Yeah, So Morrissey Performed Waylon’s “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way”
I can’t really say that the former frontman for the British-based band The Smiths turned solo performer Morrissey inhabited any part of my musical ethos, positive or negative, big or small, and at any point during my musical travelogue. Sure I knew who he was, and brushed up against his music and the music of The Smiths at times when interfacing with the clove-smoking trench-coat wearing contingent of my American public high school. No question Morrissey has an intriguing voice and knows what to do with it, and The Smiths were undoubtedly one of the most influential bands of British pop rock in the 80’s.
But frankly the dude seems to be a bit of a drama queen. He’s always whining about something. A month ago he was crying about being groped at a TSA checkpoint. Hey man, that’s just the generally-accepted foreplay to boarding a plane in the States these days. Suck it up. Then it was something about feral cats being exterminated in Australia, then he accused Obama of being “white on the inside,” razzed on Prince Harry for being a “passionate animal killer,” and is more notorious than No Show Jones for cancelling tours last minute or waking out of venues for a host of reasons, including famously railing against one of his opening acts, Kristeen Young, for making him sick on tour.
Anyway, whatever you think about the music, the dude’s a serious handful, and it’s either Morrissey’s way, or the highway. I generally find it hard to root for overly-principled, uptight, perfectionist prima donnas who are hell bent on having the rest of the world bend to their own personal will and agenda. But damned if there isn’t something interesting, if only from the curiosity factor at the clashing of two worlds, about his performance of Waylon Jennings’ legendary protest song and super hit “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?”
Morrissey performed the song at the Visalia Fox Theater in Visalia, California on August 29th, for what exact reasons remain undetermined. The band nails the 2-chord, hard-pounding, simple composition pretty spot on. Yes, I’m not sure Hank would’ve sang a country song in a Mork suit, but Morrissey seems to really be into his rendition, for whatever reason.
I’m not sure if to laugh at it, love it, or just awkwardly pound my shoulder with my opposite hand to the beat. It’s good someone is keeping this song alive. I guess.
Nanu nanu.
September 1, 2015 @ 6:46 pm
Well since it appears that most current “country” artists would rather cover R&B, rap and rock instead of the country artists that they profess they listen to in the cornfields, I’m glad someone is covering it.
September 3, 2015 @ 9:59 am
Morrissey can be annoying but he did a great job with this cover. It has his fingerprints all over it.
I’m surprised our fine host said, ” Hey man, that”™s just the generally-accepted foreplay to boarding a plane in the States these days. Suck it up.” Morrissey scored big points with me when he shined the spotlight on the big problem. Back in the day, how do you think an American cowboy would react to this treatment?
September 1, 2015 @ 6:53 pm
Morrissey recording a country album would actually be fascinating…
September 1, 2015 @ 6:55 pm
You know I actually like this. Had half a smile on my face through the whole thing. It kinda had the feel of an American Idol or a talent show though.
September 1, 2015 @ 6:58 pm
I would be curious to know if or how he introduced the song….I was never into the Smith’s as I was a metal head prior to Randy Travis “Storms of Life” changing my life in 86 but if the bro-country boys aren’t covering country why not Morrissey.
September 1, 2015 @ 7:09 pm
He thought he was in Bakersfield singing a Merle Haggard Song.
September 1, 2015 @ 7:11 pm
I am like you, Trig, I have never heard a Morrisey or Smiths song that I know of before. Hes never been on my radar, either. I thought he would be younger, but he did a good job on this song. Is this Waylon’s most heavily covered song? I own at least four versions of this song.
September 1, 2015 @ 9:37 pm
Good work being open-minded Banner! If you listen to their stuff, you will be justly rewarded.
September 3, 2015 @ 8:38 pm
Including one where it’s done as “Are You Sure Waylon Done It This Way”?
September 1, 2015 @ 7:21 pm
Morrissey is his usual whiny self but the band nails it! This unsurprisingly rocks harder than anything the Smiths ever did, though that isn’t hard. I think Waylon would be proud.
