Hearted Woman" is a song written by American country music singers Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
"Lovin' Her Was Easier " is a song written, composed, first recorded, and first released by Kris Kristofferson. It was also recorded and released by Roger Miller, who included it on his album The Best of Roger Miller and released it as a single in July 1971. Ten years later, it was recorded by Tompall & the Glaser Brothers for the album Lovin' Her Was Easier.
"Can't You See" is a song written by Toy Caldwell of The Marshall Tucker Band. The song was originally recorded by the band on their 1973 debut album, The Marshall Tucker Band, and released as the album's first single. Record World called it "a strong rhythm item that continually builds and builds." A live version was released in 1977 and peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cover versions of "Can't You See" have charted for Waylon Jennings and the Zac Brown Band with Kid Rock (2010).
Ralph Eugene Mooney was an American steel guitar player and songwriter, he was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1983. He was the original steel guitarist in Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers and Waylon Jennings's band, The Waylors.
Son of the South is an album released by country musician David Allan Coe. It was released in 1986 on Columbia.