"I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?"
-- Willie Nelson
I think it's probably every stoner's dream to sit down at 4:20 on April 20th with Willie Nelson, Tommy Chong, Kevin Smith and Dave Chappelle to smoke ourselves silly. Well perhaps not every stoner's dream, but at least it is for this one. Willie Nelson is just one of the great stoner icons. As it is hard to overshadow his fabulous half-century career certainly the Red Headed Stranger is more so a Country Music legend but his daily herbal consumption and consequently his mellow demeanor coupled with his outspokenness regarding the decriminalization of marijuana has earned him a place in our hearts.
Unfortunately, I'll probably never smoke weed with Willie. It's not like I haven't had opportunities. My second chance was on the island of Maui. He was arriving and we were checking our bags for our red eye flight home. In my pocket was the last of the Maui Wowie I was fortunate enough to obtain, rolled into a nice size joint. But I was with my wife and he was with his great-grand son; not to mention an airport isn't the best place to whip out a spliff and start toking. So I didn't bring it up. I merely had the pleasure of chatting with Willie for a few minutes before leaving him to his business. But in the course of conversation I did bring up my first missed opportunity.
"You played in my back yard, in Wenatchee, Washington," I told him. He had lost a bet. It's probably the only way someone as big as Willie would ever perform in such a hoe-dunk town as Wenatchee. But quite literally, the concert was in my back yard, or at least it was just over the fence in the baseball stadium behind my house. Prior to, a good friend who was working security for the gig had asked if I wanted to volunteer. I regrettably had a prior commitment and was content to come home and listening to the latter-half of the concert from my back porch. But as it turns out, my friend as well as other volunteers were invited onto Willies tour bus for some coughing and conversation. He'll probably never smoke weed with Willie again, but it's something he will always fondly remember.
It's no big secret, what happens on the Honeysuckle Rose. Booger Red commonly invites roadies, fans, and headliners alike onto his tour bus for some after-show fellowship. In fact, he has a reputation for out-smoking anyone who graces the threshold of his home away from home with only the most potent of pot. This is precisely what Toby Keith and Scotty Emerick jest about in their song Weed with Willie. Keith commented "I've never stepped on Willie's bus without hearing someone say the words to this song: 'I will never smoke weed with Willie again.'" The song was released on Keith's 2003 triple platinum album Shock'N Y'all.
I always heard that his herb was top shelf
I just couldn't wait to find out for myself
Don't knock it till you tried it, well I tried it my friend
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
I learned a hard lesson in a small Texas town
He fired up a fat boy and he passed him around
The last words I spoke before they tucked me in
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
:: chorus ::
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
My party's all over before it began
You can pour me some old whiskey river my friend
But I'll never smoke weed with Willie again
I hopped on his old bus, the Honeysuckle Rose
The party was Vegas, it was after the show
Alone in the front lounge, just me and him
With one parting puff grime creeper set in
:: chorus ::
Now we're passing the guitar, telling good jokes
I know ones a coming cause I'm smelling smoke
No I do not partake, I just let it pass by
With a smile on my face and a great contact high
:: chorus ::
In the fetal position with drool on my chin
I messed up and smoked weed with Willie again
The publishing rights to Weed with Willie are owned jointly by Toby Keith and Scott Emerick. The lyrics were used fairly without permission. CST Approved