Willie Nelson celebrates Mother’s Day by releasing his new single, “I’m the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised,” from his upcoming album, First Rose of Spring, due on July 3rd.
Nelson streamed the track with a lyric video of flowers blooming accompanied with lines:
“I can tell my mama’s short on loving me/I guess that’s why she let me go so far,” he sings. “Mama tried to stop me short of stealing/I guess that’s why I had to steal that car.”
“I’m the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised” was a 1977 hit originally recorded by the late Johnny Paycheck, from his album Slide Off of Your Satin Sheets. The song was written by Wayne Kemp, Bobby Borchers, and Mack Vickery.
“I’m the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised” is the ninth track, off Nelson’s First Rose of Spring, which follows the recently released title track and “Our Song,” a ballad written by Chris Stapleton.
“I can easily say Willie Nelson is one of my biggest musical influences,” Stapleton said. “It just doesn’t get any better than hearing him sing a song I wrote.”
Nelson’s upcoming album, First Rose of Spring, will be his 70th studio album after his 2019’s Ride Me Back Home.
Nelson recently hosted an At Home With Farm Aid digital concert that featured performing artists such as Neil Young, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews. Following the stream, he hosted Come And Toke It, a show honoring the unofficial cannabis holiday, 4/20.
Listen to the new single below: