Waylon Jennings – “What Goes Around Comes Around”: An Early Reflection of Cause and Consequence

Released in 1967, “What Goes Around Comes Around” marks an important early chapter in Waylon Jennings’s solo career. Issued as a single and later included on the album Love of the Common People under RCA Victor, the song arrived at a time when Jennings was still working within the structured Nashville recording system. This was several years before he would break away from industry constraints and emerge as one of the defining voices of the outlaw country movement.

A Young Artist Finding His Voice

During the mid-to-late 1960s, Waylon Jennings was recording steadily, experimenting with style while refining his vocal identity. Like many artists of the era, he operated under producer-driven arrangements that favored polished, radio-friendly sounds. “What Goes Around Comes Around” reflects this period clearly: it presents Jennings not yet as a rebel, but as a thoughtful interpreter of material aimed at mainstream country audiences.

The song fits comfortably alongside other Nashville country-pop releases of the time, blending traditional country sensibilities with smooth production choices. Rather than challenging conventions, it works within them—offering insight into Jennings’s musical foundation before his artistic transformation.

Lyrics Rooted in Moral Reflection

At its core, “What Goes Around Comes Around” revolves around a simple but enduring moral truth: actions eventually return to their source. The title phrase functions as both the song’s hook and its philosophical anchor. Rather than narrating a complex storyline, the lyrics unfold as reflections on life, choices, and consequences.

Lines about leaving home, chasing dreams, falling into complicated relationships, and eventually confronting reality give the song a loosely autobiographical feel. The narrator’s journey—from youthful ambition to hard-earned understanding—mirrors the broader theme that life’s cycles are unavoidable. The repeated refrain reinforces the idea that experience itself is the ultimate teacher.

Musical Style and Production

Musically, the track follows late-1960s country-pop conventions. Acoustic guitar forms the backbone of the arrangement, accompanied by a steady rhythm section and subtle instrumental accents. The production is clean and restrained, clearly designed for radio play rather than experimentation.

There are no dramatic instrumental solos or abrupt changes in tempo. Instead, the song maintains a consistent, easygoing flow that allows the lyrics to remain front and center. This simplicity supports the song’s reflective nature and keeps the focus on its message rather than its mechanics.

Jennings’s Vocal Restraint

Waylon Jennings’s vocal delivery on “What Goes Around Comes Around” is notably controlled and understated. He sings with a calm, conversational tone, avoiding exaggerated emotion or theatrical phrasing. This restraint gives the lyrics a sense of credibility, as though the singer is sharing lessons learned rather than performing for effect.

Even at this early stage, Jennings’s preference for sincerity over showmanship is evident. While his later work would carry more grit and independence, the seeds of his authentic storytelling style are already present here.

Reception and Place in His Career

Commercially, the single achieved modest success on the country charts. It was not a breakout hit, but it helped maintain Jennings’s visibility during a period when he was still establishing himself as a solo artist. The song also supported the profile of Love of the Common People, an album that further demonstrated his versatility within the Nashville system.

In hindsight, the track occupies a quieter corner of Jennings’s catalog, overshadowed by the groundbreaking outlaw-era recordings that followed. However, its value lies in what it reveals about his artistic evolution rather than its chart performance.

Looking Back: A Snapshot of Growth

Today, “What Goes Around Comes Around” is best understood as a snapshot of Waylon Jennings in transition. It shows an artist drawn to songs about realism, responsibility, and lived experience—qualities that would later define his most influential work. While the production reflects industry norms of the 1960s, the song’s moral clarity and understated delivery hint at the deeper, more independent voice Jennings would eventually claim.

Though not among his most famous recordings, “What Goes Around Comes Around” remains an insightful piece of his early journey—one that captures the moment before the outlaw stepped fully into his own.