America's Outlaw

Willie Nelson - On The Road Again



I don't think that, as a Gen X'er who didn't grow up in Texas, you can think of this song without thinking of it's far more pop culture mooring point. Yes, Eddie Murphy, singing it as Donkey in Shrek. And if anyone is cool enough to deserve a bit of pop culture big ups, Willie could do worse than step up to the plate. He's not far off gold medal nutterdom on the Rock Nutter Scale (tm). Witness:
(1) Must have done enough drugs to kill a regiment of dutch soldiers
Check! Nelson is not only a member of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, he's co-chair of the board!
(2) Must have been to prison more times than the neck tattoo fairy - check!
Nelson is no fan of the IRS or the DEA, both of whom have put him in the chookie for tax evasion and marijuana possession respectively.
(3) Must be reknowned for wild and destructive behavior
I think that counting Keith Richards, Kinky Friedman and Kid Rock as friends is probably destructive enough for various reasons. Plus he starred in Friedman's Roadkill.
(4) Should have a proper pseudonym
His middle name is Hugh. Badass.
(5) Should have a suitably weird history
He's a country musician, it's practically part of the job description.

That seals it - Nelson is the most badass of rock nutters encountered so far (mainly because Grace Slick is a poor owner of the title so far and Rick James is nobody's hero). Needless to say, while Keith Richards and Iggy Pop haven't been subjected to scrutiny yet, they are coming up and the title may change hands. Willie is, however, a true outlaw legend and, by all accounts, a genuinely genuine one at that.

But on to the song. It's upbeat country fare, all skiffle-y beat, fingerpicked guitar and a nifty slide solo. There's some harmonica. There's a real fun, good ol' boy live vibe to it. Nelson sounds like he's having a good time. There's genuine enthusiasm. It's no Johnny Cash/Hank Williams opus, but that's not the point - Willie doesn't exist to remind you that you're dying, like Johnny Cash does. If Cash is the substance-abusing, suicidal father of country music, Nelson is the drunken, stoner uncle who's always smiling. And this song is all about getting on the bus, jamming with his friends and making music for the people. Rock on Willie. I may be harping on about Aretha again, but Nelson's bonhomie is precisely what differentiates this as a song from hers - you can almost hear him smiling his way through, and it's a genuine smile.

Verdict: Legend rolls on

Tomorrow: Joni Mitchell - Free Man In Paris