Waylon Jennings - Leavin' Town (RCA Victor, 1966)

On a song-by-song basis, Leavin' Town qualifies as my favorite Waylon Jennings album from the 1960s. There's not a bad track on here (indeed, every song is at least very good) if you like the kind of country music that I do. The "Folk Country" emblem to the right of the title on the album cover provides a more or less accurate description of the record's musical contents and was possibly an attempt by RCA to milk the commercial success of his like-titled debut for the label, which had been released earlier in 1966. In similar fashion to Waylon's other contemporary releases, the only issue with this LP is its brevity, with a total running time of just under a half-hour.


Even though Jennings was still being forced into a mold at this point in his career, one has to give credit to whoever was responsible for assembling this impeccable mix of material by other songwriters and the singer's own compositions and co-compositions. Intentional or not, several selections combine to make Leavin' Town something of a thematic affair since these pieces possess an air of, well, leaving about them. This is especially true on the first three songs in the lineup: the irresistibly twangy title track, the anthemic "Time to Bum Again" (another Harlan Howard gem), and an excellent interpretation of Delbert McClinton's timeless "If You Really Want Me to I'll Go." The firm-yet-sensitive "Baby, Don't Be Looking in My Mind" says everything that women should know about male psychology better than any relationship book on the New York Times best seller list ever could. Side one closes on a gentle note with the soothing "But That's Alright" and "Time Will Tell the Story," which Outlaw-era Jennings fans might find a bit to cloying for their tastes. To my ears, "You're Gonna Wonder About Me" best represents the "Folk Country" sound advertised on the LP sleeve. The Nashville treatment works well on Gordon Lightfoot's classic "For Lovin' Me," while the deliciously mellow "Anita, You're Dreaming" and "Falling for You" further explores Waylon's tender side. The moving "Doesn't Anybody Know My Name," which relates the story of a blinded veteran who experiences a rather bleak homecoming, gets my vote for the album's best performance. The closing track "I Wonder Just Where I Went Wrong" ends thing rather majestically due in large part to the piano and stately organ at the fore of the mix, which was an unusual arrangement in country music at the time.

WAYLON "DEPARTING THE MUNICIPALITY"

1. Leavin' Town
2. Time to Bum Again
3. If You Really Want Me to I'll Go
4. Baby, Don't Be Looking in My Mind
5. But That's Alright
6. Time Will Tell the Story
7. You're Gonna Wonder About Me
8. For Lovin' Me
9. Anita, You're Dreaming
10. Doesn't Anybody Know My Name
11. Falling for You
12. I Wonder Just Where I Went Wrong