About The Song
“Can’t You See” was written by Toy Caldwell and first recorded by the for their 1973 debut album . While the original version became a signature track for the band, Waylon Jennings introduced his own interpretation during his mid-1970s live concerts, where it quickly became a recurring highlight in his setlists. Jennings’ recording was not captured in a studio environment; instead, it was sourced from concert tapes recorded at Texas venues in 1974, later compiled for release on the 1976 album Waylon Live.
The 1974 recordings were made across multiple nights, most notably in Dallas and Austin, as Jennings toured with his long-standing band, the Waylors. These shows documented his transition deeper into the outlaw country movement, a period when he was asserting greater control over his artistic and production decisions. The live tapes capture his touring group at a time when the arrangements were evolving toward a heavier electric sound, a contrast to the more acoustic-leaning textures of many early outlaw country releases.
Jennings’ performance retains the structure and writing credited to Toy Caldwell, but the musical approach differs significantly from the Marshall Tucker Band’s interpretation. Instead of the flute and southern-rock phrasing of the original, Jennings’ arrangement emphasizes electric guitar leads, steel guitar fills, and a looser rhythmic feel typical of his mid-1970s touring style. This shift in instrumentation aligns the song with the broader sonic identity Jennings cultivated during this era.
The track was not released as a single from Waylon Live, and therefore did not appear on the Billboard country charts. Despite the absence of commercial chart activity, the rendition became well known among Jennings’ live audiences, and it is consistently included in reissues of the concert tapes. Its presence on later expanded editions of the album has helped cement it as a notable recording in his catalog, even though it was never promoted for radio play.
Personnel documentation for the 1974 concerts typically includes Jennings on lead vocals and guitar, with the Waylors providing the backing lineup. Drummer Richie Albright, bassist Duke Goff, and guitarist Larry Whitmore are among the musicians identified across the various releases. Because the album compiles performances from multiple shows, instrumentation may vary slightly between tracks, but the credit listings confirm the core band members involved.
The album Waylon Live was originally issued in a shorter configuration in 1976, but subsequent reissues expanded the release substantially by restoring full concert material. These editions consistently include “Can’t You See” as part of the documented performances. The track is presented with writing credit to Toy Caldwell, linking Jennings’ version directly to the earlier southern-rock composition first popularized in 1973.
Modern digital releases, archival compilations, and annotated album notes continue to feature Jennings’ interpretation of “Can’t You See.” Although not tied to a standalone single campaign, the recording remains an example of how he incorporated non-original material into his live shows, reshaping songs from outside the country genre to align with the stylistic direction of his outlaw period.
Video
Lyric
Gonna catch a freight train as far as I can Lord,
I don’t care which way it goes
Gonna climb a mountain, the highest mountain Lord
Jump off ain’t nobody gonna know.Can’t you see, oh can’t you see
What that woman’s been doin’ to me
Can’t you see, can’t you see
What that woman’s been doin’ to me?Gonna buy a ticket go as far as I can Lord
I ain’t never coming back
Take me a southbound all the way down Lord
Till the train run out of track.Can’t you see, oh can’t you see
What that woman’s been doin’ to me
Can’t you see, can’t you see
What that woman’s been doin’ to me?Can’t you see, oh can’t you see
What that woman’s been doin’ to me
Can’t you see, can’t you see
What that woman’s been doin’ to me?…