Introduction
Willie Nelson’s “Still Not Dead,” the signature track from his 2017 album God’s Problem Child, is a brilliant, self-aware, and humorous piece of commentary on his own mortality and public persona. Co-written with producer Buddy Cannon, the song was directly inspired by the numerous false reports of the country legend’s death that frequently circulate on the internet. Instead of taking offense, Nelson leans into the absurdity, turning the morbid speculation into a lighthearted honky-tonk number.
The song’s core is its delightfully simple and instantly iconic chorus: “I woke up still not dead again today / The internet said I had passed away / If I died I wasn’t dead to stay / And I woke up still not dead again today.” Delivered in Nelson’s signature, relaxed vocal style, and set against a jaunty, swinging melody driven by his guitar, Trigger, and Mickey Raphael’s harmonica, the song is a joyful affirmation of life.
“Still Not Dead” functions as both a humorous retort to rumor mongers and a celebration of his enduring career and good fortune. At an age when many contemporaries have passed, Nelson uses the song to show he is not only alive but still touring, recording, and writing with his characteristic wit. The song is a testament to his resilience and his unique ability to face heavy subjects—like aging and death—with a wink and a smile, cementing his status as a perennial “Last Man Standing” in the world of country music. It’s an essential late-career track that proves the Red Headed Stranger hasn’t lost his spark.