This is a Random Album Generator.
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
1973
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!First album generated that I gave more than one listen for the day. Shaver writing for Waylon. Awesome.
This is what country is about. Waylon takes pain and hope and love and blends it all together in a great album. He’s definitely a pillar of country for a reason.
Well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I still really hate that whimpering steel guitar sound with a deep and abiding passion and the lyrical content of most of these songs absolutely do not connect with me. But not all of them. There are some solid tracks here. Enough to give it a middling grade from me, at least.
I love Waylon. He practically created a genre. This album has many wonderful songs and is a perfect example of outlaw country.
Take me back to Nashvillle right now. Lush with the kind of pathos and grit that all of favourite country music shows. Real characters in profound circumstances. Pure songwriting magic.
This album is so great. Waylon pioneers country music in this album, and the vocal and instrumental performances are amazing. The songwriting is great and has tons of catchy stuff, and I will likely listen to this album several more times.
I loved it. It took me back to my childhood when I worked for my dads drywall company in hill yard (an area of spokane) and would go get lunch across the street and they played country music with slide steel guitars
Tykkäsin yllättävän paljon tästä kantrilevystä. Biisit oli tarttuvia, mutta ei mielestäni kuitenkaan liian renkutusta. Ja tunnelmallisesti pääsi hienosti kuvitelmien Route 66:lle rekan rattiin.
My 16 year old self would've wanted to punch me for saying this, but I actually really liked a Country album. Didn't overstay its welcome and after a stressful day of work, felt soothing. Had some great acoustic guitar and bass to accompany the outlaw imagery. Would say Omaha was the best of the bunch.
Very nice, old school country. I learned what outlaw country music is from reading Waylon's bio.
I actually rather enjoyed this and listened to it several times. I tend to gravitate towards the "outlaw" stuff from the 70s when it comes to country. Like Willie and Waylon.
Tego sie nie spodziewalem, albumik country, a dokladnie outlawowego country z roku 73 na takiej liscie, szok i niedowierzanie, bo przeciez w tamtych czasach moda na disko funk, a kowboje juz dawno umarly, ale jednak nie wszedzie, bo ta plyta pokazuje , ze gatunki muzyczne, nawet tak niszowe, jak rozbojnickie granie wioskowe nie gina tak latwo, a moga sie nawet dobrze sprzedac, jesli sa zrobione na poziomie, a tutaj ten poziom jest widoczny od pierwszego do ostatniego traka, pan Jennings pod ktorego beltem jest ten material znalazl zloty srodek miedzy cechami klasycznych kawalkow countrowych, a bardziej przystepnym graniem w stylu rokowym, bo pomimo tego ze traki sa jak przystalo na ten gatunek raczej krotkimi kompozycjami, to instrumentalnie dzieje sie na nich duzo, do tego stopnia, ze niektore piosenki musialem sluchac po kilka razy, skupiajac sie na konkretnym kanale, bo jak na klasyka przystalo cechy mono nagran mocno sie przebijaja, wiec na lewym kanale akustyk jest szarpany, a na prawym odpowiada mu elektryk, kazdy trak ma chyba innego basiste, albo przynajmniej wykorzystuje inne typy gitar, bo ciezko znalezc identyczne brzmienia, tak samo z harpami, bo doslownie jakby kilka osob bylo tylko od tego, do tego smyczki, czy to wiolonczelii, badz skrzypcow pojawiaja sie w wiekszej liczbie niz jeden, moja teorie potwierdza sklad muzykow ktorzy brali udzial w nagrywaniu plyty, bo lista zawiera blisko 20 nazwisk, taka roznorodnosc wsrod grajacych przeklada sie na to, ze zaden trak nie brzmi tak samo, a to przeciez country, najnudniejszy instrumentalnie gatunek, o ile Jennings jest mastermindem tych kompozycji, to jednak nie spiewa on swoich kawalkow, bo wszystkie piosenki, poza we had it all, zdecydowanie najslabszej czesci plyty, szczesliwie to ostatni trak, jest mister Billy Joe Shaver, po ktorego zguglowaniu okazal sie tych archetypem wspolczesnego, jak na lata 70, kowboja, ktory scigal Jenningsa na drugi koniec stanow zeby ten zrobil material z jego tekstami i dopial swego, cale szczescie, bo o ile granie i kompozycja instrumentalna jest godna pochwaly, to jak dla mnie najbardziej te plyte robia wlasnie teksty, ktore tak plynnie oddaja ducha utraconego juz swiata tytulowych honky tonkowych herosow, czyli ludzi zyjacych z dnia na dzien i umierajacych z dnia na dzien, bez grosza przy duszy, ktorych najwiekszym zmartwieniem jest co dzisiaj zjesc, wiec opowiesci o kowbojach biedakach i pieknych kobietach, wielkich wygranych barowych kontestow, tanich alkoholach, prawie i jego strozach, milosci do swojej malej ojczyzny, a jednoczesnym umilowaniu wolnosci nieograniczonej zadnymi granicami, jesli w 73 byly to juz motywy na wymarciu, to obecnie sa one skamielinami, moze wlasnie dlatego tak dobrze sie tego slucha, na plejke z pewnoscia leci tytulowy trak, dodatkowo aint no god in mexico i willy the wandering gypsy and me, ale material 27 minutowy, wiec idealny na krotka sesje na raz
Buen disco, la voz impresionante, me faltaria un poco más presencia de la banda en algunos momentos. Me gustaria pegarle más escuchas para saborearlo bien.
