Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings From the Road
Page 12
MICAH NELSON
My father and my mother both have always encouraged my brother and me to be our own people and stand on our own ideas as artists, but most of all, to be compassionate human beings with integrity and respect for others.
My father’s sense of humor, his compassion, his love of family, his creativity—these are some of the most valuable things I inherited from him, and I am incredibly grateful to know him and be a part of his world. My ole man is by far my ultimate hero. I love you, Pap!
RAELYN NELSON
People always ask me what it’s like to have P-dub as my grandpa. He’s a loving, kind, generous, and funny grandpa. He’s never been angry with me. His voice is always warm when we catch up on the phone, and he always has the most right thing to say in the moment. He has always been on the road, working and playing for his fans; he sure does love his fans. That’s what we’ve always known: he was on the road, working, doing what he loves to do, and it’s all for us anyway . . . and you.
ANNIE NELSON
I’m really lucky because I have a husband who is my friend as well as my love. Like all couples, we have had our differences in working out how to blend lives, families, and children. In our case we have a few families to blend, which isn’t for the faint of heart—or sissies.
We are lucky to have an amazing and talented family. All of our kids are brilliant . . . yeah, I know, but honestly they were all blessed to have Willie as their father and must have chosen him for a reason. Maybe they were really good in their past lives and won the father lottery. Was he a “Disney dad”? Sure, but he always balanced it with reason if one of them went too far. A word from him, and they were easily steered back on track. He has a way of seeing life that is a gift to anyone who is lucky enough to spend time with him, so imagine his children’s childhoods!
Anyway, that’s about as much as I care to share, except to say that the most common question people ask me is, is it hard to be Willie’s wife with all those women around, and always being interrupted? The answer is no. My husband knows where he lives, and I am grateful to everyone who hears the love in his voice through his music, and I understand . . . I love him too.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO PEACE ON EARTH
There are so many things going on in the world
Babies dying, mothers crying
How much oil is one human life worth
And what happened to peace on earth
We believe everything they tell us
They are going to kill us so we gotta kill them first
But I remember the commandment thou shalt not kill
How much is that soldier’s life worth
And what happened to peace on earth
And the bewildered herd’s still believing
Everything they’ve been told from their birth
Hell they won’t lie to me
Not on my own damn TV
How much is a liar’s word worth
And what happened to peace on earth
Now you may not hear this on your radio
And not on your local TV
But if you have time and you’re ever inclined
You can always hear it from me
And the bewildered herd’s 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 picker’s life worth
And what happened to peace on earth
I KNOW I NEED TO END THIS BOOK BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN WAY too many words. And in the words of my old friend Larry Trader, “I’m tired of talking, the end.” Time for the 2012 Olympics! I was just telling Annie that they have the Olympics and the Special Olympics, but they should have one for seniors only and just call it the LIMPics!
SUPERMAN
Too many pain pills
Too much pot
Trying to be something
That I’m not
Superman, Superman
Trying to do more than I can,
Got a little out of hand
I ain’t Superman
Well I blew my throat
And I blew my tour
I wound up sippin’ on
Soup du jour
I wasn’t Superman
I wasn’t Superman
Tryin’ to do more than I can
Got a little out of hand
I ain’t Superman
The doctor said son
It’s a crying shame
But you ain’t Clark Kent
And I ain’t Lois Lane
You ain’t Superman
You ain’t Superman
Trying to do more than I can
Got a little out of hand
I ain’t Superman
And when I die
Put it on my stone
God said sucker
Get your bad ass home
I wasn’t Superman
I wasn’t Superman
Trying to do more than I can
Got a little out of hand
I wasn’t Superman
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born in Abbott, Texas, on April 29, 1933, WILLIE NELSON is one of the most popular, prolific, and influential songwriters and singers in the history of American music. A Kennedy Center honoree in 1998, he has been inducted into a number of music halls of fame and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. During the past six decades, he has recorded more than one hundred albums, appeared in several films, and written two New York Times bestsellers: Willie: An Autobiography and The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes. He resides in Texas and Hawaii.
