# Willie Nelson just wrote the greatest protest song ever **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 1, 2004, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089 "2004-01-01T08:01:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/1 "2004-01-01T08:01:57Z")
Lyrics are [here](http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/metro/1203/1231willie_song.html). > [@](#): > > And the bewildered herd is still believing > Everything we’ve been told from our birth > Hell they won’t lie to me > Not on my own damn TV > But how much is a liar’s word worth > And whatever happened to peace on earth Beautiful. Article is [here](http://statesman.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=statesman.com+%7C+Nelson+pens+protest+song&expire=&urlID=8653327&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesman.com%2Fmetrostate%2Fcontent%2Fauto%2Fepaper%2Feditions%2Fwednesday%2Fmetro_state_f32f47573469912e1081.html&partnerID=522). > [@](#): > > “That’s only the second protest song I’ve ever written,” Nelson said Tuesday from his tour bus in Tennessee, “but it just came pouring out.” > > \ > > Asked if he’s concerned that the new song – which asks such biting questions as “How much oil is one human life worth?” and “How much is a liar’s word worth?” – might cause a backlash with conservative country music fans, Nelson said, “I sure hope so. I don’t care if people say, `Who the hell does he think he is?’ I know who I am.” Kudos to Willie who is a man’s man. He also just gave me a new sig line. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/2 "2004-01-01T08:06:59Z")
I (heart) Willie Nelson. For other reasons than this, but damnit if he’s not one of the greatest performers ever… ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/3 "2004-01-01T08:11:28Z")
The Willie/Toby collaboration ‘Beer for my horses’ is a much better tune. > [@](#): > > - > > Grand pappy told my pappy back in my day > Son a man had to answer for the wicked that he’d done > Take all the rope in Texas > Find a tall oak tree, round up all of them bad boys > Hang them high in the street > For all the people to see > \* ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/4 "2004-01-01T08:22:16Z")
I’ve liked Willie Nelson for a long time and admire his songwriting skills, but that reads like a string of cliches for mine. Well may he say “but it just came pouring out.” ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/5 "2004-01-01T08:23:41Z")
Still, he called Bush a liar. He gets major points for that. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/6 "2004-01-01T09:26:09Z")
I was _waiting_ for this… Willie played in my Uncle Aaron’s road house… Maybe 1955. Thereabouts. My grandmother remembers him as a sweet young man with a crew cut. That was before he played with the Crickets. Before he played Harlem. He tells the story about how he took advantage of a White House invitation to go outside and smoke a doobie. And how bad he felt when they found out. About hurting thier feelings. OK, I’ve quoted this too many times “I gave up whiskey for weed in 1974. Maybe the only smart thing I ever did.” Never give up. Never say die. _Venceremos!_ ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/7 "2004-01-01T12:21:39Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by don’t ask_ > I’ve liked Willie Nelson for a long time and admire his songwriting skills, but that reads like a string of cliches for mine. Well may he say “but it just came pouring out.” I’m not a Willie Nelson fan, but I liked those lyrics. Yeah, they were a little cliched, but that’s what made them endearing. It didn’t read like a Bob Dylan-style hardcore peace protest. It read like a sincere reaction to current events by an average man who is dismayed at what’s happening. It’s the sort of thing someone who isn’t that interested in politics, but is concerned at what’s happening to the world might say. That’s why it was powerful. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/8 "2004-01-01T12:30:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elucidator \* > **…he took advantage of a White House invitation to go outside and smoke a doobie. …** 😃 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/9 "2004-01-01T13:39:26Z")
It warms this old hippie’s heart to see Willie Nelson get this well deserved recognition. Disclaimer: This recognition of Willie Nelson is not intended to ignore, exclude, or otherwise excoriate songwriters of any race, creed, or nationality different from his. Please do not start a thread pitting Diogenes for recognizing Willie and ignoring the many great British and Australian songwriters. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/10 "2004-01-01T13:47:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > \*\*I’m not a Willie Nelson fan, but I liked those lyrics. Yeah, they were a little cliched, but that’s what made them endearing. It didn’t read like a Bob Dylan-style hardcore peace protest. It read like a sincere reaction to current events by an average man who is dismayed at what’s happening. It’s the sort of thing someone who isn’t that interested in politics, but is concerned at what’s happening to the world might say. That’s why it was powerful. \*\* Actually I’ve reread the lyrics since and checked out other “protest song” lyrics and I have been very unfair. While reading the lyrics I can just about hear the tune because it scans really, really well. Obviously the restrictions of rhyming patterns dictate that you end up with whet sem like trite lyrics. And its a song not an essay so i shouldn’t read it I should listen to it. My apologies for disparaging Mr Nelson. Crazy…indeed. ---
**Author:** ![gluteus\_maximus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f17d59/32.png) [@gluteus\_maximus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gluteus_maximus)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/11 "2004-01-01T13:52:41Z")
😕 We can put kudos in the Pit now? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/12 "2004-01-01T14:16:28Z")
Well, it’s certainly not a joke thread. It might provoke scatologically heated responses. It’s kinda political for Cafe Society. It’s too substantive for MPSIMS. Maybe it would be happier in IMHO, or even Great Debates? I dunno. **Lynn** , Esteemed Admin and Catpix Connoisseur, if you deem this thread unfit for the Pit, will you move it rather than closing it? [Thank you](http://community.webshots.com/photo/782975/783042), [thank you](http://community.webshots.com/photo/782975/783040)!! For those of you wondering why the links, I am reliably informed that, next to chocolate, such offerings are looked upon with favor by our Peerless Leader. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/13 "2004-01-01T14:40:41Z")
