What Goes Around Comes Around
Waylon Jennings · 1979
33 min · 10 tracks · country music
A blend of traditional country storytelling infused with rock influences and a sense of outlaw rebellion.
Top tracks — play these first
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I Ain’t Living Long Like This Start here — The opening track sets the tone for the album with its gritty lyrics about living life on the edge, encapsulating the outlaw spirit that defines Jennings’ music.
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What Goes Around — This title track features reflective lyrics and a catchy melody that exemplify Jennings' ability to merge personal storytelling with broader themes of fate and consequence.
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Ivory Tower — In this poignant track, Jennings explores themes of disillusionment and societal expectations, showcasing his lyrical depth and emotional range.
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Old Love, New Eyes — This closing track beautifully contrasts nostalgia with hope, highlighting Jennings’ skill in portraying complex emotional narratives through simple yet impactful songwriting.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends rock influences with traditional country storytelling, showcasing Jennings' outlaw style.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a driving rhythm and prominent electric guitar, establishing a rock-influenced sound that persists throughout.
- Several tracks feature a call-and-response vocal style, enhancing the storytelling aspect typical of country music.
- The last three tracks slow down significantly, creating a reflective mood that contrasts with the more upbeat songs earlier in the album.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo storytelling flow
- heartfelt narratives with grit
- short tracks for quick listens
- reflective moments of longing
Maybe skip if you
- prefer fast-paced rhythms
- seek experimental soundscapes
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Critical Peak — This album solidified Jennings' influence and showcased his artistic evolution.
- Themes
- outlaw country spirit· karma and consequence· heartfelt storytelling
- Career context
- Released in 1979, What Goes Around Comes Around was Waylon Jennings' twelfth studio album, following his successful record, Honky Tonk Heroes. At this point in his career, Jennings had firmly established himself as a leading figure in the outlaw country movement, showcasing his signature style that combined classic country roots with a rebellious spirit.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Willie Nelson· Johnny Cash· Merle Haggard
Tracklist
- 1 I Ain’t Living Long Like This Start here 4:48
- 2 What Goes Around 2:58
- 3 Another Man’s Fool 2:57
- 4 I Got the Train Sittin’ Waitin’ 2:42
- 5 It’s the World’s Gone Crazy (Cotillion) 2:28
- 6 Ivory Tower 2:45
- 7 Out Among the Stars 3:34
- 8 Come With Me 3:03
- 9 If You See Her 3:28
- 10 Old Love, New Eyes 4:40
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
Shares the same outlaw country ethos with heartfelt storytelling and a stripped-down sound.
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
Explores themes of karma and consequence through a raw, reflective lens similar to Jennings' work.
Guitar Town
Steve Earle
Combines traditional country with rock influences and an outlaw spirit in its narrative-driven songs.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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