Greatest Hits (Waylon Jennings album)
Encyclopedia
Greatest Hits is a compilation album
by Waylon Jennings
, released in 1979
on RCA Victor. It documents Jennings' outlaw country
years for RCA and includes several of his most well-known signature songs, the most recent of which had been the title track of I've Always Been Crazy
, released the year before. Not counting the Mackintosh & T.J.
soundtrack album and the White Mansions
concept album
, Greatest Hits became Jennings' eighth consecutive release to reach #1 on the charts; it was also one of his last chart-topping records, with What Goes Around Comes Around
, released that same year, peaking at #2.
In 1984, RCA issued this album on CD with all 11 tracks but in 1989, RCA/BMG issued an abridged version of this album, this version is currently available.
As of 2007, this album is 5x Platinum certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, released in 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
on RCA Victor. It documents Jennings' outlaw country
Outlaw country
Outlaw country is a subgenre of country music, most popular during the late 1960s and the 1970s , sometimes referred to as the outlaw movement or simply outlaw music...
years for RCA and includes several of his most well-known signature songs, the most recent of which had been the title track of I've Always Been Crazy
I've Always Been Crazy
I've Always Been Crazy is a country album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1978. Highlights include the title track and "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand"; these two songs set the tone for the album, which finds Jennings burned out on the outlaw country movement...
, released the year before. Not counting the Mackintosh & T.J.
Mackintosh & T.J.
Mackintosh & T.J. is a soundtrack album to the film of the same name, featuring four songs performed by Waylon Jennings and another by Willie Nelson. It was released on RCA Victor in 1976. Three of the Jennings songs had been previously unreleased; four of the tracks on the album are instrumentals...
soundtrack album and the White Mansions
White Mansions
White Mansions is a 1978 album by various artists documenting the lives of white people in the Confederacy during the Civil War. The songs on the album were written by Paul Kennerley and are performed by Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, John Dillon and Steve Cash...
concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, Greatest Hits became Jennings' eighth consecutive release to reach #1 on the charts; it was also one of his last chart-topping records, with What Goes Around Comes Around
What Goes Around Comes Around
What Goes Around Comes Around is an album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1979. Released when the outlaw country movement was already visibly past its prime, it was Jennings' first studio album to feature his distinctive logo on the cover, surrounded by neon and stars; I've Always...
, released that same year, peaking at #2.
In 1984, RCA issued this album on CD with all 11 tracks but in 1989, RCA/BMG issued an abridged version of this album, this version is currently available.
As of 2007, this album is 5x Platinum certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
1979 release
- "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" (Young) – 3:38
- From Lonesome, On'ry and MeanLonesome, On'ry and MeanLonesome, On'ry and Mean is an album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1973. It was, after Good Hearted Woman and Ladies Love Outlaws, the third in a series of albums which were to establish Jennings as one of the most prominent representatives of the country movement, reaching #8 on...
(1973)
- From Lonesome, On'ry and Mean
- "Ladies Love Outlaws" (Clayton) – 2:32
- From Ladies Love Outlaws (1972)
- "I've Always Been Crazy" (Jennings) – 4:11
- From I've Always Been CrazyI've Always Been CrazyI've Always Been Crazy is a country album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1978. Highlights include the title track and "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand"; these two songs set the tone for the album, which finds Jennings burned out on the outlaw country movement...
(1978)
- From I've Always Been Crazy
- "I'm a Ramblin' Man" (Pennington) – 2:46
- From The Ramblin' ManThe Ramblin' ManThe Ramblin' Man is an album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1974. With a slightly more commercial sound than some of his previous records, it remained true to Jennings' outlaw country image...
(1974)
- From The Ramblin' Man
- "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line" (Bryant) – 2:20
- From Only the GreatestOnly the GreatestOnly the Greatest is a 1968 album by Waylon Jennings 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. "Walk On Out of My Mind" also charted that year, peaking at #5....
(1968)
- From Only the Greatest
- "Amanda" (McDill) – 2:56
- New overdub of a song that had appeared on The Ramblin' Man (1974)
- "Honky Tonk Heroes" (Billy Joe ShaverBilly Joe ShaverBilly Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
) – 3:27- From Honky Tonk HeroesHonky Tonk HeroesHonky Tonk Heroes is an album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. With the exception of the tenth and final track, all of the songs on the album were originally written or co-written by Billy Joe Shaver, who helped shape Jennings' movement in the direction of outlaw country...
(1973)
- From Honky Tonk Heroes
- "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys" (Bruce, Bruce) – 2:32
- With Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
- From Waylon and Willie (1978)
- With Willie Nelson
- "Good Hearted Woman" (Jennings, Nelson) – 2:59
- With Willie Nelson
- From Wanted! The OutlawsWanted! The OutlawsWanted! The Outlaws is an album by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, released in RCA Victor in 1976, and consisting of previously released material. Released to capitalize on the new outlaw country movement, Wanted! The Outlaws earned its place in music history by...
(1976)
- "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" (Emmons, Moman) – 3:19
- From Ol' WaylonOl' WaylonOl' Waylon is an album by Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Victor in 1977. It plays to Jennings' established outlaw country image. The album features one of his signature songs, a track featuring Willie Nelson called "Luckenbach, Texas ", as well as the Neil Diamond song "Sweet Caroline", a version...
(1977)
- From Ol' Waylon
- "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" (Jennings) – 2:55
- From Dreaming My Dreams (1975)
1989 release
- "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" (Young) – 3:38
- "I've Always Been Crazy" (Jennings) – 4:11
- "Honky Tonk Heroes" (Billy Joe ShaverBilly Joe ShaverBilly Joe Shaver is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.-Biography:...
) – 3:27 - "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" (Emmons, Moman) – 3:19
- "I'm a Ramblin' Man" (Pennington) – 2:46
- "Amanda" (McDill) – 2:56
- "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys" (Bruce, Bruce) – 2:32 (with Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
) - "A Good Hearted Woman" (Jennings, Nelson) – 2:59
- "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" (Jennings) – 2:55
Chart performance
| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 28 |
| Canadian RPM Country Albums | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Top Albums | 20 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 9 |
| Australian Albums Chart | 75 |