Waylon Jennings – Never Could Toe the Mark

About The Song

“Never Could Toe the Mark” is a song performed by Waylon Jennings, released in 1981 as a single from his album Leather and Lace on RCA Records. Written by Waylon Jennings and Richard W. Raines, the song reflects Jennings’ rebellious spirit and personal struggles. The track peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on April 11, 1981, and charted for 12 weeks. The 2:57 song carries a defiant tone, with lyrics like: “I never could toe the mark, I never could stay in line / I’ve always been a little wild, and I guess I’ll be ‘til I die.”

Jennings recorded the song in 1980 at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Waylon Jennings and Richie Albright. The session featured The Waylors, with Ralph Mooney on steel guitar, Gordon Payne on guitar, and Richie Albright on drums, alongside session musicians including a background vocal group. The arrangement includes a steady rhythm, Mooney’s steel guitar, and Jennings’ gritty vocals, blending outlaw country with a reflective edge. The album Leather and Lace, a duet project with Jessi Colter, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold over 500,000 copies by 1982, earning gold certification from the RIAA.

The song’s creation came during Jennings’ peak outlaw period, as he co-wrote it with Raines to express his resistance to conformity and the music industry’s expectations. Recorded alongside duets with Colter, it stood out as a solo track showcasing his individuality. In a 1981 interview with Country Music magazine, Jennings said: “It’s about living my way, no matter what they say.” The track gained exposure through its inclusion in the 1981 television special Waylon and Jessi: Live in Concert, aired on NBC, featuring a live performance.

Covers of the song are limited, but a 1983 version by Johnny Paycheck appeared on Take This Job and Shove It Too, per SecondHandSongs. A live performance from a 1982 Grand Ole Opry appearance was released on the 2009 album Waylon Live: Expanded Edition. The song appeared in the 1984 film Songwriter, used in a scene with Jennings, and in a 2019 episode of Yellowstone, featured during a rebellious character arc. Jennings performed it with Willie Nelson at a 1981 concert in Austin, Texas, later released on the 1982 album Waylon & Willie: WWII.

Jennings frequently included “Never Could Toe the Mark” in his live sets, notably at the 1981 Fourth of July Picnic in Austin, Texas, hosted by Willie Nelson, where it energized the crowd. The song was performed at the 1985 Farm Aid benefit concert in Champaign, Illinois, and featured in a 2020 documentary, Waylon Jennings: Outlaw Spirit, aired on PBS, exploring his defiance. The track remains a key piece in Jennings’ catalog, often paired with other outlaw anthems, reflecting his unapologetic style.

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Lyric

I never could toe the mark, I never could stay in line
I’ve always been a little wild, and I guess I’ll be ‘til I die
I never could hold my tongue, I never could play the part
I’ve always been a little rough around the edges of my heart

Never could toe the mark, never could play it safe
I’ve danced with the devil, laughed in the face of fate
The rules never fit me right, the chains never held me long
I’ve sung my song my way, and I’ll keep rollin’ on

I never could toe the mark, I never could bend or break
I’ve walked my own road, through every mistake
The world tried to tame me down, but I wouldn’t comply
I’ve always been a little wild, and I guess I’ll be ‘til I die

Never could toe the mark, never could play it straight
I’ve lived by my own rules, sealed my own fate
The law and the order, they never could hold my soul
I’ll keep on runnin’ free ‘til the final toll