Medley
Willie Nelson Lyrics


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Well he rode into Blue Rock
Dusty and tired and he got him
A room for the night
He lay there in silence
With too much on his mind
Still hoping that he was not right

But he found them that evening
In a tavern in town
In a quiet little out of the way place
And they smiled at each other
When he walked through the door
And they died with their smiles on their faces
They died with a smile on their face

Don't boss him don't cross him
He's wild in his sorrow
He's ridin' and hidin' his pain
Don't fight him, don't spite him




Let's wait till tomorrow
Maybe he'll ride on again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Willie Nelson's song Medley: Blue Rock Montana/Red Headed Stranger tell a story of a man who enters a town called Blue Rock, hoping to find a room for the night. The man is dusty and tired, and has too much on his mind. The lyrics suggest that he is holding onto some secrets or regrets that he cannot shake off. The man then stumbles upon a group of people in a tavern in a quiet part of town. They smile at each other, sharing a moment of mutual recognition. The lyrics imply that there is some sort of history between them, and it is suggested that they may be a gang or a group of outlaws. Despite this, the man is welcomed, and the group seems happy to see him. However, the lyrics then take a grim turn, as they reveal that the group dies later that night, with smiles on their faces. The reason for their death is not explicitly stated, but it is suggested that they got into some sort of trouble, and met their end with a sense of satisfaction.


The song then goes on to describe the man's state of mind. He is wild in his sorrow, and is riding and hiding his pain. The lyrics suggest that the man is on the run, trying to escape his past. He is dealing with a lot of emotional pain and trauma, and the lyrics suggest that he may be seeking some sort of closure or resolution. The lyrics ask us not to boss him or cross him, but to wait till tomorrow, when maybe he will ride on again. The song is thus a poignant meditation on the human condition, and the way that we all struggle with pain and regret, and seek to find some sort of meaning or resolution.


Line by Line Meaning

Well he rode into Blue Rock
The singer arrived in the town of Blue Rock.


Dusty and tired and he got him
He was dusty and tired, so he rented a room for the night.


A room for the night
He got a room to stay for the night after a long travel.


He lay there in silence
The artist rested in quietude.


With too much on his mind
He was preoccupied with many things.


Still hoping that he was not right
Despite his worries, he held onto hope that things might turn out differently.


But he found them that evening
Later that day, he located the people he was searching for.


In a tavern in town
They were in a pub situated in Blue Rock.


In a quiet little out of the way place
The bar was located in a serene, secluded corner of the town.


And they smiled at each other
On his entrance, they exchanged smiles with each other.


When he walked through the door
As soon as he entered the bar, they acknowledged his presence.


And they died with their smiles on their faces
Unfortunately, they perished while still smiling.


Don't boss him don't cross him
Do not attempt to dictate or oppose him.


He's wild in his sorrow
He is grieving in an untamed manner.


He's ridin' and hidin' his pain
He attempts to bury his pain by running from it.


Don't fight him, don't spite him
Avoid antagonizing him or sparking confrontations with him.


Let's wait till tomorrow
We might need to wait till the next day for him to feel better.


Maybe he'll ride on again
He may leave and start a new journey.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@zella976

Has so much meaning for your life !

@prepperchicntexas

One of the songs played at my husband's funeral.

@bevkelly8449

A song very appropriate for this past year and hoping for better times.

@olavuthaug6991

I, huge fan of Willie, recently found this album after almost 50-(!)-some years! And I can`t stop playing it over and over and over and .... again!

@joeterp5615

I had never heard this album! Then one day a couple months back I was lazily surfing the web and for fun looked up “Best Willie Nelson albums” and found a great on-line article in Texas Monthly which ranked and reviewed all 150 of his albums. So I sampled a a bunch of them here on YouTube and bought several. This album is FANTASTIC! I’ve always been a big Willie fan, having bought about 10 or so of his albums over the years - but back when I was buying from record stores in the 80s and 90s, it was a bit random for me, just picking up ones that looked interesting (beyond the most obvious of choices, like his greatest hits album and Stardust). Now seeing a comprehensive list like this has opened up a world of Willie discovery for me. The other two great gems I’ve bought in recent weeks are Spirit and The IRS Tapes: Who Will Buy My Memories.

So fun to discover amazing music by this living legend. I saw him perform last year (3rd time I’d seen him), and what a treat, he was 89 at the time and still put on a great show! (and with his son Lucas too)

@DAVIDSMITHband

I love this album. I lost it somewhere along the way. But, it's part of what made me.

@gregfrancis5252

one of his best albums,,,,,

@larissaratica3276

Truer today.

@jennikine12u

thanks for loading onto youtube, i sent this to all of my friends. Well said, Willie. Oh, i'm a listener all kinds of music, but i like the lyrics.

@carolleemarshall4700

G

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