About the Song
Released in March 1967 on the album Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan, I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail by Waylon Jennings captures a slice of country energy rooted in the Bakersfield sound but filtered through Jennings’ unmistakable voice. The song—originally made famous by Buck Owens—is given a fresh twist as Jennings delivers it with bravado, grit and a wink of self-awareness.
On this track, Jennings takes the vivid imagery of hitching a ride with a wild tiger and turns it into a metaphor for life on the road, the unpredictability of love, and the thrill (and danger) of holding on when you’ve already got more than you bargained for. His vocal carries a confident swagger, yet beneath it you sense the man who’s ridden the highway, seen the neon lights fade and knows the cost of chasing the tail. The arrangement is tight and upbeat, a nod to the honky-tonk that connects with audiences who remember bars with sawdust floors, guitars ringing in the night and stories told until the last call.
For listeners from earlier decades—those who’ve worn the boots, taken the nights and felt the dawn come too fast—this song lands like a reclaimed memory. It’s not about slowing down; it’s about gripping the reins, even when the tiger’s got claws. Jennings doesn’t apologize for the chaos, he celebrates it; but there’s an unmistakable undercurrent of survival—a recognition that being “ragged but right” (to borrow one of his other songs) means holding on and riding out the wild ride.
In the broader arc of Waylon Jennings’ career, this rendition of “I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail” stands as a bridge between traditional country and the outlaw frontier he would soon help define. It nods to the past while signaling the arrival of a voice ready to take full ownership of his music, his direction and his life.
If you’re looking for a song that spins with energy, roots you in country tradition and invites you to lean into the ride rather than wait for the fall—this one’s your ticket.