Willie’s lyrics put a finger on what bothers me about about Christian-based initiatives. Why can’t we have a faith-based peace? Like Willie, I hope that it does speak to some of his more conservative fans who are not as open to questioning our current Administration’s policies. ---
**Author:** ![GoHeels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@GoHeels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoHeels)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/14 "2004-01-01T15:06:09Z")
**elucidator:** > [@](#): > > He tells the story about how he took advantage of a White House invitation to go outside and smoke a doobie. And how bad he felt when they found out. About hurting thier feelings. _Quoi?!_ I never heard this story, and I’m a huge fan of ol’ Willie (hearing this story just made me a bigger fan). When did this happen? Who in the WH invited him to smoke a doob? Could you please elaborate? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/15 "2004-01-01T15:06:15Z")
From the link supplied: "Tuesday, December 30, 2003 Willie Nelson, who has endorsed Dennis Kucinich for President, and who will lead a fundraising concert for Kucinich’s campaign in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 3, 2004, wrote a new song on Christmas that he will perform in public for the first time at the Austin concert." Geez, wrote it just in time for his own fundraiser. What a coincidence! :rolleyes: You guys can favor who you want for the next prez, or bash Bush to the hilt for all I care. There’s one thing about you that irks me, however: “And the bewildered herd is still believing Everything we’ve been told from our birth” You often claim that those who don’t agree with you are bewildered, uninformed, stupid, or careless. Now Willie climbs upon the elitist bandwagon of the _Political Illuminati_, stating that those who don’t agree with him are mindless sheep. This is no way for you to bring converts into your camp, you know. Most of the populace that will vote for Bush next time is fully informed. I for one would be glad to vote for an acceptable alternative. The onus has been on the Dems/Liberals to provide an acceptable alternative, and so far you’ve failed. You’ll force me to hold my nose and vote for Bush again, if you can’t do better! Happy New Year. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/16 "2004-01-01T15:25:08Z")
Sorry, but Willy couldn’t write his name in the snow… However, John Mellencamp, a co-organiser of Farm Aid and long-time friend of Willy, came up with a nice little ditty back in March 2003 about Bush and Iraq entitled [To Washington](http://www.mellencamp.com/news/towashington.html) which is based on a Woody Guthrie tune. A few lyrics… > [@](#): > > …cut… > > So America voted on a president > No one kept count > On how the election went > From Florida to Washington > > …cut… > And he wants to fight with many > And he says it’s not for oil > He sent out the National Guard > To police the world > From Baghdad to Washington > > What is the thought process > To take a humans life > What would be the reason > To think that this is right > From heaven to Washington > From Jesus Christ to Washington Mellencamp also had a few words to say about the [situation in general](http://www.geekmuffin.com/archives/000011.html) which I find rather interesting. ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/17 "2004-01-01T15:27:35Z")
\>You often claim that those who don’t agree with you are bewildered, uninformed, stupid, or careless. Now Willie climbs upon the elitist bandwagon of the Political Illuminati, stating that those who don’t agree with him are mindless sheep. Well, maybe they ARE mindless sheep. Just because they support the war and Bush doesn’t mean they are not mindless sheep. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/18 "2004-01-01T15:41:41Z")
Greatest protest song \* ever\*??? Apparently that’s just because it disses your personal \* bete noire \*, Bush. How about “Fighting for Soldiers”? (“You haven’t an arm, you haven’t a leg, the enemy nearly slew you. You’ll have to be put out on the street to beg, Oh Johnny what have they done to you?”) How about \* Joe Hill \*? How about Phil Och’s or Woody Guthries entire canon? Get some frigging perspective, DTC. This probably isn’t even the greatest protest song of 2004 to date. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/19 "2004-01-01T15:50:17Z")
I like it until the ‘bewildered herd’ line. I disagree with the mainstream therefore I am a brilliant iconoclast and those who agree (or at least don’t mind it too much) are mindless sheep. And not a mention of how our opponent ran his country shedding blood like a Gothic horror movie. Still, good for him for putting it out there, I guess, if that’s how he feels. I hope ‘conservatives’ don’t waste any ink attacking him. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089/20 "2004-01-01T15:59:30Z")
I think it’s worth remembering that Willie is taking a risk by releasing a song like this because it has the potential to anger a lot of his fan base. He’s not Cheryl Crow or Chrissie Hinds or someobody who normally performs for a liberal, anti-war audience. He performs for conservative country music fans. He not only acknowledges that he could piss off his fan base but says that he hopes it does. He’s willing to speak his mind about this war and doesn’t care if it costs him. He’s also not someone who normally would try to draw attention to himself with a grandstanding political statement. His “activism” as it were, usually runs to more to causes like Farm Aid and the decriminalization of marijuana. he obviously really _means_ it with this song. One of my favorite lines in the song is when he says “…don’t mistake caring for weakness.” That means a lot to us peaceniks. I think it’s ironic that Willie is a close friend of Toby Keith, That must make for some interesting discussions. To those who were wondering why I put this in the pit: it seemed too political for Cafe but it wasn’t really a debate either so i put it here. Plus, the song itself is pretty much a rant. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/willie-nelson-just-wrote-the-greatest-protest-song-ever/222089.md?page=2)