About the song
There’s a quiet power in the way Willie Nelson tells a story. With his unmistakable voice—weathered by time, softened by empathy—he doesn’t just sing lyrics; he delivers truths. And few songs capture this better than “Something You Get Through”, a hauntingly tender ballad that sits at the intersection of grief and grace.
Released in 2018 as part of his critically acclaimed album Last Man Standing, “Something You Get Through” is more than just a song—it’s a meditation. Written by Willie Nelson and long-time collaborator Buddy Cannon, the piece strips away any unnecessary embellishment, allowing the raw sincerity of the words to breathe. The sparse arrangement, led by gentle acoustic guitar and subtle piano flourishes, provides the perfect backdrop for Nelson’s weathered yet reassuring voice.
At its heart, this song speaks to the universality of loss. “It’s not something you get over,” Nelson sings with profound resignation. “But it’s something you get through.” That line alone resonates like an old friend offering comfort in a time of silence. For anyone who has ever mourned the death of a loved one or struggled with the kind of sorrow that lingers long after the world has moved on, these lyrics feel deeply familiar.
What makes Willie Nelson’s interpretation so compelling isn’t just the words themselves—it’s the way he sings them. With every phrase, there’s a weight of lived experience, a sense that these are not borrowed emotions but ones he knows intimately. Now well into his 80s, Nelson brings a lifetime’s worth of perspective to this song, making it feel less like a performance and more like a personal confession.
“Something You Get Through” doesn’t aim to solve the problem of grief. Instead, it sits with it. It acknowledges the pain, validates it, and reminds us—gently, without preaching—that healing isn’t about forgetting or moving on. It’s about enduring, day by day, moment by moment.
In a world quick to offer easy answers, this song provides something far more valuable: honesty. And in the hands of Willie Nelson, honesty has never sounded so comforting.