Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys) by Waylon Jennings

Album: Music Man (1979)

Charted: 21

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Songfacts®:

Waylon Jennings was the narrator in the 1975 movie Moonrunners, where he was credited as "The Balladeer." When CBS created a TV show based on the movie, they asked Jennings to reprise his role as narrator (again credited as "The Balladeer") and write the theme song. He came up with an outlaw-country theme that fit the story of Bo and Luke Duke, who were good-hearted rebels from the fictional Hazzard county in The Dukes of Hazzard. Jennings appeared in all 121 episodes of the show until it ended in 1985.
The single version of this song was a bit different from the one used in the TV show, leaving out the line "Fightin' the system like two modern day Robin Hoods" and adding "You know my momma loved me, but she don't understand they keep showing my hands and not my face on TV," which is a reference to a shot in the show's open that shows Jennings playing guitar from the neck down.
The song wasn't released as a single until 1980, before the show's third season. It was a modest hit, charting at #21, but it sold very well, earning Gold status for 500,000 copies. That year, the song was also included on Waylon Jennings' album Music Man.
Over the next few years, more TV themes were released as singles and made the chart. Among them:

1981: Theme From Hill Street Blues - #10
1981: Theme From Greatest American Hero - #2
1982: Theme From Magnum P.I. - #25
1983: Them From Cheers - #83
When The Dukes of Hazzard was made into a movie in 2005, Willie Nelson played Uncle Jesse and took the role of narrator (Waylon Jennings died in 2002). He also sang the theme song and played on the updated version of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'," which Jessica Simpson, who played Daisy Duke in the film, performed.

Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings were giants in the outlaw country movement and often worked together, including in a supergroup called The Highwaymen that also included Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.
If you think back to 2007, you might remember at least one person you know having The Dukes of Hazzard theme as their ringtone, especially if you lived in the South. The song sold over a million ringtones.

Comments: 9

Crowdsourced Lyrics Are Terrible from The Real WorldJust the good ol' boys / wouldn't change if they could / fightin' the system / like a true modern day Robin Hood.
Captnfuzzypants from OhioTerry, i believe that reference was a dig to the producers that they didnt have to pay him as much in royalties since you never see his face. just his hands and hear his voice..though we pretty much knew who it was due to his voice..
Terry from WichitaI'm sorry but I don't get what it means the last part of the song
"You know my momma loves me
But she don't understand
They keep a showin' my hands
And not my face on TV"

Does anyone care to explain it to me, please?
Dale from VictoriaBarry you also forgot Catherine Bach who was also there for all 146 episodes :-)
Barry from Sauquoit, NyAnd from the 'For What It's Worth' department, it was a fellow-Highwayman that knocked Waylon out of the top spot on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, Willie Nelson with "On The Road Again".
Barry from Sauquoit, NyThe song reached #2 on the Canadian RPM Country Singles chart...
As stated in the next post below it peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart; it was also the seventeenth in a string of twenty-one Top 10 records on the Country chart, and eleven of those Top 10 records would reach #1.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 26th 1979, the CBS-TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard" debut on national TV...
The show ran from 1979 to 1985 with 146 episodes (Only Denver 'Uncle Jesse' Pyle and Sorrell 'Boss Hogg' Booke appeared in all 146 episodes)...
And on September 17th, 1980 "Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on December 7th, 1980 it peaked at #21 (for 2 weeks) and spent 23 weeks on the Top 100...
On October 26th, 1980 it reached #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart...
R.I.P. Mr. Jennings (1937 - 2002), Mr. Pyle (1920 - 1997), and Mr. Booke (1930 - 1994).
Pennell from Kansas City, MoI love the both versions....but the slap in the face of 'You know my momma loved me, but she don't understand they keep showing my hands and not my face on TV' is a classic as well!!!
John from Nashville, TnThis song was Waylon's highest charted pop single and first (and only) million-seller.

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