About the song
Willie Nelson’s interpretation of For the Good Times—released when he was 83 years old—stands as a poignant meditation on love, loss, and the inexorable passage of time. The song itself is a country music standard, written by the great Kris Kristofferson and first popularized by Ray Price in 1970. Over the decades, For the Good Times has been recorded by a host of legendary voices, each adding their own emotional inflection, but there is something uniquely profound about hearing it from Willie Nelson in the twilight of his career. With his unmistakable phrasing, weathered yet tender vocal delivery, and that ever-faithful Trigger (his worn, nylon-string guitar), Nelson breathes new life into a familiar classic, turning it into a deeply personal farewell of sorts—one that resonates with anyone who has loved and lost.
By the time Nelson recorded For the Good Times for his 2016 album For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price, he was no stranger to songs about heartache. His entire career, spanning more than six decades, has been built on a foundation of storytelling—often marked by themes of longing, regret, and the bittersweet nature of memory. His version of For the Good Times is less about the immediate sting of a breakup and more about reflecting on love with the wisdom that only age can bring. There is no bitterness, no dramatic sorrow—just a quiet, graceful acceptance of what was and what will never be again.
One of the defining characteristics of Nelson’s artistry is his ability to inhabit a song completely. His voice—never classically smooth but always rich with character—makes For the Good Times feel intimate, as though he’s singing not to an audience but to one person, in some dimly lit room where the past still lingers in the air. His phrasing is deliberate, stretching certain lines just a bit longer, letting the emotions settle in, making the listener feel the weight of each word. Unlike Ray Price’s sweeping, orchestral rendition, Nelson opts for something more stripped-down, more meditative. His delivery is almost conversational, a quality that makes the song feel less like a grand performance and more like a memory being recounted in real time.
The song’s message—of parting with grace, of holding onto the good memories rather than dwelling on the pain—is one that takes on a different significance when sung by a man in his eighties. For Nelson, who has outlived so many of his contemporaries, there is an added poignancy in the way he sings, “Let’s just be glad we had some time to spend together.” He is not only singing about romantic love; he is also, perhaps, singing to a lifetime of friends, fellow musicians, and even to his fans. In this way, For the Good Times becomes more than just another cover—it is a reflection on a life well-lived, on the inevitability of change, and on the beauty of cherishing the moments that once were.
Nelson has always been a master at distilling complex emotions into simple, unadorned melodies, and here, he does so with an almost effortless grace. The instrumentation is warm yet restrained, allowing the lyrics to take center stage. The pedal steel sighs gently in the background, echoing the melancholy without overwhelming it. Nelson’s guitar work, always deceptively intricate, adds a subtle layer of texture, giving the song a sense of quiet reverence.
At 83, Willie Nelson had nothing left to prove—his legacy was long since secured—but with For the Good Times, he offered a reminder of why he remains one of the most enduring figures in American music. This is a song about goodbyes, but in Nelson’s hands, it is also a song about gratitude. It is about recognizing the beauty in what has passed rather than mourning its absence. And that, perhaps, is what makes this version of For the Good Times so powerful—it is not just a song; it is a philosophy, gently sung by a man who has lived it.
Video
Lyrics
Don’t look so sad I know it’s over
But life goes on and this old world will keep on turning
Let’s just be glad we had some time to spend together
There’s no need to watch the bridges that were burning
Lay your head upon my pillow hold your warm and tender body close to mine
Hear the whisper of the raindrops blowing soft against the window
And make believe you love me one more time for the good times
I’ll get along you’ll find another
I’ll be here if you should find you ever need me
Don’t say a word about tomorrow or forever
There’ll be time enough for sadness when you leave me
Lay your head upon my pillow…
