Willie Nelson – Write Your Own Songs

About the song

In a career filled with bold choices and a fearless sense of independence, Willie Nelson’s Write Your Own Songs stands out as a sharp, unapologetic statement aimed straight at the heart of the music industry. Released in 1982 as part of the album WWII—a collaboration with fellow outlaw country artist Waylon Jennings—this song doesn’t just sing; it speaks truth to power. Willie, never one to mince words, uses this track to take a pointed jab at the corporate machinery of Nashville and the music executives who, in his view, try to control creativity with contracts and commercial formulas.

By the early ’80s, Willie Nelson had already carved out a unique space for himself as one of the leading voices of the Outlaw Country movement—a rebellion against the polished, formulaic sounds coming out of the Nashville music scene. Alongside artists like Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash, Willie pushed for creative control, raw authenticity, and songs that felt lived-in, not manufactured. Write Your Own Songs is a natural extension of that ethos. In it, Willie delivers a dry, sardonic takedown of the record execs who, as the lyrics suggest, are more interested in counting profits than honoring poetry.

With his trademark laid-back vocal delivery and simple, uncluttered arrangement, Willie gets his point across without raising his voice. That’s part of the brilliance. The song isn’t angry—it’s wise, confident, and just cheeky enough to make its message land with a grin. Lyrics like “Tell it like it is and hope they understand / If the truth sounds like old country, well, write your own songs” serve as both a challenge and a reminder: true art doesn’t ask for permission.

For longtime fans, this song reinforces why Willie Nelson remains such a respected figure in American music. He’s not just a singer-songwriter; he’s a symbol of artistic freedom, someone who’s never been afraid to stand alone if that’s what it takes to stay honest. Write Your Own Songs is more than a tune—it’s a manifesto, and even decades later, it still rings with relevance.

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Lyrics

You call us heathens with zero respect for the law
We are only songwriters just writing our songs and that’s all
We write what we live and we live what we write is that wrong
If you think it is Mr. Music Executive
Why don’t you write your own songs

And don’t listen to mine,they might run you crazy
They might make you dwell on your feelings a moment too long
We’re making you rich and you’re already lazy
So just lay on your ass and get richer or write your own songs

Mr. Purified Country don’t you know what the whole things about
Is your head up your ass so far that you can’t pull it out
The world’s getting smaller and everyone in it belongs
And if you can’t see that Mr. Purified Country
Why don’t you just write your own songs

And don’t listen to mine,they might run you crazy
They might make you dwell on your feelings a moment too long
We’re making you rich and you’re already lazy
So just lay on your ass and get richer or write your own songs

So just lay on your ass and get richer or write your own songs