Waylon Jennings – What Goes Around Comes Around

“What Goes Around Comes Around” is a song recorded by Waylon Jennings and released as a single in 1967, during the early phase of his solo recording career. The track appeared on his album Love of the Common People, issued by RCA Victor. At this point, Jennings was still working largely within the established Nashville production system, several years before he would gain full creative control and become a defining figure of the outlaw-country movement.

In the mid-to-late 1960s, Waylon Jennings was recording prolifically and refining his vocal identity. His records from this period often blended traditional country themes with pop-leaning arrangements, reflecting the industry norms of the time. “What Goes Around Comes Around” fits squarely into this context, presenting Jennings as a steady, thoughtful vocalist interpreting material designed for mainstream country radio rather than for stylistic rebellion.

Lyrically, the song is built around a simple moral principle expressed directly in the title. The narrator reflects on the idea that actions inevitably return to the person who commits them, framing the message as a universal truth rather than a personal grievance. The words are straightforward and declarative, relying on repetition of the central phrase to reinforce the theme. Instead of telling a detailed story, the song functions as a reflective statement on consequence and accountability.

Musically, the arrangement follows late-1960s country-pop conventions. Acoustic guitar anchors the track, supported by a steady rhythm section and restrained instrumental accents. The production is smooth and balanced, designed to fit comfortably within radio playlists of the era. There are no dramatic tempo changes or instrumental flourishes; the focus remains on vocal clarity and lyrical intelligibility.

Waylon Jennings’s vocal performance is calm and controlled. He delivers the lyric with an even, conversational tone, avoiding overt emotional emphasis. This restrained approach suits the song’s philosophical message and allows the listener to engage with the idea rather than with heightened drama. Even at this early stage, Jennings’s preference for understatement and credibility is evident.

Commercially, the single achieved modest success on the country charts. While it did not become a major hit, it contributed to Jennings’s continued presence on radio and supported the visibility of the Love of the Common People album. The song’s performance reflects Jennings’s status at the time as an emerging solo artist still building his audience.

In retrospect, “What Goes Around Comes Around” is often viewed as a minor but revealing entry in Waylon Jennings’s early catalog. It illustrates his attraction to songs with broader moral or reflective themes and foreshadows the realism that would later define his most influential work. Though overshadowed by his later outlaw-era recordings, the song remains a useful snapshot of Jennings’s formative years and his gradual movement toward a more personal and independent artistic voice.