WWII (album)

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WWII
RCA Victor
Producer
Waylon Jennings chronology
Black on Black
(1982) 		WWII
(1982) 		It's Only Rock & Roll
(1983)

WWII is a duet

RCA Victor in 1982
.

Background

By 1982, the

Top 5 solo albums in a row, with five going to #1, between 1974 and 1982. Nelson was also enjoying his commercial prime, with his 1982 album Always on My Mind not only topping the Billboard country albums chart but also peaking at #2 on the pop albums chart. By the early 1980s, Nelson's appeal had transcended country music; his affable persona, as well as his increasing presence in films, had made him a crossover star. Jennings, who was struggling to rebuild his finances and in the throes of a crippling cocaine addiction, had seen his most recent album Black on Black receive lukewarm reviews, even though it had been produced by Chips Moman
, who had also produced Nelson's Always on My Mind.

Jennings and Nelson had enjoyed some of their greatest success together. The 1976 compilation

Waylon and Willie, released at the height of the outlaw country movement, produced the chart-topping hit "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." By all accounts, Jennings and Nelson were kindred spirits and close friends, but their egos did clash occasionally. In his memoir Willie Nelson, biographer Joe Nick Patoski quotes Nelson's ex-wife Connie: "They had such a mutual respect for each other and their music, it was like a brother bond, literally. There was always a little bit of - not jealousy - but Willie would make him [Jennings] feel inferior in some ways, and I think it was because of the cocaine." Asleep at the Wheel
pianist Floyd Domino, who played with Jennings' band in 1983, also noticed the tension between the two legends, telling Patoski, "You could tell Waylon was bothered by Willie's success, although he said he didn't care. He'd tell audiences, 'I don't care if I'm not number one. I'll be number two.' The crowd didn't even know what he was talking about. I saw Willie on some cooking show on TV and the host said Waylon was mad at him. Willie laughed and said, 'What's he mad about today?' Waylon cared. Willie didn't."

Recording

Although Chips Moman had produced both singers' previous albums, the sessions that comprise WWII date from before those records; most are from December 1981. The songs were recorded at Moman's

Nashville studio and mastered at Woodland Studios with David Cherry serving as co-engineer with Moman. Whereas 1978's Waylon and Willie contained several previously released backing tracks upon which Nelson had overdubbed his vocals, WWII bears all the hallmarks of Moman's slick production. Despite being more of a "complete thought" than its predecessor, the vitality evident on Waylon and Willie is not as apparent on this LP; in his review of the album that can be found on AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine
observes:

"In 1982, Waylon and Willie were still riding high on the country charts, but the quality of Jennings' work was beginning to slip and his sales were responding accordingly, as 1982's Black on Black reflected. Nelson had his biggest hit ever that year with Always on My Mind, but it also was his worst album to date, the first time he sounded like he couldn't be bothered...even at its best, WWII is nowhere near as good as Waylon and Willie are at their best, since they're coasting on reputation through most of this, a fact that's only enhanced by Moman's glossy showcase production."

Although billed as a collaborative effort, WWII is more of a vehicle for Jennings; Willie sings on only five of the eleven tracks - all duets - while Waylon takes the lead on the remaining six songs. The album spawned one hit, a cover of

The Year Clayton Delaney Died
."

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

WWII failed to have as major an impact as Waylon & Willie, although it peaked at #3 on the Billboard country albums chart and #57 on the pop albums chart.

Track listing

  1. "Mr. Shuck and Jive" (Jimmy Webb) (Art Garfunkel cover) – 3:49
    • Duet
  2. "Roman Candles" (Jennings, Michael Smotherman) – 3:04
  3. "
    (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" (Steve Cropper, Otis Redding
    ) (Otis Redding cover) – 3:22
    • Duet
  4. "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died" (Tom T. Hall) (Tom T. Hall cover) – 3:06
    • Duet
  5. "Lady in the Harbor" (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis, Doug Gilmore) – 3:18
  6. "May I Borrow Some Sugar from You" (Bobby Emmons, Chips Moman) – 3:24
  7. "The Last Cowboy Song" (Ed Bruce, Ron Peterson) (Ed Bruce cover) – 2:18
  8. "Heroes" (Bobby Emmons, Chips Moman) – 2:46
    • Duet
  9. "The Teddy Bear Song" (Don Earl, Nick Nixon) (Barbara Fairchild cover) – 3:11
  10. "Write Your Own Songs" (Nelson) – 3:14
    • Duet
  11. "The Old Mother's Locket Trick" (Guy Clark) (Harold Lee cover) – 3:10

Chart performance

Chart (1982) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 3
U.S. Billboard 200 57
Australia Kent Music Report[3] 92

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[4] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

References

  1. ^ "WWII Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  2. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 366.
  3. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .
  4. ^ "American album certifications – Waylon Jennings – WWII". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
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