Willie Nelson Quotes

“A lot of country music is sad. I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times. It applies to music. Three chords and the truth – that's what a country song is. There is a lot of heartache in the world.”

“All I do is play music and golf – which one do you want me to give up?”

“All my kids were raised on computers: They were home-schooled on the Internet, so they're pretty good at that stuff. And I'm proud of them, but I don't really keep up with it.”

“America, to me, is freedom.”

“And as far as guitars go, I loved Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West's stuff.”

“Anybody can be unhappy. We can all be hurt. You don't have to be poor to need something or somebody. Rednecks, hippies, misfits – we're all the same. Gay or straight? So what? It doesn't matter to me. We have to be concerned about other people, regardless.”

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

“But if you think of all the people who don't like me, just think of all the millions who've never heard of me!”

“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.”

“Don't try to change anybody. And they should let you be yourself, 'You loved me when you met me, so let's keep going!”

“Freedom is control in your own life.”

“Freedom is control in your own life. I have more control now than in the past, and I'm learning the value of saying no. That's very important.”

“Great songs stand out wherever they're from.”

“I am not a pig farmer. The pigs had a great time, but I didn't make any money.”

“I been a long time leaving but I'm going to be a long time gone.”

“I believe that all roads lead to the same place – and that is wherever all roads lead to.”

“I didn't come here and I ain't leavin'.”

“I don't like to think too far ahead.”

“I don't think any person has any special knowledge about what God has planned for me and you any more than me and you do.”

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

“I grew up across the street from, you know, the Villarias, which was a great Mexican family there. In fact, there was three houses right across the street from me. So, day and night, I listened to Mexican music, and I'm sure, you know, my guitar playing, singing, writing, whatever, has a lot of Mexican flavor there, but it comes natural.”

“I guess if you can't sing, you better have a style!”

“I like myself better when I'm writing regularly.”

“I like to stick with music I know I can play. I love classical, but I don't think I could ever play it. I'm just not qualified.”

“I started out really young, when I was four, five, six, writing poems, before I could play an instrument. I was writing about things when I was eight or 10 years old that I hadn't lived long enough to experience. That's why I also believe in reincarnation, that we were put here with ideas to pass around.”

“I started out writing poems before I figured to put melodies to them and play the guitar. Somewhere, there's a book out there on all those early songs and poems. I hope no one ever finds it. I don't think it's my finest work.”

“I text and email my friends and family a lot, but that's about the extent of my high-tech-etude.”

“I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times.”

“I think most people realize that our problems are our government, not me and you individually, except that we can – must have some sort of responsibility, because they're in there and they were elected, so we have to defend ourselves on those lines.”

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?”