Willie & Billy Joe Shaver Protest in “Hard to be An Outlaw”
Well it’s about time we had some established country artists take up the trend of country protest songs, and give modern country their what for. As the lead single from Billy Joe Shaver’s upcoming album Long In The Tooth scheduled for release on August 5th, the long-time, storied country Outlaw songwriter has teamed up with his old buddy Willie Nelson to release a duet called “It’s Hard to Be an Outlaw” that puts new school, fake country Outlaws and other country music interlopers in its crosshairs.
Though these types of protest songs have become standard fare, if not cliché in their own right these days, coming from the powerhouse pairing of Billy Joe Shaver and Willie Nelson makes this one especially memorable. In fact, according to Shaver, they could have gone a step further. “It’s not harsh enough, I don’t guess,” Shaver told Rolling Stone. “He and I both feel the same way about that. We text back and forth, and we figure we’re the only ones over 70 years old that text. I’m sure that’s not right, but I know Kris won’t. Kristofferson won’t do it. I mentioned this title to Willie and he said, ‘Man, you oughta write that.'”
“It’s just stupidity,” Shaver continues. “It’s like walking down a hall and seeing a Picasso and saying, ‘Damn, that thing’s old! Let’s throw it out.’ Fortunately, you can’t burn songs. You can burn pictures, but a song will live forever.”
Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver have remained good friends since their early days as original country music Outlaws in the mid 70’s. When Shaver was on trial for shooting a man in self-defense in Waco, Willie Nelson showed up as a character witness. The title track of Willie Nelson’s 2012 album Heroes is about Billy Joe. And the two stars collaborated recently on another Billy Joe Shaver-penned duet, “Wacko From Waco“.
READ: Billy Joe Shaver to Release First Studio Album in 7 Years
“I feel like that I’m still doing the same thing I always did, it just got lost in the shuffle because all this new stuff came in,” Billy Joe told the Ft. Stockton Pioneer in November. “There’s a lot of money behind these people”¦It’s just people trying to make money, that’s all it is and I can’t begrudge anybody for trying to make money. We’re all trying to make a living and do the best we can. I feel that the art part of it just went out the window”¦but every once in awhile you will hear a good song. I can’t say that it’s all bad, it’s not. It’s just most of it’s bad”¦It’s kind of gotten way out of hand right now I think, but the solid foundation is still there.”
While premiering the new “It’s Hard to be An Outlaw” song, Billy Joe Shaver also mentions something about rapping on Long In The Tooth‘s title track. “I didn’t know it was that easy. I took a crank at it and went crazy and did it.”
May 22, 2014 @ 10:06 am
Great song and great to see these guys still making music. It is a damn shame to see older artists get tossed aside like they’re nothing. These two helped make country music what it is and they deserve better.
May 22, 2014 @ 1:21 pm
I agree, and it’s obviously not limited to country. I always feel a welp of pity form in my soul when I hear about former headliners like Kansas or Charlie Daniels playing state fairs. At that point, your career is essentially over. You’re just playing for fun or eating money.
May 24, 2014 @ 4:14 pm
no disrespect here, acca dacca, but i’m not sure that “pity” is the right word to use to describe talented, seasoned musicians who have gotten “paid to play” for pretty much their entire adult lives, and continue to do so… more power to them if they do it for fun or eating money… and I’m sure they would agree, you can pity them all the way to the bank… i know a LOT of super talented musicians who would love to play anywhere, any time, at any age for any amount of cash if they could write “musician” in the ” occupation” blank on their tax returns every year… (sorry for all the ” marks)😊
May 24, 2014 @ 4:35 pm
I understand what you mean but that was quite what I meant. I was simply illustrating how disheartening it must be on some level, regardless of how much one might enjoy the music, to go from playing arenas to festivals, etc. That’s not a sleight against those that do so nor should it mean that they can’t enjoy themselves. If they’ll play anywhere at any time, more power to them and all the respect in the world. I’m just saying that most artists would probably enjoy playing to bigger crowds and having that taken away from you must stink.
May 24, 2014 @ 4:36 pm
*wasn’t
May 22, 2014 @ 10:59 am
Leave it to BJS and Willie, love it. You wonder if Luke Bryan is still around in his 70’s and 80’s will his musical legacy by as respected as BJS and Willie ? I think not. It’s the flavor of the moment and does not have the depth and soul to survive long term.
May 22, 2014 @ 11:09 am
It’s actually a shame about Luke Bryan, because early in his career (I’m talking before his major label debut) he actually had some good songs and made legitimate country music. Check out his songs “Five O’Clock Angel” and “Small Town Favorite.”
Then he just started putting out almost solely party and tailgate songs, joined the bro-country crowd and never looked back.
May 22, 2014 @ 12:24 pm
One of the saddest things about catering to a mostly young female demographic is that most of the artists doing that right now DO know a great song when they hear it . L.B. is a perfect example . Check out a song he recorded called YOU DON’T KNOW JACK ( Erin Ederlin wrote it ) . Its a gut-wrenchingly honest lyric that will have you reaching for tissue I guarantee. Same with McGraw , Josh Turner and many others . They always have the ‘good stuff ‘ tucked away on the album and release the crap for the younger demographic . Unfortunately the crap has come to define the genre to a new generation .
May 22, 2014 @ 3:15 pm
I just listened to “You Don’t Know Jack” and I’m in shock. That’s a great song! Why can’t he release albums full of songs like this? Instead he makes bro country shit and shakes his ass on stage. He could’ve been an actual country singer who sings real songs with substance. I don’t know how he can look himself in the mirror everyday. He’s got his money, but no respect. He could’ve possibly had both.
May 22, 2014 @ 4:50 pm
It seems to me that bro-country is generally geared for a male audience, not a female one.
