He’s written about the outlaw lifestyle, his love of marijuana, freedom, and counterculture. But what about his softer, sweeter songs about falling in love and love lost? These are seven of the best Willie Nelson love songs of all time. However, there are probably even more out there. The man produced over 100 albums, after all.
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1. “I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die”
“I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die” is one of Willie Nelson’s more recent love songs from the 2022 album A Beautiful Time. Nelson’s always been an excellent songwriter, but he will occasionally perform an arrangement that was written by someone else. This heartstring-tugger was written by Rodney Crowell and Chris Stapleton.
2. “All Of Me”
One of many beloved tracks from the 1978 album Stardust, “All Of Me” is one of Nelson’s most well-known slow-dance go-tos from his discography. His voice is at its best on this track, and his band manages to make brass instruments sound tender.
3. “I Am The Forest”
The title might be off-putting, but the 1983 track “I Am The Forest” is very much a love song. Nelson serenades his lost love, describing how he is an “empty” forest without her, the woman who is his “trees”.
4. “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other”
This really wouldn’t be a list of Willie Nelson love songs without mentioning the barrier-breaking song “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other”. It’s technically a cover of a Ned Sublette song that Nelson breathed new life into. And it’s one of his most well-known love songs to this day.
5. “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”
“Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain” is one of the most iconic songs from Nelson’s breakthrough album Red Headed Stranger. The 1975 song is just one part of a whole storyline that the album follows. As a track by itself, it’s a very tender song about leaving behind the one person you love most. As a part of a broader story, it’s about murdering your wife and her lover. It’s all about perspective.
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6. “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground”
This track from the 1980 album Honeysuckle Rose is one of Nelson’s saddest love songs, but also one of his most beautifully written pieces of work. The song describes how love is “the greatest healer to be found” and the importance of not holding on too tightly to the people you love.
7. “Willingly”
This 1962 duet between Nelson and singer Shirley Collie is one of his very best duets. It’s also quite a heart-tugging love song about coming to terms with the fact that the one you love most has left you.
Photo by Robert Mora
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