Born during the Great Depression and raised by his grandparents, Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined the U.S. Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. During this time, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky-tonks. Nelson moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he wrote "Family Bible" and recorded the song "Lumberjack" in 1956. He also worked as a disc jockey at various radio stations in Vancouver and nearby Portland, Oregon. In 1958, he moved to Houston, Texas, after signing a contract with D Records. He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls", "Pretty Paper", and "Crazy". In 1960 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price's band as a bassist. In 1962, he recorded his first album, ...And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year. After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin, Texas. The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement, performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters.
In 1973, after signing with Atlantic Records, Nelson turned to outlaw country, including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages. In 1975, he switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded the critically acclaimed album Red Headed Stranger. The same year, he recorded another outlaw country album, Wanted! The Outlaws, along with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser. During the mid-1980s, while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like "On the Road Again", "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", and "Pancho and Lefty", he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen, along with fellow singers Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.
In 1990, Nelson's assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service, which claimed that he owed $32 million. The difficulty of paying his outstanding debt was aggravated by weak investments he had made during the 1980s. In 1992, Nelson released The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories?; the profits of the double album—destined to the IRS—and the auction of Nelson's assets cleared his debt. During the 1990s and 2000s, Nelson continued touring extensively, and released albums every year. Reviews ranged from positive to mixed. He explored genres such as reggae, blues, jazz, and folk.
Nelson made his first movie appearance in the 1979 film The Electric Horseman, followed by other appearances in movies and on television. Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which is in favor of marijuana legalization. On the environmental front, Nelson owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil. Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the advisory board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas.
Nelson uses a variety of music styles to create his own distinctive blend of country music, a hybrid of jazz, pop, blues, rock and folk. His "unique sound", which uses a "relaxed, behind-the-beat singing style and gut-string guitar" and his "nasal voice and jazzy, off-center phrasing", has been responsible for his wide appeal, and has made him a "vital icon in country music", influencing the "new country, new traditionalist, and alternative country movements of the 1980s and 1990s".
In 1969, the Baldwin company gave Nelson an amplifier and guitar with their "Prismatone" pickup. During a show in Helotes, Texas, Nelson left the guitar on the floor of the stage, and it was later stepped on by a drunk man. He sent it to be repaired in Nashville by Shot Jackson, who told Nelson that the damage was too great. Jackson offered him a Martin N-20 Classical guitar, and, at Nelson's request, moved the pickup to the Martin. Nelson purchased the guitar unseen for $750 and named it after Roy Rogers' horse "Trigger". The next year Nelson rescued the guitar from his burning ranch.
Constant strumming with a guitar pick over the decades has worn a large sweeping hole into the guitar's body near the sound hole—the N-20 has no pick-guard since classical guitars are meant to be played fingerstyle instead of with picks. Its soundboard has been signed by over a hundred of Nelson's friends and associates, ranging from fellow musicians to lawyers and football coaches. The first signature on the guitar was Leon Russell's, who asked Nelson initially to sign his guitar. When Nelson was about to sign it with a marker, Russell requested him to scratch it instead, explaining that the guitar would be more valuable in the future. Interested in the concept, Nelson requested Russell to also sign his guitar. In 1991, during his process with the IRS, Nelson was worried that Trigger could be auctioned off, stating: "When Trigger goes, I'll quit". He asked his daughter, Lana, to take the guitar from the studio before any IRS agent arrived there, and then deliver it to him in Maui. Nelson then concealed the guitar in his manager's house until his debt was paid off in 1993.
Nelson is widely recognized as an American icon. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993, and he received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998. In 2011, Nelson was inducted to the National Agricultural Hall of Fame, for his labor in Farm Aid and other fund raisers to benefit farmers. In 2015 Nelson won the Gershwin Prize, the lifetime award of the Library of Congress. In 2018 The Texas Institute of Letters inducted him among its members for his songwriting. He was included by Rolling Stone on its 100 Greatest Singers and 100 Greatest Guitarists lists.
Bloody Merry Morning
Willie Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby left me without warning
Sometime in the night
So I'm flyin' down to Houston
Forgetting her's the nature of my flight
As we taxi toward the runway
With the smog and haze
Just a country boy who's learnin'
That the pitfalls of the city
Are extremely real
All the night life and the parties
And temptation and deceit
The order of the day
Well it's a bloody Mary mornin'
'Cause I'm leavin' baby somewhere in LA
Well, it's a bloody Mary morning
Baby left me without warning
Sometime in the night
So I'm flyin' down to Houston
Forgetting her's the nature of my flight
Our golden jet is airborne
And flight fifty cuts a path
Across the mornin' sky
And a voice comes through the speaker
Reassuring us flight fifty
Is the way to fly
And a hostess takes our order
Coffee, tea or something stronger
To start off the day
Well it's a bloody Mary morning
'Cause I'm leavin' baby somewhere in LA
Well, it's a bloody Mary morning
Baby left me without warning
Sometime in the night
So I'm flyin' down to Houston
Forgetting her's the nature of my flight
Yeah I'm flyin' down to Houston
Forgetting her's the nature of my flight
The song “Bloody Mary Morning” by Willie Nelson is a classic country song about heartbreak and escape. The song describes a man who has been left by his lover and is trying to forget her by flying down to Houston. He reflects on the perils of city life and the temptation that can be found there. He orders a bloody Mary on the plane, which seems appropriate for his situation, and reflects that forgetting his lover is the nature of his flight.
