Learning to Lose
by Margo Price (featuring Willie Nelson)

Album: All American Made (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • After writing this song, Margo Price and her husband (and frequent collaborator) Jeremy Ivey felt it had a very Willie Nelson-like quality. On a whim, they suggested to their record label that he could sing on it. After a few strings were pulled they found themselves with Nelson laying the tune down in the country legend's studio.

    "It's the best thing that's ever happened in our lives," Ivey told American Songwriter. "He looked at both of us and said, 'You wrote a great song.' I said, 'We're just ripping off you.' And he responded, 'But I never wrote that song. You didn't rip me off, you wrote something else.' That meant so much."
  • Margo Price told Uncut how Willie Nelson came to be on the track: "We wrote this song, and we always had it in mind. I've hung out with him and shared a joint, and had a great conversation with him when we first met. He does a lot of his tracking at his studio in Texas, out in Spicewood. We want up there around New Year and we got to go in the studio and listen to him sing and play all the guitar on it and cut the whole thing. It was amazing to see the way he works."
  • Speaking to UK newspaper The Sun about collaborating with Nelson, Price said:

    "Willie Nelson has a Buddhist-like quality about him. He never seems to get stressed out. He always has a new joke to tell me and a big smile on his face. He took a lot of time and care into laying down the vocals and guitar parts on Trigger, of course (his legendary guitar)."
  • Uncut magazine asked Margo Price what it was like spending "the day before the day before the new year" with Willie Nelson. She replied: "They told me that he really only ever does one or two takes, but he did it probably four times and it was so hard to pick which one we were going to keep because they all had such a different brilliance to them.

    When we got done, he came out and shook my hand and Jeremy's hand and Jeremy said, 'That is a well written song. We were stealing from you, Willy!' And he goes, 'Yep, but I didn't write that song - you wrote that song and it's a good one.' And that means more to me than any awards or accolades I could ever get."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")

Holly Knight ("The Best," "Love Is A Battlefield")Songwriter Interviews

Holly Knight talks about some of the hit songs she wrote, including "The Warrior," "Never" and "The Best," and explains some songwriting philosophy, including how to think of a bridge.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?