About the song
There are few figures in American music as enduring—or as unmistakably individual—as **Willie Nelson**, a songwriter, guitarist, and cultural icon whose voice has long served as a bridge between the outlaw spirit of country music and the reflective wisdom of age. In **”Willie Nelson – Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die,”** we find him at his most playful, most irreverent, and yet—underneath the grin—most philosophical. The track, released in 2012 as part of his album *Heroes*, is far more than just a cheeky stoner anthem. It’s a song that captures the essence of Willie himself: humorous, honest, rebellious, and ultimately contemplative.
From the opening chords, **”Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”** embraces a kind of joyful fatalism. The title alone suggests a man utterly at peace with mortality, eager not for morbid reflection but for one last, lighthearted exhale. There’s a wink and a nod in every lyric, but behind the twinkle is the kind of wisdom that only comes from a life richly lived. Willie is joined on the track by a remarkable ensemble—**Snoop Dogg**, **Kris Kristofferson**, and **Jamey Johnson**—a cross-generational, cross-genre gathering that underscores how wide his influence truly spreads.
Musically, the song is rooted in traditional country—clean guitars, laid-back rhythm, and a melody that saunters rather than strides. But the delivery is where it shines. Willie’s unmistakable phrasing and nasal timbre give the song its signature character, one that feels like an old friend telling you a joke you’ve heard a dozen times but still love. There’s comfort in the familiarity, but also surprise in its blunt honesty. He’s not just poking fun at death—he’s demystifying it, turning it into a shared laugh among friends over a back porch jam.
What makes **”Willie Nelson – Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”** particularly powerful is how it reframes aging and dying not as something to fear, but as something to meet with grace, humor, and community. For older listeners especially, there’s a deep resonance in the way Willie shrugs off solemnity in favor of song and smoke. It’s a kind of liberation—an anthem not just for those who have lived long, but for those who’ve lived well.
Video
Lyrics
Roll me up and smoke me when I die
And if anyone don’t like it, just look ’em in the eye
I didn’t come here and I ain’t leaving, so don’t sit around and cry
Just roll me up and smoke me when I die
Now you won’t see no sad and teary eyes
When I get my wings and it’s my time to fly
Call my friends and tell ’em there’s a party, come on by
And just roll me up and smoke me when I die
Roll me up and smoke me when I die
And if anyone don’t like it, just look them in the eye
I didn’t come here and I ain’t leaving, so don’t sit around and cry
But just roll me up and smoke me when I die
And I’d go, I’ve been here long enough
So sing and tell more jokes and dance stuff
Just keep the music playing, that will be a good goodbye
Roll me up and smoke me when I die
Roll me up and smoke me when I die
And if anyone don’t like it, just look ’em in the eye
I didn’t come here and I ain’t leaving, so don’t sit around and cry
Just roll me up and smoke me when I die
Hey, take me out and build a roaring fire
Roll me in the flames for about an hour
And take me out and twist me up and point me towards the sky
And roll me up and smoke me when I die
Roll me up and smoke me when I die
And if anyone don’t like it, just look ’em in the eye
I didn’t come here and I ain’t leaving, so don’t sit around and cry
Just roll me up and smoke me when I die
Just roll me up and smoke me when I die
