"Theme from 'The Dukes of Hazzard' (Good Ol' Boys)" by Waylon Jennings

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  0329
Date:  09/13/1980
Debut:  97
Peak:  21
Weeks:  23
Genre:  Country, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Jennings had been a musician and DJ prior to signed with RCA Victor in 1965, which resulted in his first country chart entry. For the next seven years, Jennings grabbed several country Top 10 singles and albums. But by the early 70s he was feeling constrained by the whole Nashville music machine where everything down to your clothes were dictated to the artist. So he renegotiated his contract gaining artistic control and along with Willie Nelson became an important player in the development of the outlaw country movement. This began the most successful period of his career where he amassed multiple #1 country singles and albums. In 1979, Jennings took on an off-screen character role as the narrator for the hit TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard." He also wrote and sang the show's theme song which was featured on his "Music Man" album and released as a single. It ended up being his biggest pop chart song and a #1 country hit.

ReduxReview:  I loved "The Dukes of Hazzard" the first few seasons. It was funny, stupid, had an awesome car, and of course, had hotty cousins Bo and Luke Duke. Apparently there was another cousin named Daisy Duke, but I don't remember much about her...  Anyway, the theme song fit the show perfectly and even though I never got into outlaw country music, I enjoyed this good ol' boys tune.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Jennings was part of a major music history moment in 1959. At the time, Jennings was hired by Buddy Holly to play bass on his winter tour. After the show in Clear Lake, Iowa, Holly had chartered a plane for himself and a couple of others - including Jennings - to fly to Fargo instead of taking the long bus ride. Famously, Ritchie Valens won a seat on the plane in a coin toss and Jennings voluntarily gave his seat to J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper) who was struggling with a cold. As everyone knows, the plane went down killing all on board and it became "the day the music died." Jennings had severe guilt over the crash due to an exchange between him and Holly before the flight. Holly joked to Jennings that "I hope your bus freezes up." Jennings responded to the joke with "well, I hope your plane crashes!"

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