one of my favorite all time country albums. The birth of Outlaw country and by far Waylons best work (only album you really need by him imo). I always thought Willie Nelson was the better of the 2 but that this album may have been the best between them all. The tone, the lyrics, the non twang-y country and his deep voice all just took Country in the best direction it's ever been taken, mixed with blues and rockabilly
Very listenable and just the right amount of country + rock'n'roll. I only really knew him from "Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys", so this was a bit of a pleasant revelation.
One of the outlaws making classic country sounds. It’s easy to see how he made a difference in the genre.
This was actually pretty cool! Really liked the first song and seems like some funny/cool old country to have in your lexicon.
Waylon gets in, handles his business, and gets out. Great lyrics (no, really, some true classics in here) and slick early-70s production make this a good time to listen to.
Country I can get around. Old Five and and Dimers, Black Rose and Slow Rollin' Low are my highlights. Dudes lived an interesting life, shared a house with Johnny Cash and gave up his seat on the flight that killed Buddy Holly.
Beep! Beep! There's a band named Cracker that was big in the 90's. Also, in the 90's I was once called honky - "What's up honky?!" ... and again, in the 90's... Archers of Loaf had an album called "White Trash Heroes," (the last song on that album by the same name is great). This album, "Honky Tonk Heroes" came out in the 70s. Evidently things had changed in the 20 years since Waylon Jennings had released this so I had to get to the bottom of what Honky Tonk was and I did a Wikipedia search. Evidently, there's a difference between country music and another similar style of music called Honky Tonk, whereas Country music was mostly from the rural south and had a religious slant to it whereas Honky Tonk was the style of music played by rural southerners who've moved to the city and discovered all of it's ills, which makes sense since WJ and Johnny Cash were known to do some pretty awesome drugs together. Oh! The album. As soon as I found out that this eschews any religious slant, it freed me up to listen to this with an open mind and guess what... ? I liked this way more than I thought I would. I especially liked that it was only 32 mins. I liked the pace of it. I liked the slide guitar and I liked his voice.
Oof this is hard. I love a classic honkey tonk album, and this is certainly one. But is this the best? A true five star? Another four star ratIng—but I suspect this could have been a five star if I had grown up with it.
I never got into country music until the last few years. Outlaw Country is the latest discovery for me and you can't have Outlaw without Waylon. Billy Joe Shaver's addition to the lineup helps turn this album into a fun romp. 4/5.
Track 01 - 4.25/5 Track 02 - 3/5 Track 03 - 2.75/5 Track 04 - 3.5/5 Track 05 - 3.75/5 Track 06 - 3.5/5 Track 07 - 3/5 Track 08 - 3.25/5 Track 09 - 3.25/5 Track 10 - 2.75/5 Track 11 - 3.25/5 Track 12 - 3/5 Overall: 3.75/5 Album Art: 3.5/5
I love Waylon. He's one of the absolute beet country musicians to walk the earth in my book. I want to give this a perfect score but I can't. I just think he has better albums than this. It's still really good though. It's just a shame that there's not much (mainstream) country that sounds even close to as good as this anymore.
Muy agradable outlaw country, con una voz interesante porque no se pasa de pulida, pero tampoco es una rasposidad total. Excelentes riffs de guitarra y muy buen bajo. Es de esas cosas que estando en onda country pondría con gusto.
Este álbum se me hizo muy interesante, ya que me parece muy icónico del country. No parece que tenga 50 años desde que se creó. También me llama mucho la atención la época en la que fue grabado; usualmente asociada al rock y al disco. Aunque tiene influencias de rock, es un rock mucho más clásico, como del tiempo de Elvis Presley.
