About The Song
Waylon Jennings and the Outlaw Movement
Waylon Jennings was a country music singer and songwriter who was one of the pioneers of the outlaw country movement in the 1970s. Outlaw country was a subgenre of country music that rejected the slick, polished sound of mainstream country music in favor of a more raw, authentic sound. Jennings and other outlaw country artists, such as Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash, were known for their rebellious attitudes and their willingness to push the boundaries of country music.
One of Jennings’s most famous outlaw country songs is “Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand.” The song was released in 1978 as the second single from his album I’ve Always Been Crazy. The song is a tongue-in-cheek look at the outlaw country movement, and it pokes fun at some of the stereotypes that were associated with outlaw country artists.
The song begins with Jennings singing about how the outlaw country movement has gotten out of hand. He sings about how outlaw country artists are now being portrayed as “long-haired, hatless, redneck rebels” who are “running around barefoot and raising hell.” Jennings then goes on to sing about how some of these stereotypes are true, but he also sings about how they are often exaggerated.
The chorus of the song is a simple question: “Don’t you think this outlaw bit’s done got out of hand?” Jennings sings this question with a sense of humor, but it is also a serious question. He is asking if the outlaw country movement has become too commercialized and if it has lost its original rebellious spirit.
“Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand” is a classic outlaw country song. It is a humorous and insightful look at a movement that changed country music forever. The song is a must-listen for any fan of country music history.