Waylon Jennings _” Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way”
Waylon Jennings – “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” A Rebel’s Reflection on Country Music and Staying True to the Soul
When Waylon Jennings released “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” in 1975, he wasn’t just singing a song — he was calling out an entire generation of country music to remember its roots. The song became a thunderous anthem for the Outlaw Movement, but beneath its rough edges and rebellious tone lies something deeply human — a man’s longing for honesty in a world chasing fame and flash.
The song opens with a steady, driving beat, a sound that feels like a dusty Texas road beneath an old guitar. Waylon’s voice comes in — raw, soulful, unapologetically real — asking the question that still echoes through the halls of Nashville today: “Lord, it’s the same old tune, fiddle and guitar… where do we take it from here?”
It’s a question that’s both musical and spiritual. Waylon was watching country music drift away from its heart — replaced by glitz, rhinestones, and commercial polish. With this song, he looked back at Hank Williams, the man who built country music on truth, heartbreak, and simplicity, and wondered if the industry had lost its way.
For older listeners, “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” hits a special nerve. It speaks to anyone who’s watched the world change too fast — when the things that once mattered most, like hard work, honesty, and soul, get buried under the noise of modern life. Waylon’s gravelly tone carries both frustration and love, like a man scolding the world because he cares too much to let it fall apart.
This song isn’t just about music; it’s about authenticity. It’s about holding on to what’s real even when everyone else is chasing what’s easy. Waylon reminds us that you don’t need sequins to shine — just a heart that beats true.
Almost fifty years later, “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” still stands as a proud, defiant love letter to real country music — and to every man or woman who’s ever refused to sell their soul just to fit in. Waylon didn’t just sing about Hank — he lived the way Hank did: honest, stubborn, and forever true to the music that came from the heart.