Disclosure: Soft spot in the heart for classic country, and in particular for Waylon Jennings and his contemporaries. The stark contrast of that era of Country versus the pop version of it we have today sort of lends to thinking of the latter as not being Country at all. Granted, the argument can be made that Country changes as the country changes, but in this context when "country" changes it is no longer "country", and the music demonstrates that. Nostalgia is okay here, styles go in and out, it is a part of life. This album checks off the list containing that mix of folksy and bluesy, something created out in a small country town vs. the big city studio (although it could have been) and that is a good thing.
I feel pretty nostalgic for this kind of music. My grandfather used to listen to Waylon. I've spent many an afternoon eating porkchops and listening to Waylon with him. He used to talk about the days of Running white lightning and shooting shit up. Different Life man. And these albums bring me back to that part of my childhood. While also helping me second hand experience some Whiskey fueled nights of Gooning around the mountains.
Not into country music myself but i find this a very enjoyable album I hope i find more like this one.
good. I can see how this got the ball rolling on outlaw country for sure. that last song really hit
I really enjoy the storytelling on this, even though it gets mildy repetitive at times.
Agréablement surpris, s'écoute beaucoup mieux que ce que j'anticipais. Ce genre de son country est beaucoup plus à mon goût que la majorité de ce qui est largement populaire.
Jako simpa album. Pogotovo mi se svidila black rose i we had it all. Isto tako obožavam izraz honky tonk.
Short, pretty uniform throughout. Good example of the "outlaw country" that Waylon helped popularize. It's fine, I just don't have any strong feelings about it. Favorite tracks: "Omaha", "Ain't No God in Mexico"
This is pleasant enough country music. Wish it had a bit more propulsion and a little less schmaltzy 70s production, but it's fine.
A surprisingly nice listen. I am not a lover of country, at all, I find most of it quite torturous. However, this is relaxing and pleasant. It sounds amiable, comfortable, like I've always known it and it's a friend.
This is right at the end of that period when country for really bad. I can tolerate the rockabilly country. Today's country is just gross.
Not bad actually. Definitely not something I'd throw on, but right venue, right place... it could be grand. Apparently this is Outlaw Country.
Tuesday album Haiku review: Songs of heartland soul ### Country outlaw troubadour ### Melancholy wail ###
OK country and western album. Some really good songs, but not a groundbreaking album in my view.
Did a little background reading to get a better context for the album. Apparently Waylon was once Buddy Holly's bass player! I digress. I can appreciate the feel and attitude of this record. Origins of outlaw country, indeed, but I think I still prefer the cosmic American music of Gram Parsons and his crew from this era. Also, "We Had It All" kinda sucks. P.S. That's a particularly premature fadeout on "Lowdown Freedom," eh? Favourite track: "You Ask Me To"
Um álbum agradável, com uma vibe redneck por vezes e semelhante a Elvis por outras. As músicas são muito agradáveis é daqueles álbuns que metes e ninguém muda, mas dizer que é muito bom, também não consigo. Voltar a ouvir no futuro. Nota: 6/10 Nota:
Not a big fan of Outlaw country. This album is fine but no real standouts to me. This album appears to have made the list more for what it represents than the music itself. As Nick noted bring on GP.
rustig, leuk, niet zo speciaal. Wel leuk om zo eens old school country te hebben, ga het misschien nog wel luisteren.
I have heard a few tracks from Jennings, but I'm most familiar with his later career - "Willie, Waylon and the boys" - and that only in passing. All of the tracks on Honky Tonk Heroes were new to me. I enjoyed hearing a whole album, and I liked the music. The simple, but prominant, basslines were distracting sometimes. "You Asked Me To" and "Ain't No God in Mexico" grabbed my attention the most. This album is right on the edge between 3 and 4 stars. Perhaps Jennings' performance is enough reason to round up? --- it's 3.5 stars people, three-and-a-half.
Not a huge country fan, but don't mind this kind of "classic country". Songwriting is great and production is clean. Would have liked the songs to open up a bit more and have time for longer solos and more jamming, but I guess that wasn't the style.
Easy enough to have on in the background. Waylon has a good voice. There are a couple boring numbers such as Ride Me Down Easy and We Had It All.
The Wailin Jennys are terrific. Amazing harmonies driving some good bluegrass music. And all-star pun makers. (None of them are named Jenny.) In the spirit of the Wailin Jennys, here are some other groan-tastic country music puns and jokes: When I play country music for my chickens they start to sway and circle the coup to the music... It's poultry in motion! Technically, national anthems are just country music. Which Country Music Singer's name do you say when you're moving furniture past someone? Dolly Pardon. I asked what my sister was listening to, she says "LeAnn Rimes" and I says "with what?" If Keith Urban loves country music so much ... Why doesn't he change his name to Keith Rural?