September 1, 2015 @ 9:35 pm
Ummm, no. The Smiths rocked far harder. Please, read up/listen.
September 2, 2015 @ 9:06 am
Sorry, I’ve tried many many times to like the Smiths. They do nothing for me. If you have a particular song that proves their rocking cred, I’d love to hear it.
September 2, 2015 @ 9:16 am
I have never heard them “rock out,” either….
September 5, 2015 @ 7:01 am
Not a phrased I’d have ever used either. But Johnny Marr is a fabulous guitar player.
September 7, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PShfGsFr6d4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=526GPD_hCi4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVX9vN-3Vsw
September 1, 2015 @ 10:01 pm
I like this cover – Morrissey’s voice suits the material. And the Smiths really did rock – Morrissey too back in the 90’s. Watch some of their live concert footage on youtube to get a sense of the pandemonium their concerts generated.
September 1, 2015 @ 7:21 pm
You left out last year when he cancelled last minute on Jimmy Kimmel because of the Duck Dynasty “animal murderers” were on the same show..Wonder if anyone will tell him Waylon done some hunting and fishing in his day.
September 1, 2015 @ 7:31 pm
I didn’t mind his cover of this. However, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’s on something. The facial contortions and rubbing his nose looked a bit suspicious to me.
September 1, 2015 @ 9:34 pm
Dislike. Martha, I am concerned YOU are on something. Read up, get educated, live fully.
September 1, 2015 @ 7:50 pm
That was a pretty rockin’ version. 🙂
I think this guy’s had plenty of really good songs, both with the Smiths (including “The Boy With the Thorn in His Side,” “Panic,” “Ask,” “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” “How Soon is Now?,” “There is a Light That Never Goes Out,” “Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want,” and “Girlfriend in a Coma” — the latter of which was covered by Mojo Nixon) and solo (“Everyday is Like Sunday,” “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get,” “We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful,” “The Last of the Famous International Playboys,” etc.). It doesn’t surprise me that he would have great taste in classic material.
September 2, 2015 @ 7:34 am
Not a bad cover ~ the band sounds like they’ve played country before…
And if I may (at the risk of being “called out”) 🙂 …
A number of his these titles sound like they’d be great country songs on their own~
And yes, I am checking out his previous work…
September 2, 2015 @ 8:50 am
Oh yes, lots of great titles in the Moz songbook. 😀 “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now,” “Shoplifters of the World Unite,” “You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby,” “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me,” “You’re the One for Me, Fatty,” “Satan Rejected My Soul”…
September 1, 2015 @ 9:34 pm
Morrissey says a lot of stuff (“there’s no bad press”), but his music has always spoke louder than bombs and his discography is above reproach (seriously, soulfulness for days–one of our best singer-songwriters extant). Bravo on him! And RIP to Mr. Jennings!
September 1, 2015 @ 10:22 pm
Wow. Visalia is really coming up in the world.
The sad truth of the matter is that performance, Mork suit and all (good one Trig!) is more country than Thomas Rhett and his poison pill. That twerp could not cover a Waylon song. He would sound like a second grader trying to lead a haka. At least Morrissey has some battle scars. Maybe being 75 miles or so away from Buck’s Crystal Palace rubbed off on him or something.
September 2, 2015 @ 8:04 pm
Whats been going in Visalia? I haven’t been there in years, is that just a comment on them getting Morrissey out there?
Its hard not to let the Crystal Palace Rub off on you at least a little bit. So much great country music was made in that City that for me, parts of it gives me the same feeling I get in Nashville.
September 2, 2015 @ 12:53 am
that ole morrasy is a English sissy. tell em to go back to england an leeve the cuntry music to real men like luje brian an jason aldeen. and he needs to apalajize to the Chinees for callin em sub human for eatin dogs. that ole morrasy is a peta nutjob and a English sissy.
