80+ Best Willie Nelson Quotes From The Country Music Star

Divya Raghav
Dec 12, 2023 By Divya Raghav
Originally Published on Jan 29, 2021
Edited by Isobel Murphy
Willie Nelson photo

 

The 1993 Country Music Hall of Famer, Willie Nelson, although brimming with talent, did not achieve success in a short timespan.

Born on 29 April 1923 in Texas, Willie Nelson and his siblings were mostly cared for by their loving grandparents. It is thanks to them that he was attracted to music from a very young age.

He was taught to play the guitar early by his grandfather, with whom he used to visit the church where he was first introduced to music.

After a while, he was invited to be part of a few bands here.

Right after school, he spent some time in the US Air Force, then in 1961 he got the opportunity to be a part of the popular Ray Price's band.

With them, he got his first taste at success with their hit songs like 'Hello Walls' and the crowd favorite 'Crazy' which featured some of his best lyrics like: "I'm crazy for thinkin' that my love would hold you, I'm crazy for tryin' and crazy for cryin', And I'm crazy for lovin' you."

These lyrics have since become part of a list of iconic Willie Nelson quotes.

Nelson quickly realized his potential and it didn't take long for him to disrupt the country music scene by introducing 'Outlaw Music'. He achieved great acclaim for his distinct performance and his laid back singing style. He even took his shot at being an actor in films like 'The Electric Horseman' (1979) and 'Honeysuckle Rose' (1980).

Willie Nelson still spreads joy through his music while also taking part in many fundraisers for good causes, so here we bring you some of his the most important Willie Nelson quotes to keep your life musical. If you love these Willie Nelson quotes, find more great quotes with these Woody Guthrie Quotes and TobyMac quotes too.

Cool Willie Nelson Quotes From Songs

Find some of the most catchy song quotes by Willie Nelson in these Willie Nelson quotes.

1. "If you had not have fallen

Then I would not have found you."

-Willie Nelson, 'Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground'.

2. "The night life, it ain't no good life

But it's my life."

-Willie Nelson, 'Night Life'.

3. "If I only had one arm to hold you

Better yet if I had none at all

Then I wouldn't have two arms that ache for you

And I'd have one less memory to recall."

-Willie Nelson, 'Half A Man'.

4. "I knew

You'd love me as long as you wanted

And then someday

You'd leave me for somebody new."

-Willie Nelson, 'Crazy'.

5. "Just a country boy who's learning

That the pitfalls of the city are extremely real."

-Willie Nelson, 'Bloody Mary Morning'.

6. "Goin' places that I've never been

Seein' things that I may never see again."

-Willie Nelson, 'On The Road Again'.

7. "You know I'll always love you and I can't forget the days when you were mine."

-Willie Nelson, 'Forgiving You Was Easy'.

8. "Love is like a dying ember

And only memories remain

And through the ages I'll remember

Blue eyes crying in the rain."

-Willie Nelson, 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain'.

9. "And through the ages I'll remember

Blue eyes crying in the rain

Pursuin' the life of my hard-ridin' heroes

I burned up my childhood days."

-Willie Nelson, 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain'.

10. "I knew someday that you would fly away

For love's the greatest healer to be found

So leave me if you need to, I will still remember."

-Willie Nelson, 'Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground'.

11. "Forgiving you is easy but forgetting seems to take the longest time."

-Willie Nelson, 'Forgiving You Was Easy'.

12. "When we kissed goodbye and parted

I knew we'd never meet again."

-Willie Nelson, 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain'.

13. "She just talks about the good times they've had

And all the good times to come."

-Willie Nelson, 'Good Hearted Woman'.

14. "Other arms reach out to me

Other eyes smile tenderly

Still in peaceful dreams I see

The road leads back to you."

-Willie Nelson, 'Georgia On My Mind'.

15. "Now this old world of ours is full of trouble

This old world would also better be

If we'd find more Bibles on the tables."

-Willie Nelson, 'Family Bible'.

16. "I'm crazy For thinkin' that my love would hold you."

-Willie Nelson, ' Crazy'.

17. "I believe forgiving is the only way that I'll find peace of mind."

-Willie Nelson, 'Forgiving You Was Easy'.

18. "I learned all the rules of a modern-day drifter

Don't you hold on to nothin' too long."

-Willie Nelson, 'My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys'.

19. "And I'll bet you dread to spend another lonely night with me

But lonely walls, I'll keep you company."

-Willie Nelson, 'Hello Walls'.

20. "And after takin' several readings,

I'm surprised to find my mind's still fairly sound."

-Willie Nelson, 'Me And Paul'.

Willie Nelson Quotes About Life

Read these Willie Nelson quotes to know more about his experiences in life. Perhaps you will find your favorite new quote among these Willie Nelson quotes?

21. "Hope remains when pride is gone, And it keeps you moving on..."

-Willie Nelson.

22. "Ninety-nine percent of the world's lovers are not with their first choice. That's what makes the jukebox play."

-Willie Nelson.

23. "If you wait for tomorrow to follow your dreams, by the time that you get there they're gone."

-Willie Nelson.

24. "I take it not only a day at a time, but a moment at a time, and keep it at that pace. If you can be happy right now, then you'll always be happy, because it's always in the now."

-Willie Nelson.

25. "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."

-Willie Nelson.

26. "Most of the stuff I've read about me has been true."

-Willie Nelson.

27. "The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."

-Willie Nelson.

28. "When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."

-Willie Nelson.

29. "I got along without you before I met you and I'll get along without you a long time after you're gone."

-Willie Nelson.

