About The Song
When one reflects on the turning points that reshaped country music in the 1970s, few songs encapsulate that pivotal shift with as much raw candor and cultural weight as Waylon Jennings’ Lonesome, On’ry and Mean. Released in 1973 as the title track of his landmark album, the song marked not only a sonic departure for Jennings but also a philosophical declaration that would reverberate far beyond Nashville. To appreciate Lonesome, On’ry and Mean is to understand a moment when an artist, long constrained by the polished strictures of the Nashville system, stepped fully into his own voice — unapologetic, rough-edged, and defiantly independent.
Written by Steve Young, one of the unsung heroes of the burgeoning outlaw country movement, the song first circulated in the margins of country and folk circles before landing in Jennings’ hands. From the opening chords, Lonesome, On’ry and Mean radiates a starkness that was virtually unheard of in mainstream country at the time. Its driving, stripped-down arrangement — built on gritty electric guitar riffs, steady bass, and minimalistic percussion — immediately distances itself from the lush orchestration and formulaic polish that had come to dominate the Nashville sound of the late 1960s.
Lyrically, the song is an unflinching portrait of a man alienated by both geography and society. The narrator drifts from town to town, disillusioned, hard-bitten, and barely tethered to any notion of home or stability. Lines like “I’ve been down that road and I’ve come back again” speak to the cyclical weariness of a life lived on the margins. Yet there’s no sentimentality here; instead, there is a hardened pride in embracing one’s outsider status. Jennings’ delivery is crucial — his deep, weathered baritone imbues every word with authenticity, balancing defiance with a weary resignation that feels earned rather than dramatized.
What makes Lonesome, On’ry and Mean so significant is how it functions as a manifesto. For Waylon Jennings, the song was not just a reflection of personal struggles — including battles with substance abuse, industry pressures, and a restless spirit — but a bold statement of independence. It effectively laid the groundwork for the Outlaw Country movement, which rejected the rigid constraints of Nashville’s production-line approach in favor of a more personal, artist-driven aesthetic. Alongside contemporaries like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash, Jennings used songs like this to carve out a space where creative control, honesty, and grit were paramount.
Over five decades later, Lonesome, On’ry and Mean remains a touchstone for those who appreciate country music’s rougher, more authentic edges. It captures the essence of Waylon Jennings — a man whose artistry was forged in rebellion, yet always rooted in a deep love for the storytelling tradition of country music. For listeners seeking a song that perfectly balances outlaw swagger with emotional truth, this track stands as one of Jennings’ definitive statements — uncompromising, unmistakable, and timeless.
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Lyric
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On a Greyhound busLord, I’m traveling this morningI’m goin’ to Shreveport and down to New OrleansBeen travelin’ these highwaysBeen doin’ things my wayIt’s been making me lonesome, on’ry and meanNow her hair was jet blackAnd her name was CodeneShe thought she was the queen of the Basin Street QueensShe got tired of that smokey-wine dreamBegan to feel lonesome, on’ry and meanWe got together, and we cashed in our sweepsGave ’em to a beggar who was mumbling through the streetsThere’s no escaping from his snowy white dreamsBorn lookin’ lonesome, on’ry and meanNow I’m down in this valleyWhere the wheels turn so lowAt dawn I pray to the Lord of my soulI say do Lord, do right by meYou know I’m tired of being lonesome, on’ry and mean