Rock Salt and Nails
Waylon Jennings · Six Strings Away [Bear Family] [1999]
By the banks of the river where the willows grow cold
Wild birds warble the strange soundin' song
By the banks of the river where the waters run cold
Well, that's where I first listened to the lies that she told.
--- Instrumental ---
He lays there each night all alone and he weeps
Nothing ain't worse than a night wothout sleep
The letters she wrote him, they were written in vain
But I know that her conscience still echoes my name.
--- Instrumental ---
If the ladies were blackbirds and the ladies were fishes
I'd lay there for hours in the cold rainy matches
If the ladies were squirrels, yeah, with a big bushy tail
I'd fill up my shotgun with a rock salt and nails.
We'd fill up our shotgun with a rock salt and nails...
About Rock Salt and Nails
"Rock Salt and Nails" stands as a defining track in the catalog of Waylon Jennings, the "Country Cowboy" whose career bridged the gap between traditional honky-tonk and the emerging outlaw movement. Recorded for the album *Six Strings Away*, this song captures the raw, unpolished energy that characterized Jennings' signature sound, blending a driving rhythm with his distinctive vocal delivery. The track exemplifies the genre's shift toward a more direct, rebellious expression of life on the road, reflecting themes of resilience and independence that resonated deeply with fans of the era. As part of Jennings' extensive discography, the recording serves as a testament to his ability to craft songs that were both commercially successful and critically respected, cementing his legacy as a pivotal figure in American country music history.