30. "It doesn’t hurt to feel sad from time to time."

-Willie Nelson.

31. "Let the jerks of the world serve as the perfect example of what you don't want to be."

-Willie Nelson.

32. "Freedom is control in your own life."

-Willie Nelson.

33. "You know why divorces are so expensive? They're worth it."

-Willie Nelson.

34. "Music cuts through all boundaries and goes right to the soul."

-Willie Nelson.

35. "You will never find happiness until you stop looking for it."

-Willie Nelson.

36. "What has changed is that nothing has changed... that's what has made me more unhappy than everything else."

-Willie Nelson.

37. "We create our own unhappiness. The purpose of suffering is to help us understand we are the ones who cause it."

-Willie Nelson.

38. "There are more old drunks than there are old doctors."

-Willie Nelson.

39. "Be here. Be present. Wherever you are, be there."

-Willie Nelson.

40. "I was influenced a lot by those around me – there was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields."

-Willie Nelson.

Inspirational Willie Nelson Quotes

Willie Nelson quotes for us to consider from Nelson's life, that might better our own.

41. "Indecision may or may not be our biggest problem."

-Willie Nelson.

42. "I use vaporizers a lot. It cuts down on the heat and the smoke."

-Willie Nelson.

43. "I like myself better when I'm writing regularly."

-Willie Nelson.

44. "The wisdom is in the moments when the madness slips away and we remember the basics."

-Willie Nelson.

45. "I believe all of us are only energy that becomes matter."

-Willie Nelson.

46. "If you’re not crazy there’s something wrong with you."

-Willie Nelson.

47. "I believe that all roads lead to the same place - and that is wherever all roads lead to."

-Willie Nelson.

48. "What goes around, comes around."

-Willie Nelson.

49. "I think all along I knew I would do OK."

-Willie Nelson.

50. "There is only one map to the journey of life and it lives within your heart."

-Willie Nelson.

51. "Don't try to change anybody. And they should let you be yourself."

-Willie Nelson.

52. "The biggest killer on the planet is stress."

-Willie Nelson.

53. "We've gotten through. We’re still here."

-Willie Nelson.

54. "Be gentle with your words – you can’t take them back."

-Willie Nelson.

55. "You don't have to be poor to need something or somebody."

-Willie Nelson.

56. "Nothing lasts forever, but old Fords and natural stone."

-Willie Nelson.

57. "Death is not the ending of anything."

-Willie Nelson.

58. "Memories remind us that every moment of our lives, even the most tragic, have contributed to our strength."

-Willie Nelson.

59. "It was and is always nice to work with the kids."

-Willie Nelson.

60. "Cruelty is all out of ignorance. If you knew what was in store for you, you wouldn't hurt anybody, because whatever you do comes back much more forceful than you send it out."

-Willie Nelson.

Willie Nelson Quotes About Music

Nelson's passion for music has brought the best out of him and these quotes show us his love for music.

61. "When songs fall from the sky, all I can do is catch them before they hit the ground."

-Willie Nelson.

62. "The life I love is making music with my friends."

-Willie Nelson.

63. "When I'm driving the highway by myself is when I write best."

-Willie Nelson.

64. "Oh, I think it’s definitely spiritual. All music is. I think it’s maybe one of the highest forms of spirituality."

-Willie Nelson.

65. "I never gave up on country music because I knew what I was doing was not that bad."

-Willie Nelson.

66. "When you hear me, you know it’s me, regardless of the song."

-Willie Nelson.

67. "There are just certain sounds, music, that sort of you know people are going to like it."

-Willie Nelson.

68. "I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times."

-Willie Nelson.

69. "I think innately knew that music draws people together."

-Willie Nelson.

70. "Three chords and the truth – that’s what a country song is."

-Willie Nelson.

Famous Willie Nelson Quotes To Think About

Willie Nelson is active in the music scene and he also fights for a fair place for everyone in society. Let's check out some of the most powerful Willie Nelson quotes.

71. "As long as there's a few farmers out there, we'll keep fighting for them."

-Willie Nelson.

72. "I'm not prejudiced in any way that I can think of. That's just not the guy I am."

-Willie Nelson.

73. "I thought I could make it by my own talents. That’s what I wanted to prove."

-Willie Nelson.

74. "I wanted to connect all people who are thinking about peace on Earth."

-Willie Nelson.

75. "When you put your life in a good place, good things follow."

-Willie Nelson.

76. "I didn’t come here and I ain’t leavin'."

-Willie Nelson, 'I Didn't Come Here'.

77. "If you've made your own hell, then only you have the power to escape it."

-Willie Nelson.

78. "A lot of country music is sad."

-Willie Nelson.

79. "You'll never get ahead by blaming your problems on other people."

-Willie Nelson.

80. "If a song was ever good, it’s still good."

-Willie Nelson.

81. "I just enjoy both working and not working."

-Willie Nelson.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully curated lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 80+ Willie Nelson quotes, then why not find more of these Country Girl quotes, or [rock quotes] too?

Editorial credit: Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com
 

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Written by Divya Raghav

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration

Divya Raghav picture

Divya RaghavBachelor of Commerce specializing in Accounting and Finance, Master of Business Administration

With a diverse range of experience in finance, administration, and operations, Divya is a diligent worker known for her attention to detail. Born and raised in Bangalore, she completed her Bachelor's in Commerce from Christ University and is now pursuing an MBA at Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore. Along with her professional pursuits, Divya has a passion for baking, dancing, and writing content. She is also an avid animal lover who dedicates her time to volunteering for animal welfare causes.

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