About the song
Willie Nelson’s take on “Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got a Heartache)” is a fascinating glimpse into his early years as both a songwriter and performer, offering a fresh perspective on a classic country heartbreaker. Originally written and recorded by Buck Owens in 1959, the song became one of Owens’ signature honky-tonk numbers—brisk, twangy, and full of that unmistakable Bakersfield sound. But when Nelson wraps his voice around it, something changes. His version strips away some of the buoyant energy of Owens’ original, replacing it with a more contemplative sorrow, the kind that lingers long after the last note fades.
By the time Willie Nelson recorded this song, he was still carving out his niche in country music. While he would later become synonymous with the Outlaw Country movement—rejecting the polish of Nashville in favor of a raw, deeply personal style—his early recordings often found him working within the traditional structures of country and honky-tonk. Yet even in these moments, there’s something unmistakably Willie about the way he delivers a song.
At its core, “Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got a Heartache)” is a simple song of loss and resignation. The narrator isn’t raging against the heartbreak; he’s not even trying to fight it. Instead, he’s resigned to his sorrow, almost politely excusing himself as if heartache were something as mundane as a head cold. There’s a wry humor in that—something country music has always done well—but in Nelson’s hands, it leans more toward melancholy than irony.
One of the key differences between Owens’ and Nelson’s interpretations is in their vocal phrasing. Owens, with his crisp delivery and Bakersfield twang, sings it as though heartbreak is just another step in life—painful, but survivable, almost upbeat in its misery. Nelson, on the other hand, has always had a way of making his phrasing feel more conversational, stretching or compressing syllables in ways that make the lyrics feel as if they’re coming straight from his thoughts rather than a strict melody line. This gives his version a more introspective feel, as though the pain is settling in rather than being brushed aside.
Instrumentally, Nelson’s arrangement leans into the smooth, warm tones that would later define much of his work. While Owens’ version features that sharp, punchy Telecaster sound so emblematic of Bakersfield country, Nelson’s take is softer, more intimate. His jazz-influenced chord voicings and more relaxed tempo add a kind of wistfulness, reinforcing the song’s themes of quiet sorrow.
It’s also worth noting how this song fits into Nelson’s larger body of work. Heartache has always been one of his greatest subjects, but unlike some of his later songs—where love and loss take on an almost philosophical depth—this track is straightforward country storytelling. Yet even within that simplicity, you can hear the seeds of what would make him one of the most revered songwriters in American music.
Willie Nelson’s “Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got a Heartache)” is more than just a cover—it’s a reinterpretation, a reframing of emotion through the lens of a man who would go on to change country music forever. Whether you prefer Owens’ rollicking original or Nelson’s more introspective take, one thing is clear: this is the kind of song that lingers, not just in the mind but in the heart.
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Lyrics
They just don’t know how lost I feel without you
My teardrops never see the light of day
I laugh and joke each time they talk about you
But if they heard my heart they’d hear it say
Excuse me, I think I’ve got a heartache
There’s an aching deep inside and it just won’t be denied
Excuse me, I think I’ve got a heartache
And I’d better say goodbye before I cry
I guess it’s pride that makes me hide my sorrow
I live a lie in all I do and say
My lips may lie and paint a bright tomorrow
But if I told the truth I’d have to say
Excuse me, I think I’ve got a heartache
And there’s an aching deep inside and it just won’t be denied
Excuse me, I think I’ve got a heartache
And I’d better say goodbye before I cry
