Tony Joe White’s “Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies” with Waylon
Any self-respecting country music fan worth their salt can recite the verses of the legendary Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson collaboration “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” written by Patsy and Ed Bruce. But if you really want to test someone’s country music mettle, see if they can give you any details on the song “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies.”
No, this was no Weird Al parody. This was legendary Louisiana swamp country rocker Tony Joe White’s take on the classic country song. And in its original form, it earned a glowing endorsement from Waylon Jennings himself, so much so that Ol’ Waymore showed up to the studio and sang it with Mr. Polk Salad.
Unfortunately though, the album the duet appeared on called The Real Thang in 1980 went missing in action after its release, and has been out-of-print for years. Those who know their country music trivia might recognize the song from Tony Joe White’s Live From Austin, TX release on New West from 2006 (taken form Tony’s 1982 Austin City Limits appearance). Dale Watson also covered the song for his 2015 album Call Me Insane.
But thanks to a new expanded reissue of Tony Joe White’s The Real Thang out in full on October 24th, we get to hear the original version of “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies” with Waylon singing on it once again.
“[It’s] Obviously a parody of the original and written in good fun,” says Jody White, son of Tony Joe who’s trying to revive his dad’s catalog. “Waylon singing on the track just makes it legit.”
1980’s The Real Thang came at a time when Tony Joe White was really leaning into his country influences and collaborating with Waylon Jennings on a regular basis. This includes co-writing another track with Waylon for The Real Thang called “Cowboy Singer” that’s also been released ahead of the reissue. Waylon and Tony would also tour with each other upon occasion.
This won’t be the only time we hear ol’ Waylon’s voice on lost recordings. On October 3rd, the 10-song Songbird album of unreleased Waylon tracks curated by Shooter Jennings will be released.
The reissue of Tony Joe White’s The Real Thang is now available for pre-save/preorder.
TRACK LIST:
Goodbye LA
Mama’s Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up to be Babies
Cowboy Singer
It Just Don’t Get It No More
Redneck Women
I Came Here to Party
That’s the Way a Cowboy Rocks n Rolls
Let’s Trade Heartaches
She Sits Close to the Driver
Pour Me Another Memory
Hangin’ On
Alligator Stomp
Swamp Rap
I Get Off On It
Grounded
Even Trolls Love Rock n Roll
Polk Salad Annie
Disco Blues
October 2, 2025 @ 8:08 am
Tony Joe White deserves a lot more credit, as a singer, picker and writer.
October 2, 2025 @ 9:23 am
Thanks for letting us know about this upcoming album. I can include it on my streaming station. There is one song however that I am afraid will still not be available and that is Waylon’s version of Days Of Sand and Shovels. It was released with a greatest hits compilation from 1969 and is only available on used vinyl. The song only made it to 20 according to Billboard. But Waylon sings it with his haunting tone and delivery much like his song Revelation.
October 2, 2025 @ 10:37 am
The Real Thang is my second favorite Tony Joe LP after Homemade Ice Cream. It is so sexy and cool and filled with classic songs (including the song the article is about) when it could have been dorky and cynical because it is ultimately a disco record at a time when everyone in the world had to make one if they planned to sell anything. How many disco records have harmonica??? Insane and impossible to do without his swagger and songwriting talent.
I don’t at all approve of the changed tracklist, as I Get Off On It is one of the all-time great opening tracks. The original is already hard to find and underappreciated so it would have been better to put the other tracks as a bonus disc. Oh well, the estate is trying to make it separate I suppose. Hopefully more people will get turned onto Tony Joe.
October 2, 2025 @ 10:50 am
I have that Live From Austin, TX DVD/CD release. It kicks off with this song. Looks like a bunch of the songs from this upcoming TJW release were also on the live release. Redneck Women is also a lot of fun.