About the song
Willie Nelson’s Nothing I Can Do About It Now is a song that speaks to the hard-won wisdom of a life fully lived, complete with regrets, lessons, and the understanding that some things are simply out of our control. Released in 1989 as the lead single from his album A Horse Called Music, the song became another hit in Nelson’s extensive catalog, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. But beyond its commercial success, this track resonates deeply with anyone who has ever looked back on the past with both acceptance and a touch of melancholy.
Nelson has always had a remarkable ability to blend storytelling with philosophy, and Nothing I Can Do About It Now is no exception. The lyrics, penned by Beth Nielsen Chapman, feel tailor-made for him, reflecting the kind of reflective wisdom that defines so much of his best work. This is a song about surrender—not in a passive sense, but in the way that only someone who has fought their battles and made their peace can truly understand. The narrator acknowledges past mistakes, missed opportunities, and wrong turns, but rather than dwelling on them, he arrives at a liberating conclusion: “I could cry for the time I’ve wasted, but that’s a waste of time and tears.”
Musically, the song embodies the smooth, easygoing sound that Nelson had perfected by the late 1980s. It leans into a polished country-pop production style, a shift from the raw outlaw country sound that had defined his earlier years. The arrangement features gentle percussion, warm steel guitar, and Nelson’s signature nylon-string guitar, Trigger, lending its unmistakable tone. His vocal delivery is effortlessly relaxed yet deeply expressive, giving the lyrics a weight that can only come from someone who has lived through every word.
What makes Nothing I Can Do About It Now so compelling is its balance of resignation and optimism. It acknowledges past struggles but refuses to be defined by them. Instead, it offers a quiet but profound lesson: the past cannot be changed, and worrying about it only robs us of the present. In a way, it feels like an anthem for anyone who has learned to let go, a sentiment that only grows more meaningful with time.
At its core, this song is a testament to Nelson’s enduring appeal. His voice—both literal and artistic—has always carried a sense of knowing, of having seen it all and emerged wiser for it. Whether you come to Nothing I Can Do About It Now as a longtime fan or are hearing it for the first time, it’s the kind of song that feels like an old friend, offering comfort, perspective, and a gentle reminder to keep moving forward.
Video
Lyrics
I’ve got a long list of real good reasons
For all the things I’ve done
I’ve got a picture in the back of my mind
Of what I’ve lost and what I’ve won
I’ve survived every situation
Knowing when to freeze and when to run
And regret is just a memory written on my brow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now.
I’ve got a wild and a restless spirit
I held my price through every deal
I’ve seen the fire of a woman’s scorned
Turn her heart of gold to steel
I’ve got the song of the voice inside me
Set to the rhythm of the wheel
And I’ve been dreaming like a child
Since the cradle broke the bow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Running through the changes
Going through the stages
Coming round the corners in my life
Leaving doubt to fate
Staying out too late
Waiting for the moon to say good night
And I could cry for the time I’ve wasted
But that’s a waste of time and tears,
And I know just what I’d change
If went back in time somehow
But there’s nothing I can do about it now
Running through the changes
Going through the stages
Coming round the corners in my life
Leaving doubt to fate
Staying out too late
Waiting for the moon to say good night
And I could cry for the time I’ve wasted
But that’s a waste of time and tears
And I know just what I’d change
If went back in time somehow
But there’s nothing I can do about it now.
I’m forgiving everything that forgiveness will allow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now