Pretty good listen, but it's short and forgettable. Favorite track might be Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me
Interesting to read about, preferable to overproduced country rock, but still not all that compelling to me. Worked fine in the background like bar music.
I liked this! Have to be in the right mood for this kind of shit-kickin' country, and I suppose I was. The whole thing sounded pretty clear and fantastic coming through my fancy speakers. It's not the kind of James-Brown-good that I'm going to quickly listen to it again, but I definitely would. And after yesterday's ambient lull-fest it was nice to feel like I had a beer in my hand, even though I didn't. Or did I????
I don't really love any of these songs, but I do like this strain of short, pithy country road house songs. They have sort of a bad pun or just a juxtaposition of words in the title, super simple, maybe some good guitar licks. I don't know - I like it.
3.5, some good ol' country-ish music. The first track was a little more "zany" than I expected, then settled into the more outlaw country sound.
Today I learned about outlaw country: a sub-genre in country music belonging to a group of artists like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson who eschewed the conservative, commercial leanings of the "Nashville Sound" and forged their own trail. Smoking dope, bringing hope, scratching off the sheen they felt was stagnating country music at the time. I got a kick out of reading it, and felt more on Jennings' side on account of him not being a total puritanical bible-basher (as is the 1970's country music stereotype). There are some good melodies in here, and musically it's pleasingly rough-around-the-edges. The switch that turns "Honky Tonk Heroes" from lilting acoustic swing to a driving country-rock number is a great moment. Elsewhere, "Omaha" is a proper sing-along, while "You Ask Me To" and "Black Rose" are other highlights- it was the up-tempo material which stood out to me the most. However, reading the backstory of outlaw country did lead me to expect something a bit more... exciting? "We Had It All" is lovely but still feels about as syrupy a country ballad as can be- the cloying strings don't help. A lot of the lyrics don't feel particularly inspired either, retreading over the same themes over the track list. Nonetheless, I appreciate Jennings for getting everything off his chest and closing the album after a brisk 27 minutes to prevent things becoming too repetitive. It may not be enough to make me a total convert, but is it the best country album I've had on the list so far? Too darn right.
Empieza muy bien. La primera vuelta fue en el carro y me mató de aburrimiento. La segunda vuelta fue sentado trabajando y mejoró considerablemente. Las canciones más movidas son muy buenas aunque las muy muy lentas más country-sufridas no fueron tanto de mi agrado. 3.5 estrellas que bajan 3 por el sabor que me dejó la primera vuelta. Songs: Low Down Freedom, Omaha, Slow Rollin' Low
Never been big on Country but if there’s any I enjoy, it’s the older classics. That and the newish hick hop genre. Love how the title track kicks up the beat a minute and a half into the song, definitely got me bopping in my seat. I always appreciate a good harmonica solo. And who can’t relate to…’them lovable losers and no account boozers’. Old Five and Dimers is a classic slow country song where you can cry into your beer to…‘Good luck and fast bucks are too far and too few between’ for me too. Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me doesn’t pick up the pace too much but 3 songs in and I’m starting to thirst for a drink…’Three fingers whiskey pleasures the drinker’…SURE DOES! I could see adding Low Down Freedom to a play list. Nothing against Omaha and You Asked Me To; simple, straight forward little ditties. Ride Me Down Easy…OK, too much of this is getting to me, only 2 more songs to go. Whew, Ain’t No God In Mexico and Black Rose brings it back up and probably my favorites of the album. Respect for Waylon and a handful of songs makes this a solid 3.
Well here's an artist I've been meaning to check out more thoroughly for ages. Based on the first couple songs I can say that since I like Johnny Cash so much there's no excuse for not liking Waylon Jennings. Amazing voice. But the music is a tad slow and the twang slightly too much, I like him best when he sounds more like Elvis. This album at least is missing some of the edge and attitude of Johnny Cash.
Bare bones Waylon, and it's strong. There are some gestures to what sounds like church music with the organ, some rather silly but pleasantly country soundscapes. Mostly it's the guitar and voice, waiting to seep in.
Not usually a super fan of country music, but this one was pretty enjoyable. I wouldn't change it if it came on but probably wouldn't seek it out either.
Decent album. I am typically a fan of the Outlaw Country sound but didn't love this one as much as others I have listened to. 3/5
Jennings was a guy I didn't catch in the past. The marketing went a bit too cowboy for my taste, and he didn't get that late-career renaissance that Johnny Cash got. I liked this.
znači ja sam zaštitar u trafostanici, nigdje nikoga, 8 sati radno vrijeme, ovaj album svira na radiu. život je lijep i lagan. ★★★½, nešta malo fali za četvorku, ali volim ovakav country.