September 3, 2015 @ 9:24 am
Give ’em hell, Lil Dale! Preach to the choir, brother!
September 2, 2015 @ 4:32 am
You’re line, ” I’m not sure if to laugh at it, love it, or just awkwardly pound my shoulder with my opposite hand to the beat” is how I’ve felt about this guy for the past 30 years. In the end, his music (usually) wins out. Another fun read. Thanks for doing what you do, Trigger.
September 2, 2015 @ 5:29 am
Fuck yes Morrissey. Are you sure Waylon would not have worn that suit?
September 2, 2015 @ 2:00 pm
He wouldn’t’ve doe it QUITE that-a way…
September 2, 2015 @ 5:38 am
I think Morrissey is uptight, foppish, and whiny as a person, but I genuinely like him as a musician. Not quite as familiar with his solo material as I am his tenure with the Smiths, but stuff like “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” and “Bigmouth Strikes Again” are some of the most marvelous prototypical pop-rock songs I can think of off the top of my head.
September 2, 2015 @ 5:59 am
Morrissey is a weird dude, and I never much cared for the Smiths, but he does a decent job with this song. My cousin left a cassette tape of “The Queen is Dead” in my truck back in the day, and I listened to it a few times. Definitely not for me. The shoulder tapping is very odd and uncomfortable, but Morrissey is odd and uncomfortable.
Morrissey is absolutely correct about the illiterate, overpaid, loafing perverts who work for TSA, however. The Israeli’s, who actually know what they are doing when it comes to safety (they rely heavily on profiling,) laugh at our incompetence. It is security theater and nothing more. Oh, and I think he actually knows what the problems of the West are, he just has to backtrack after he points them out…
September 2, 2015 @ 2:06 pm
Also, this video refutes the title of the Smiths album. The Queen is not dead. She is very much alive…
September 2, 2015 @ 6:09 am
Kinda reminds me of Pat Boone covering Little Richard…
September 2, 2015 @ 6:18 am
He’s a nut, but a talented one. I dig the cover.
September 2, 2015 @ 6:40 am
Do a YouTube search, there are at least 101 worse covers of this song out there. Its a hard one to get right and amazes me how pussified most renditions are. This was not all bad, it had the right attitude for sure…. but that Elvis gittyup he’s wearing made me chuckle.
September 2, 2015 @ 1:50 pm
The best version (other than the original) was Hellbound Glory “Waylon never did it their way” which was basically a cover of this song with a couple a words changed. By the way, according to my Facebook feed, hbg is back together with a new album coming out soon….. guess the whole Leon Virgil Bowers thing didn’t work out? Who cares, Leon, Hellbound, call it whatever but its time for some new tunes from this guy!
September 2, 2015 @ 2:25 pm
Lost all respect for this bloody Englishman the second he called duck hunters “serial killers”. Besides, I honestly think his voice sucks. But why not have Morrissey cover Waylon; Tom Hiddleston’s playing Hank!
September 2, 2015 @ 3:45 pm
OK 2 thoughts: 1. Which Carnival Cruise line was this again?!?! In all seriousness when I saw the headline I was ready to just throw my head against a wall, but was surprised.
2. Why can’t those labeled as country artists now do something like this. Crazy that this guy is singing this song and FGL can only mention the legends in a song that’s bump bump bumping on the radio. In fact, I would dare say that half the damn guys who invoke Waylon could sing this song without the help of there iPhone.
September 2, 2015 @ 5:51 pm
Morrissey also covered Rose Garden after Lynn Anderson passed away, which was a pretty good version in my opinion. It doesn’t surprise me too much that he covers country songs, he’s had a history with rockabilly music, even being backed by a rockabilly band in his early solo years. I’m pretty sure Boz Boorer, his longtime rhythm guitarist, helped in some way to choose this song to cover.
September 4, 2015 @ 6:29 pm
Helium Kermit.