Country Music

Classic Country Music Hits

Country Music

In 1975, Waylon Jennings released “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” and with it, threw down a challenge to the Nashville machine. It wasn’t just a song—it was a statement. Frustrated by the polished, factory-made sound taking over country music, Waylon looked back at Hank Williams and asked the question everyone was afraid to: Have we lost the soul of this thing? With a raw beat and no-frills honesty, the song cut through the noise. It echoed the tension between tradition and commercialism, between artistry and control. And in doing so, it became an anthem for every artist who dared to color outside the lines. It wasn’t meant to be a hit—but it hit hard. Decades later, it still reminds us: country music didn’t start in a boardroom. It started with grit, sorrow, and the truth sung through a broken mic in a roadside bar.

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Introduction

There’s something timeless about a song that questions everything. In 1975, Waylon Jennings released “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” and in under three minutes, he held a mirror to the country music industry — and to himself.

The song isn’t flashy. It doesn’t need to be. With a stripped-down beat and a voice soaked in grit, Waylon cuts through rhinestone glamour and commercial polish to ask a simple but powerful question: Is this still real? He wasn’t taking shots at Hank Williams — quite the opposite. He was honoring the raw honesty Hank stood for while calling out how far the genre had drifted.

What makes this track special isn’t just its boldness, but its intimacy. Waylon wasn’t just speaking to the industry — he was speaking to every artist torn between staying true and playing the game. That’s why it still hits today. Whether you’re a musician or just someone trying to stay yourself in a world that rewards conformity, Waylon’s voice feels like a friend on your shoulder, whispering: Keep it honest.

Video

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Lord, it’s the same old tune, fiddle and guitar
Where do we take it from here?
Rhinestone suits and new shiny cars
It’s been the same way for years
We need to change

[Verse 2]
Somebody told me when I came to Nashville
“Son, you finally got it made!
Old Hank made it here, we’re all sure that you will”
But I don’t think Hank done it this way, no
I don’t think Hank done it this way, okay

[Bridge]

[Verse 3]
Ten years on the road making one night stands
Speeding my young life away
Tell me one more time, just so’s I’ll understand
Are you sure Hank done it this way?
Did old Hank really do it this a-way?

[Verse 4]
Lord, I’ve seen the world with a five-piece band
Looking at the back side of me
Singing my songs and one of his now and then
But I don’t think Hank done ’em this way, no
I don’t think Hank done ’em this way

[Outro]
Take it home

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