MICAH NELSON is a musician, visual artist, and videographer who plays regularly with his father, Willie Nelson.
www.teachingmachine.tv/particlekid
KINKY FRIEDMAN is an author, musician, defender of strays, cigar smoker, and the governor of the heart of Texas.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
ALSO BY WILLIE NELSON
FICTION
A Tale Out of Luck
NONFICTION
The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in
Your Heart (with Turk Pipkin)
The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes
Willie: An Autobiography (with Bud Shrake)
CREDITS
All illustrations by Micah Nelson
All photographs courtesy of Willie Nelson with the exception of:
Bee Man: Budrock Prewitt
Mark Rothbaum: Randie Laine K
Willie Nelson and Family album cover: Courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment
Lukas, Micah, Annie, and me: Nadav Benjamin, nadavbenjamin.com
Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint excerpts from the following:
“Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.” Words and music by Buddy Cannon, Willie Nelson, John Colgin, Michael McQuerry, and Richard Alves. Copyright © 2011 Run Slow Music, Act Five Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Colleywood Music, Cotton Valley Worldwide Publishing and Hard Labor Music. All rights for Run Slow Music administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation. All rights for Act Five Music administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Used by permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights for Colleywood Music administered by Brice Music Group. All rights for Cotton Valley Worldwide Publishing administered by Bluewater Music Services. All rights for Hard Labor Music administered by HoriPro Entertainment Group. International Copyright secured. All rights reserved.
“Come On Back Jesus.” Words and music by Buddy Cannon, Micah Nelson, and Willie Nelson. Copyright © 2011 Run Slow Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Act Five Music and Lukas Autry Nelson Music LLC. All rights for Run Slow Music administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC. All rights for Act Five Music administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by pe
rmission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Hero.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 2012 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Act Five Music. All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Used by Permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
“I Thought About You, Lord.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1996 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Act Five Music. All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Used by permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
“Somebody Pick Up My Pieces.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1998 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Act Five Music. All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Used by permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
“Superman.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 2006 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Act Five Music. All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Used by permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
“The Troublemaker.” Words and music by Bruce Belland and David Somerville. Copyright © 1969 (renewed) WB Music Corp. Used by permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
“Always Now.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 2008 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Act Five Music. All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Used by permission of Alfred Music Publishing Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
“Heaven and Hell.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1974 (renewed 2002) Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“I Guess I’ve Come to Live Here in Your Eyes.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1980 Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.
“Little Old Fashioned Karma.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1982 Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Phases and Stages.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1972 (renewed 2000) Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Shotgun Willie.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1973 (renewed 2001) Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Texas.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1989 Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“Yesterday’s Wine.” Words and music by Willie Nelson. Copyright © 1971 (Renewed 1999) Full Nelson Music, Inc. All rights controlled and administered by EMI Longitude Music. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation.
“And So Will You My Love.” Copyright © 1965 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Funny (How Time Slips Away).” Copyright © 1961 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Good Times.” Copyright © 1968 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“I Gotta Get Drunk.” Copyright © 1963 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“I Just Can’t Let You Say Goodbye.” Copyright © 1965 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“I Let My Mind Wander.” Copyright © 1966 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“In God’s Eyes.” Copyright © 1961 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“It’s Not for Me to Understand.” Copyright © 1963 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“One in a Row.” Copyright © 1966 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“One Step Beyond.” Copyright © 1961 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Permanently Lonely.” Copyright © 1963 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Pretty Paper.” Copyright © 1962 Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 8 Music Square West, Nashville, TN 37203. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
“Family Bible” written by Paul F. Buskirk and Claude Gray. Used courtesy of Glad Music Co. All rights reserved.
“Turn Out the Lights (The Party’s Over)” written by Willie Nelson and Hank Craig. Used courtesy of Glad Music Co. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT
The Credits section serves as a continuation of the copyright page.
ROLL ME UP AND SMOKE ME WHEN I DIE. Copyright © 2012 by Willie Nelson. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks.
FIRST EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-219364-3
Epub Edition © NOVEMBER 2012 ISBN: 9780062193650
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