May 23, 2014 @ 9:07 am
Hey Eric . Stats tell us the marketing demographic for commercial country , country radio is female between 14-40 . They listen to the stations , buy the product and concert tickets .Guys listen but don’t buy , apparently …and GUYS aren’t going to see Luke’s ass” shakin it for them country girls ” .
May 22, 2014 @ 9:58 pm
It’s been said numerous times on this site that Luke Bryan could have been something special. The guy can sing. Even his first two major label albums were very solid, with songs like Tackle Box, All My Friends Say, Drinkin’ Beer and Wastin’ Bullets, The Car In Front of Me, Baby’s On the Way, Do I, Someone Else Calling You Baby (some may oppose, but honestly, this could’ve been a George Strait song), and, dare I say Welcome to the Farm and We Road In Trucks (both of which always take me back to growing up in a small town). Instead, he went the other way and pissed it down his leg. So very disappointing. And this is why we can’t have nice things.
May 22, 2014 @ 11:06 am
Thank God for these two old farts/jackasses.
May 22, 2014 @ 11:07 am
When country music royalty speaks you listen!
May 23, 2014 @ 8:58 pm
HAHAHAHA !
May 23, 2014 @ 9:06 pm
yeah. . . have us.listen for a moment anyhow ! Obviously NOT EVERYTHING they create is worthy of exaltation either. I do LOVE both these guys but this latest song sounds just horrible to me. Did they cut it in someone’s shower stall or what ? Hope someone comes out with something better soon ’cause, let’s face it, this doesn’t do the trick either. GNAW.
May 22, 2014 @ 11:32 am
The backlash is slowly but steadily building!! I think this is awesome and so glad to see Shaver is coming out with a new album!!
Willie (& I’m sure Billy Joe Shaver as well) know that there is still great country music being created every day – Willie had Austin Lucas (I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea) on one of his tours I think….
As more and more established folks like this start to speak up, I think eventually the label / radio folks will have to eventually listen / take note…if Clear Channel / Cumulus would even do a 1 hour, weekly show with some of ‘our’ music I swear I think it would really catch on with most folks….I’ll gladly volunteer to host it!
They can either keep sinking more & more money into the current crap…er crop of musicians that are going to eventually fade out, OR MAYBE TRY SOMETHING NEW & DIFFERENT like possibly playing some COUNTRY MUSIC ON COUNTRY RADIO??? Either way thank you Mr Nelson & Mr Shaver glad to see they feel the same way as us!!
May 23, 2014 @ 3:12 pm
I used to love it when WMZQ in DC had a classic country show … on Saturday mornings, I think? I hated that they stopped doing that a few years back. Heck, right now I’d even take them just playing two or three classic country songs in one set hour every day. Bet they’d get people tuning in just for that hour to see what they would play. I know I sure would. Maybe then the “powers that be” would realize there’s more of a market than they think out here for the more traditional stuff. If wishes were horses ….
May 22, 2014 @ 11:59 am
These 2 gentlemen have the bona fides to say and back up anything they want about country.
They represent the gold standard.
These guys have advanced our genre and art over the last 5 – 6 decades and we are indebted.
I am glad they are speaking/singing out about the poseurs.
May 22, 2014 @ 1:59 pm
Billy Joe’s comments are hilarious. He bashes modern country but puts on such an “aw shucks” persona that it’s almost like he doesn’t mean to. I love this, especially the part about rapping and him “not knowing it was that easy.” Any ideas on who or what songs Billy Joe and Willie are specifically taking shots at? After all, they’ve both collaborated with modern country artists. Willie Nelson obviously collaborated with Toby Keith among others. As for Billy Joe, of course I have to mention Billy Joe’s involvement with Big & Rich, particularly since they were the face of the “enemy” for quite a few traditionalists (apparently Billy Joe didn’t agree and maybe they deserve a second look). “Live Forever”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeJ4kp1AwY4
May 22, 2014 @ 2:04 pm
I have to admit, I do like that version of Live Forever. That song is so great, as long as you don’t throw in a rap verse I don’t see how you could ruin it.
May 23, 2014 @ 9:15 am
In the past , there have always been ‘novelty’ kinds of country and pop songs …” Spiders and Snakes, Convoy , Save a Horse-Ride a Cowboy ” etc. I think the ‘Kruise Kids’ would have been considered a novelty in the same way . Unfortunately , too high a percentage of what radio plays today is mindless ‘novelty ‘ stuff and too much of the real stuff is ignored because of that . And because the demographic has become so young that they may not be aware that YES ..country music offers options OUTSIDE of the radio .
May 23, 2014 @ 3:06 pm
Really enjoyed this song. I’m glad these 2 are speaking up about the issue. If this were playing on country radio, I’d actually listen more often.
May 23, 2014 @ 8:56 pm
ok…agreed pop country sucks…and I do LOVE Billy Joe Shaver ,( hey let’s spell his name right – whaddya say !) and certainly am a huge Willie Nelson fan too…gotta be truthful and tell ya I just can’t like this sorrowful self pitying duet. I think it sucks too. Need something better guys…this won’t save country music…NO SIR !
May 24, 2014 @ 4:13 pm
I love these two legends and am very excited about Shaver’s and Nelson’s upcoming albums. Although I like this songs lyrics, there’s something very artificial and generic about the production. Almost like a looped synthesizer track. The more I hear the song the more it stands out.
I know at their age the production needs to be a little reserved but it think it hurts the song.
July 22, 2014 @ 2:11 pm
I cant stand to listen to any of the so called new male country singers
they all sound the same that is like crap my wife and I have classic country channels
on every device we own. I wouldn’t walk across the street to hear any of these punks
Sing (rap) for free thank God for the older guys long live true country music