About The Song
“Lucille (You Won’t Do Your Daddy’s Will)” is a song performed by Waylon Jennings, released in 1983 as a single from his album It’s Only Rock & Roll on RCA Records. Written by Albert Collins and Richard Penniman (Little Richard), the song was originally titled “Lucille” and first recorded by Little Richard in 1957, becoming a rock and roll classic. Jennings’ version, a country-rock adaptation, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on May 14, 1983, and charted for 16 weeks. The 3:25 track narrates a story of heartbreak, with lyrics like: “Lucille, you won’t do your daddy’s will / There ain’t nothing to you, but I love you still.”
Jennings recorded the song in 1982 at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Waylon Jennings and Gary Scruggs. The session featured The Waylors, with Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, Jerry Bridges on bass, and Richie Albright on drums, alongside session musicians. The arrangement blends a rock-driven rhythm with country elements, incorporating Mooney’s steel guitar and a steady drumbeat, complementing Jennings’ rugged vocals. The album It’s Only Rock & Roll reached No. 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold over 500,000 copies by 1984, earning gold certification from the RIAA.
The song’s selection came during Jennings’ peak in the outlaw country movement, as he sought to reinterpret classic rock songs through a country lens. Jennings had long admired Little Richard’s original and chose to record it to bridge genres, reflecting his rebellious style. In a 1983 interview with Country Music magazine, Jennings said: “Lucille’s got that raw energy—I wanted to make it my own.” The track gained exposure through its inclusion in the 1983 television special Waylon Jennings: Live from Austin, aired on PBS, featuring a live performance.
Covers of the song include Little Richard’s 1957 original and a 1960 version by The Everly Brothers on A Date with The Everly Brothers. Jennings’ rendition inspired later covers, such as a 1990 version by George Jones on You Oughta Be Here with Me, per SecondHandSongs. A live performance from a 1984 Grand Ole Opry appearance was released on the 2009 album Waylon Live: Expanded Edition. The song appeared in the 1985 film White Nights, used in a bar scene, and in a 2018 episode of Yellowstone, featured during a moment of tension.
Jennings frequently included “Lucille (You Won’t Do Your Daddy’s Will)” in his live sets, notably at the 1983 Fourth of July Picnic in Austin, Texas, hosted by Willie Nelson. A 1985 recording with Jessi Colter was released on the album Waylon & Jessi: Duets in 1986. The song was performed at the 1984 Farm Aid benefit concert in Champaign, Illinois, and featured in a 2019 documentary, Waylon Jennings: Rock & Roll Rebel, aired on PBS, exploring his genre-blending legacy. The track remains a staple in Jennings’ catalog, often paired with other high-energy hits.
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Lyric
Lucille, you won’t do your daddy’s will
Lucille, you won’t do your daddy’s will
There ain’t nothing to you, but I love you stillLucille, please come back where you belong
Lucille, please come back where you belong
I’ve been good to you, baby, please don’t leave me aloneI woke up this morning, Lucille was not in sight
I asked my friends about her but all their lips were tightLucille, you won’t do your daddy’s will
There ain’t nothing to you, but I love you stillLucille, please come back where you belong
I’ve been good to you, baby, please don’t leave me aloneLucille, you won’t do your daddy’s will
There ain’t nothing to you, but I love you still