Willie Nelson knows a lot about recording - and writing - good songs. Wilson got his start as a songwriter, before becoming a legendary singer. If anyone knows about hit songs, it's likely the 92-year-old himself.
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"I believe songs, they don't get old," Nelson tells Forbes. "'Stardust' is one of the greatest songs of all time. 'Moonlight In Vermont,' 'Your Cheatin' Heart,' all those songs don't get old, they just get better."
"Stardust" is the title track of Nelson's 1978 album. Surprisingly, Nelson didn't write the song, which was instead penned by Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish. Nor did Nelson write "Moonlight in Vermont," which was written by John Blackburn and Karl Suessdorf and first released in 1944. That song also appeared on Nelson's Stardust record as well.
Of course, "You're Cheatin' Heart" is a Hank Williams song. Tragically, it was released shortly after he passed away in January of 1953.
The Story Behind One Of Willie Nelson's Most Iconic Hits
It's ironic that Nelson didn't pen any of the songs he calls the greatest ever, since he arguably wrote one of the most iconic hits of all time. It's Nelson who wrote "Crazy," a big hit for Patsy Cline in 1961, and a song that is still being sung decades later.
"I enjoyed fooling around with the phrasing," Nelson says (via American Songwriter). "But it made my sound noncommercial for all those Nashville ears who were listening for the same old stuff and misunderstood anything original."
By his own admission, "Crazy" was a challenge, even for a talented songwriter like himself.
"I had problems immediately with my song 'Crazy' because it had four or five chords in it," he admits. "Not that 'Crazy' is real complicated; it just wasn't your basic three-chord country hillbilly song."
Nelson might not list his songs among his favorite, but he is still a fan of the hundreds he did write.
"I've written a lot of songs," Nelson concedes. "And at the time I wrote them, I liked them all, and I guess I still do."
Nelson still writes, and still tours, which is where he finds his most joy, playing music live.
"I enjoy seeing people get together and forget about everything except music. I think there's a great positive exchange that takes place."
