About the song
There are few voices in American music that carry as much emotional weight and lived experience as **Willie Nelson’s**, and nowhere is that more apparent than in his poignant ballad, **”Something You Get Through.”** Released in 2018 as part of his album *Last Man Standing*, this song is a quietly powerful meditation on grief, resilience, and the slow, often private process of healing. With his trademark understated delivery, Nelson doesn’t just sing about loss—he embodies it, giving voice to the kind of sorrow that isn’t theatrical or dramatic, but deeply human and quietly persistent.
**Willie Nelson – Something You Get Through** is, at its core, a conversation. It feels like one of those talks that happen in hushed tones late at night, when someone you trust is trying to help you hold yourself together. The lyrics are simple but profound: *”It’s not something you get over, but it’s something you get through.”* That single line, repeated with gentle conviction, speaks to anyone who has ever faced the kind of pain that doesn’t go away, but instead becomes a part of your story.
Musically, the song is sparse, allowing the lyrics and Nelson’s weathered voice to take center stage. There’s a soft piano, subtle strings, and his acoustic guitar—all of which provide a gentle, almost reverent backdrop. This restraint is what gives the song its quiet strength. It’s not trying to fix anything; it’s not offering platitudes. Instead, it simply sits with the listener, offering comfort through shared experience.
In many ways, **”Something You Get Through”** is a reflection of Nelson’s entire ethos as an artist. At 85, when the song was released, he wasn’t trying to reinvent himself or chase trends. He was, and still is, a storyteller. And in this song, he tells one of the most difficult stories there is—how we go on living after someone we love is gone. There’s wisdom in his delivery, but also vulnerability. That combination is what makes the song not just relatable, but quietly profound.
For older listeners in particular—those who have weathered the losses of partners, friends, and family—**Willie Nelson – Something You Get Through** may feel like a mirror. It acknowledges that grief doesn’t have a timeline, and that strength isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s just about continuing on, one breath, one day at a time. And in that, Nelson offers us something rare: not an answer, but a companion on the long road forward.
Video
Lyrics
When you lose the one you love
You think your world has ended
You think your world will be a waste of life
Without them in it
You feel there’s no way to go on
Life is just a sad, sad song
But love is bigger than us all
The end is not the end at all
It’s not somethin’ you get over
But it’s somethin’ you get through
It’s not ours to be taken
It’s just a thing we get to do
Life goes on and on
And when it’s gone
It lives in someone new
It’s not somethin’ you get over
But it’s somethin’ you get through
It’s not somethin’ you get over
But it’s somethin’ you get through
It’s not ours to be taken
It’s a thing we get to do
Life goes on and on
And when it’s gone
It lives in someone new
It’s not somethin’ you get over
But it’s somethin’ you get through
It’s not somethin’ you get over
But it’s somethin’ you get through
