Introduction
Echoes of Outlaw Spirit: Rediscovering _Willie, Waylon and Me – David Allan Coe_
Few songs in the realm of country music capture the rebellious heartbeat of a movement quite like Willie, Waylon and Me – David Allan Coe. Released in 1977, at the height of the Outlaw Country era, this track is both a personal testament and a historical timestamp. It’s more than a song—it’s a statement, a self-penned autobiography told with twang, grit, and a whole lot of heart.
David Allan Coe has long been a controversial yet undeniably compelling figure in the country genre. A songwriter with an unflinching approach to truth-telling and self-expression, Coe carved his path through Nashville and beyond by rejecting the polished production and commercial constraints that dominated mainstream country in the 1970s. Willie, Waylon and Me stands as his homage to the icons who not only shaped his musical journey but who defined the very sound and spirit of Outlaw Country.
The song references Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, two of Coe’s contemporaries and collaborators, with whom he shared a musical philosophy rooted in authenticity, independence, and living life on one’s own terms. The lyrics aren’t just name-dropping—they’re layered with admiration, memories, and a sense of camaraderie forged in the fires of shared rebellion against the Nashville machine. As Coe sings, he weaves his own story among theirs, placing himself as a fellow traveler in the dusty trail they blazed.
Musically, the track is driven by a steady rhythm and backed by a production style that balances rough-edged honesty with melodic accessibility. It’s a song that speaks to those who remember when country music had a rawer soul—when it told stories not just of heartbreak or highways, but of resistance, resolve, and real-life living.
For older listeners especially, Willie, Waylon and Me – David Allan Coe offers a stirring trip down memory lane. It brings back a time when country wasn’t just a genre—it was a movement, a mindset. This song remains a cornerstone in understanding the outlaw ethos and continues to strike a chord for those who value sincerity over sheen, story over style.
Video
Lyrics
And I heard the burritos out in California
Could fly higher than the birds
Roger McGuinn had a 12-string guitar
It was like nothing I’d ever heard
And the eagles flew in from the West Coast
Like the birds, they were trying to be free
While in Texas, the talk turned to outlaw
Like Willie and Waylon, and me, hey
Well, they say Texas music’s in the making
And we been making music that is free
Doing one-night stands, playing with our bands
Willie, Waylon, and me, oh, mad dog
They say the Beatles were just the beginning
Of everything, music could be
Just like the stones I was rolling along
Like a ship lost out on the sea
And Joplin would die for the future
And Dillon would write poetry
And in Texas, the talk turned to Outlaw
Like Willie, and Waylon, and me, hey
My name is David Allen Coe, and I’m from Dallas, Texas
They say Texas music’s in the making
And we been making music that is free
Doing one-night stands, playing with our bands
Willie, Waylon, and me, Big Jim
I heard the burritos out in California
Could fly higher than the birds
Roger McGuinn had a 12-string guitar
It was like nothing I’d ever heard
And the Eagles flew in from the West Coast
Like the birds, they were trying to be free
While in Texas, the talk turned to outlaw
Like Willie, and Waylon, and me