Willie Nelson – “Still Not Dead”: Humor at the Edge of Mortality
By the time Willie Nelson released “Still Not Dead” in 2017 on his album God’s Problem Child, he was well into his eighties, and the rumors about his health had become almost as frequent as the stories about his music. Instead of shying away from the whispers, Nelson did what only he could do: he turned them into a song. With a sly grin and a wry sense of humor, he sang about reading his own obituary more than once — and about waking up each morning to prove it wrong. The result was one of the most charming, life-affirming tracks of his later career.
The year 2017 found Nelson in familiar territory: still touring, still recording, still living life on his own terms. God’s Problem Child was an album marked by reflections on aging, mortality, and resilience. Yet while some songs leaned into gravity, “Still Not Dead” leaned into levity. Written by Buddy Cannon and Nelson himself, the song became a witty rebuttal to the endless cycle of speculation about his health, a reminder that humor can be just as powerful as solemnity when facing life’s greatest inevitability.
Musically, the song is classic Willie Nelson. Anchored by his trusty guitar Trigger, the arrangement is light, playful, and steeped in traditional country flavor. There is a bounce in the rhythm, a looseness in the delivery, as though the song were recorded with friends around the kitchen table. Nelson’s voice, cracked and weathered, carries both warmth and mischief. Each line lands with the authority of someone who has lived long enough to see the joke in his own survival.
The lyrics are disarmingly direct: “I woke up still not dead again today.” It is the kind of line only Willie Nelson could sing — plainspoken, humorous, yet underpinned by profound truth. He pokes fun at internet rumors, at friends who insist on checking in, at the relentless march of time itself. Yet beneath the laughter lies a subtle message: life is fleeting, and every day we wake up is a small victory worth celebrating.
For fans, the song was more than just a novelty. It was a reassurance. At a stage when many artists would have retired, Nelson was still writing, still recording, still finding new ways to connect. “Still Not Dead” became a rallying cry of sorts, a declaration that as long as he had breath, he would keep singing, joking, and living life on his own terms.
Critics praised the track for its honesty and charm. It showed Nelson once again embracing the role he has long played in American music: not just a singer of songs, but a philosopher of everyday life. Where others might approach mortality with fear or solemnity, Nelson approached it with laughter, proving that humor can be as brave as sorrow.
In the broader arc of his career, “Still Not Dead” stands as a quintessential Willie Nelson moment. It is playful yet profound, simple yet layered, funny yet deeply human. It reminds us that Nelson’s genius has always been his ability to make the personal universal — to take his own life experiences and transform them into songs that speak to us all.
Today, “Still Not Dead” remains one of Nelson’s most beloved late-career tracks. Fans sing along not only because it is catchy, but because it captures the very essence of his spirit: resilient, humble, and unwilling to bow to time. It is more than just a witty aside — it is a philosophy, wrapped in melody, delivered with a smile.
In the story of Willie Nelson, “Still Not Dead” is not merely a comic footnote. It is a testament to the endurance of a man who has lived, laughed, and sung through nearly nine decades, reminding us all that every morning we wake up is worth a song.