About the Song
Released in October 1966 as a track on his album Leavin’ Town, “But That’s Alright” captures a snapshot of Waylon Jennings’s transition from Nashville-polished performer toward the rough-edged voice that would define the outlaw country movement.
On the surface, the song is a straightforward country number—its title hints at resignation and moving on. But under Jennings’s warm yet worn baritone, it becomes something deeper: the early rumblings of a rebel who is no longer satisfied with simply fitting in. In 1966, Jennings was still under the guidance of the Nashville system, yet that system’s constraints were beginning to chafe. Leavin’ Town, produced by Chet Atkins, delivered a clean sound, but in “But That’s Alright” you can hear a hint of impatience, a flicker of the renegade to come.
Musically, the arrangement is modest—steady rhythm, tasteful guitar, clear production—yet Jennings imbues each line with character. His voice carries the story: the wistfulness of departure, the acceptance of what can’t be changed, and the subtle spark of independence. It’s not bravado; it’s quietly powerful. For listeners who’ve spent years listening to polished country sounds, this track serves as a bridge to something grittier, more real.
Listening as years pass, the significance deepens: here is the young Waylon, still playing by the rules outwardly, but inside his spirit forging the path he’d later take. “But That’s Alright” isn’t the full-blown outlaw anthem—it’s the whisper before the roar. For those who have lived through their own transitions, the song resonates: we move on, change happens, and sometimes what’s “alright” is simply getting up and leaving with your boots still on.