About the Song
Released in 1966 on the album Nashville Rebel, Waylon Jennings’ rendition of “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” is a fascinating meeting point between country storytelling and the Beatles’ poetic modernism.
The original Beatles version, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released in 1965 on Rubber Soul, was a turning point in pop music — mysterious, minimalist, and featuring George Harrison’s pioneering use of the sitar. When Waylon Jennings chose to reinterpret it just a year later, he wasn’t chasing trends; he was bridging two worlds. He gave the song a new accent, re-rooting it in the soil of American country without losing its haunting tone.
In Waylon’s hands, the song takes on a dustier, more grounded flavor. His deep, weathered voice strips away the English irony of the original and replaces it with a distinctly Southern melancholy. The instrumentation swaps out the sitar for acoustic and steel guitars, with the Nashville rhythm section giving it a slow, steady pulse. The result feels both familiar and strange — a Beatles song viewed through the smoky windows of a honky-tonk.
This version also captures a turning point in Waylon’s career. Still under RCA Victor’s polished production of the mid-’60s, he was beginning to hint at the independence and grit that would define his outlaw years. Covering a Beatles song was a bold move for a country artist at the time, but it showcased Waylon’s confidence as both an interpreter and innovator.
For today’s listener, “Norwegian Wood” in Waylon’s voice feels like a conversation between eras — British introspection meeting American heartland soul. It’s a reminder that true artistry transcends genre. Jennings didn’t imitate the Beatles; he translated them into his own language — plainspoken, emotional, and enduring.