The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak and the need to escape from a situation. The imagery of a smog and haze reminds the singer of his feelings, and the descriptions of the airport and the plane help the listener to feel like they are on this journey with him. The use of the bloody Mary as a symbol of forgetting someone is a clever way of conveying the singer’s emotions without saying it outright.
Overall, the song is a testament to Willie Nelson’s skill as a songwriter and his ability to convey complex emotions in a simple and relatable way.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it's a bloody Mary morning
The morning is rough and painful, most likely due to a hangover from drinking too many Bloody Marys the night before.
Baby left me without warning
The singer's significant other left him unexpectedly and without explanation.
Sometime in the night
The departure of the singer's partner occurred during the previous night, while he was asleep.
So I'm flyin' down to Houston
In an attempt to forget about his lost love, the singer is heading to Houston, Texas for a change of scenery.
Forgetting her's the nature of my flight
The purpose of the singer's flight is to escape his heartbreak and move on from his former lover.
As we taxi toward the runway
The singer is currently on a plane, preparing for takeoff.
With the smog and haze
The singer can see the pollution and fog around the airport, which accentuates his negative mood.
Reminding me of how I feel
The atmosphere outside the plane mirrors the emotional turmoil that the singer is experiencing.
Just a country boy who's learnin'
Despite being a simple country boy, the singer is trying to navigate the dangerous and overwhelming city life.
That the pitfalls of the city
Living in the city has shown the singer that there are many potential risks and problems he needs to be aware of.
Are extremely real
The singer has learned from experience that the dangers of city life are not just theoretical, but very real and significant.
All the night life and the parties
The singer is referring to the glamorous and exciting aspects of city life that can be alluring and tempting.
And temptation and deceit
Despite the allure of city life, the singer recognizes that there are many traps and pitfalls in the big city, including lies and deception.
The order of the day
Deception and temptation are an ordinary and commonly experienced aspect of city life.
Our golden jet is airborne
The plane the singer is on has taken off and is currently flying above the clouds.
And flight fifty cuts a path
The plane is flying on a specific route and trajectory, referred to as Flight 50.
Across the mornin' sky
The plane is flying through the sky in the morning, as the sun is rising and lighting up the surroundings.
And a voice comes through the speaker
The airline staff are making an announcement over the plane's speakers.
Reassuring us flight fifty
The announcement aims to calm any nervous passengers and ensure them that their flight is safe and reliable.
Is the way to fly
The staff are encouraging the passengers to trust and enjoy their flight.
And a hostess takes our order
The airline staff are offering refreshments to the passengers on the plane.
Coffee, tea or something stronger
The refreshments offered include standard beverages like coffee and tea, as well as alcoholic drinks.
To start off the day
The singer is being offered a drink as he starts his day, which shows that he is continuing to drink despite his heartbreak.
Yeah I'm flyin' down to Houston
The singer reiterates that he is traveling to Houston to escape his emotional pain and forget about his now-ex lover.
Forgetting her's the nature of my flight
The main reason for the singer's flight is to mentally separate himself from his former partner and begin to heal from the pain of the breakup.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Willie Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eva Heiser
Dankeschön lieber Willie Nelson.Alles Gute u,viel Gesundheit.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Youmothershould Know
His laid back, inimitable singing style for such a high intensity and fast tempo song shows that Willie is the boss.
TONY ANZELLINO
Am extremely happy to have Willie Nelson still with us making music for his fans to enjoy, may he life for another 50 years. He has an unique singing voice and is a great guitar player. Thanks for sharing your wonderful work with your fans.
Tony from Yarloop, Southwest of Western Australia.🎸🎸🎸🎺🎺🎻🎻😀😀👍👍
robbie1977ful
He is truly a genius . What a beautiful performance! Holy chit
Wendy Ramirez
True legend of country music 🎼 love hearing willie Nelson 🎤🎸🎼✨music brightens my day and evening from all I’m going through right now God bless your talent &voice for singing ✨👏
Xine999
Absolutely terrific guitar duet!
Butterfly Kisses
I've met Willie three times and he is the most generous and down to earth man you will ever meet! A true Legend!
Ulla Westin
It does not get any better than this!
Linett Boyd
Music at its best....!!!
WOW......that guitar..!!!
Linett Boyd
Will do....I really love your music
There are songs from your collection that I can relate to personally
Sometimes I wish I could meet the legend in person but I live in
Jamaica. The first song I heard was ..My heroes have always been cowboys ...
Years later I met a friend named Willie who really displayed a collection of your music and was I captivated..!!