Shotgun Willie

Album: Shotgun Willie (1973)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The tale behind the title of Willie Nelson's Shotgun Willie album is an interesting one. The story goes that Nelson's daughter, Susie, told him that her sister Lana was being abused by her husband, Paul Warren. Nelson drove to Lana's house, where he fought with Warren, and threatened to kill him if he ever hit his daughter again. Soon after Nelson arrived home, Warren arrived in his truck with his brothers and they started to shoot at his house. Nelson and his drummer, Paul English, retaliated with their own rifles, causing the aggressors to surrender and earning Nelson the nickname of 'Shotgun Willie.'
  • Nelson wrote the lyrics for the song that would become the title track whilst sat on the toilet in the bathroom of the hotel that he was staying at whilst recording the album. He scribbled them on the empty packaging of a sanitary napkin.
  • Not everyone was a fan of this song. In his 1988 autobiography, Willie, Nelson recalled Kris Kristofferson calling the tune "mind farts." Nelson added, "Maybe so, but I thought of it more as clearing my throat."

    Kristofferson often joined Nelson at "guitar pulling" sessions where songwriters would gather to critique each other's work. "You might say it's like a bunch of Old West gunfights coming together to see who is best - only instead of slapping their holsters and coming up with six-guns blazing, they unsnap their guitar cases and come up singing," he explained.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rick Springfield

Rick SpringfieldSongwriter Interviews

Rick has a surprising dark side, a strong feminine side and, in a certain TV show, a naked backside. But he still hasn't found Jessie's Girl.

Carl Sturken

Carl SturkenSongwriter Interviews

Hitmaker Carl Sturken on writing and producing for Rihanna, 'N Sync, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Donny Osmond, Shakira and Karyn White.

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

Zac Hanson

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.