Jesse Younger
The Highwaymen · Other Songs - The Highwaymen
Doing all he could to please his mommy and his dad
But he never planned to be the man
They said that he'd become
And somehow or another Jesse's little baby brother
Is his father's and his mother's only son
Every day the neighbors say that it's a dirty shame
The way he spat upon his family and scandalized their name
And his parents never really ever said he'd been disowned
But somehow or another now his little baby brother
Is his father's and his mother's only son
Oh, Jesse Younger you're a devil not a man
Can you dare to treat your parents so unkind?
You have selfishly refused to live your life the way they planned
And you've started going your own way and speaking your own mind.
Jesse Younger's parents wonder where it all went wrong
Now that Jesse's name has turned to ashes on their tongues
But he chose to starve asnd try to carve a future of his own
And he got his druthers because now his younger brother
Is his father's and his mother's only son.
Oh, Jesse Younger, you're a devil not a man
Can you dare to treat your parents so unkind?
You have selfishly refuysed to live your life the way they planned
And you've started going your own way and speaking your own mind.
Jesse Younger - The Highwaymen
The Highwaymen's "Jesse Younger" stands as a defining song in their collaborative catalog, blending the outlaw country aesthetic with a narrative of the American West. Recorded by the quartet of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson, the track captures the gritty spirit of the genre while reflecting the group's shared commitment to authentic storytelling. As a staple of their collective output, the song exemplifies the harmonies and vocal interplay that characterized their era, offering listeners a glimpse into the musical landscape of the 1970s. It remains a significant piece in their discography, celebrated for its raw emotion and the enduring legacy of the artists who performed it together.