Introduction
Willie Nelson’s 2019 cover of “It’s Hard to Be Humble,” originally a hit for Mac Davis in 1980, is a perfect piece of late-career self-parody that showcases his enduring humor. The song is a humorous take on excessive arrogance, with the narrator boasting lines like, “Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way / I can’t wait to look in the mirror ’cause I get better looking each day / To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man.”
What makes Nelson’s rendition particularly effective is the subtext of his own legendary status. Unlike a lesser artist, Nelson can deliver the wildly egotistical lyrics with a wink, fully aware that his audience recognizes his immense talent and iconic outlaw image. The delivery is dry, understated, and completely deadpan, suggesting that he is in on the joke. The absurdity of the claims—from his physical appearance to his magnetic appeal to women—is amplified by his advanced age and long career, turning the song into a gentle, self-deprecating commentary on celebrity itself.
Featured on his album Ride Me Back Home, Nelson’s version includes guest vocals from his sons, Lukas and Micah Nelson, further cementing the family’s involvement in his legacy. The track is not a display of new musical genius but a simple, jaunty country tune that serves a singular purpose: to remind everyone, as one of country music’s true living legends, that while humility is a virtue, it’s far more fun to occasionally pretend to be perfect.