Country despullat i sense grans himnes, és curiosament un disc d'escolta fàcil. Un dels precursors de l'outlaw country, el disc deixa entreveure la formació de Jennings al rock, i no és només per entusiastes del génere
I liked this, although the lyrical range struck me as pretty limited. Musically solidly in its lane and well played but nothing that really reached out and grabbed me.
Not a big country fan, but this type of country I can appreciate. Just feels more authentic to me. 3 stars.
Appreciated more than the Lucinda Williams country-adjacent album. I always find myself just trying to push through and not intently listening to country (however loose)
Olis toivonut vähän enemmän honky tonkyä. Levynä aika pliisu vaikka parhaat biisit soi ihan hyvin.
I listened to this twice and both times when I got to the end I was like, what even happened? It was pretty blah for me, which disappointed me because I usually like Waylon Jennings quite a bit, or at least I thought I did...
Country isn't for me but I can appreciate Waylon and his part in country music history.
I liked this more than I thought I would. Bit samey by the end but it is short enough that it doesn't matter.
I don't really 'get' country, I seem to exclusively only like Johnny Cash. This was alright, I didn't like it but didn't actively dislike it either. Mercifully short at 27 minutes. I'm writing this 5 minutes after the album has finished and with the exception of We Had It All I have already forgotten the songs.
Picturing myself in an American bar with you all I could happily listen to this in the background of our ramble. I wouldn't choose to put it on but also wouldn't complain if somebody else had. Prefer the uptempo tunes with this genre not a fan of the slower Cash style. 2* but by no means bad.
Warm vocals and tough lyrics here from "outlaw" Waylon Jennings. I guess outlaw country isn't an attitude, but a sound, because I've heard country acts going back to the 40s cosplay as outlaws. But I digress, it's a good listen, but the negatives kind of outweighted the positives. Rating: 2.5/5
I am not a country-music fan, and Waylon Jennings does not do enough different on Honky Tonk Heroes to change my opinion. Almost every song sounds the same, it's either too sweet or too sad, definitely not for me. 2/5.
I listened to this while playing cod. V nice. // Favs: bro I was playing cod I didn't pay attention Score: Decent to Strong 2
I don't hate it man, I love country but 10 songs of this is too much even for me. I like the twang, but I ain't like it so much. 2/5 man, can't rate it 1 because a few songs on this, if they came on The Wire I'd be absolutely obsessed with.
Is it possible to believe in a country song in a country album be more country than the most country song in a country world ruled by countrymen and countrywomen with country childrens singing country songs in a country album? Yes, it's possible!
I feel like I was misled by the title of this album. I hoped it would be some nice old school jazz, but it's actually country... It *is* more jazzy than some of the other country I've had so far, but only for a couple of tracks. It also has some rock influences by the sounds of stuff, but comes back to the classic common themes like trucking and dumping/returning to women. Just not my jam I guess.
Tylsää countryrallattelua josta ei meinannut jäädä mitään mieleen muutamallakaan kuuntelukerralla. Mikäköhän meriitti on nostanut tämän listalle? Plussaa napakasta 27 minuutin mitasta.
This was ok, similar type of country to Jonny Cash. Nice pedal steel. Probably won't ever go back to it though.
Good solid country songs. A good band and authentic sound, about as much country and western as I can tolerate. 2/5 - Not a fan of country. I’m not a cowboy.
Recency bias. There was nothing wrong with it but it wasn't as good as the previous day.
Best Song: They all mix together in a continuous stream of the same, country-flavoured mush. It may have been fresh when it came out, but that doesn't make it interesting. Worst Song: Old Five and Dimer (Like Me). Are we at the country bear jamboree? Overall: I think I just have a predisposition to dislike any music where the singer refers to themselves as a "good old boy." Lyrically uninteresting, musically repetitive.
Äh, nnnnEIN! Ich hatte bislang noch nicht mal was von dem Genre "Outlaw Country“ gehört, geschweige denn von Jennings, und hätte mir gewünscht, dass das auch so geblieben wäre.
As if Hank Williams, Lefty Fritzell, George Jones, Merle Haggard etc never laid the path for being tough and vulnerable, muscular and sweet, Wailing Jennings sidles in with his dick dangling freely out of his zipper, orders shots for the whole bar and lays down some utterly useless guy music.
What did I think of this? It kind of washed over me, to be honest. I can only assume it's so clasically country as to sound like a pastiche to my post-modern, 21st century, hyper pop-culture literate ears. Besides, as we know, I don't actually like country music that much, despite my best efforts (cf. my Willie Nelson review).
not my thing