I Ain't Living Long Like This

Waylon Jennings · The Collection [Madacy] [2005]

(Rodney Crowell)



I looked for trouble and I found it son

Straight down the barrel of a lawman's gun

I'd try to run but you I don't think I can

You make one move and you're a dead man friend.



I ain't living long like this,

I can't live at all like this, can I baby?

He slipped the handcuffs on behind my back

Then left me freezing on a steel rail track.



They got 'em all in the jailhouse baby

I ain't living long like this

I can't live at all like this, can I baby?



Grew up in Houston off of Wayside Drive

Son of a carhop in some old night dive

Dad drove a stock car to an early death

All I remember was a drunk man's breath.



I ain't living long like this

I can't live at all like this, can I baby?



We know the story how the wheel goes round

Don't let 'em take you to the man downtown

Can't sleep at all in the jailhouse baby

I ain't living long like this

I can't live at all like this, can I baby?



--- Instrumental ---



I live for angel, she's a roadhouse queen

Make Texas Ruby look like Sandra Dee

I want to love her but I don't know how

I'm at the bottom of the jailhouse now.



I ain't living long like this

I can't live at all like this, can I baby?



You know the story bout the jailhouse rock

Go on and do it but just don't get caught

They got 'em all in the jailhouse baby

I ain't living long like this

I can't live at all like this, can I baby?...

I Ain't Living Long Like This

Waylon Jennings stands as a defining figure in the outlaw country movement, known for his distinctive baritone and rebellious approach to traditional sounds. This track captures the raw intensity that characterized his most celebrated recordings, reflecting a career built on authenticity and emotional depth. Throughout his extensive discography, Jennings consistently delivered performances that resonated with listeners seeking genuine storytelling and rugged musicality. The song exemplifies his ability to convey complex feelings through a direct, unadorned style that became his signature. As part of a vast body of work spanning decades, this recording remains a testament to his enduring influence on the genre and his status as a pivotal artist in American music history.