The Chokin’ Kind

When I was a small boy, the only stereo with which I had contact was my aunt’s big monster console record player/AM/FM radio, about the size of a deep freezer, with a deep, rich bass. You could load six (I think) lps on it and it would play one, drop the next one onto the turntable, play the next one, and so on until the last was played. The arm would swing back over to its rest and the thing would shut off. This was scary-good high tech in those days. The stereo had a small red light, about the size of one of those red dots that we’re not supposed to mention, on the bottom of the left speaker. I would lie on my belly with chin in my hands and listen to records on that thing for hours whenever I was at my aunt’s house.

She had several Waylon Jennings albums, and I absolutely loved his sonorous, weary voice. The song that made the deepest impression on me was The Chokin’ Kind, which I played over and over and over. It’s a wonder there were any sounds left in those grooves, as many times as I spun that old 33 1/3 rpm platter. I used to stare at the album cover, grooving on Waylon’s slicked back hair (this was long before he adopted the shaggy outlaw look) and especially his pebble-leather pointy-toed boots.

Thought I’d share it with y’all tonight. Mrs. Orr has been sick all this week and I’ve been trying to make life a little easier for her, so I have neither the time nor the inclination to try and write anything competent tonight. Hope you enjoy the song.

~ S.K. Orr