Willie Nelson – Nothing I Can Do About It Now

About The Song

“Nothing I Can Do About It Now” is a song performed by Willie Nelson, released in 1989 as a single from his album A Horse Called Music on Columbia Records. Written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, the song was first pitched to other artists before Nelson recorded it. Nelson’s version, a reflective country ballad, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart on August 12, 1989, and charted for 20 weeks. The 3:18 track explores acceptance of past mistakes, with lyrics like: “I’ve got a long list of real good reasons / For all the things I’ve done.”

Nelson recorded the song in 1989 at Pedernales Recording Studio in Austin, Texas, produced by Willie Nelson and Fred Foster. The session featured The Family band, with Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Jody Payne on guitar, and Bobbie Nelson on piano, alongside a string section arranged by Bergen White. The arrangement includes a gentle acoustic base, Raphael’s harmonica, and a string swell, enhancing the song’s introspective mood. The album A Horse Called Music reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold over 1 million copies by 1991, earning platinum certification from the RIAA. The track was released as the album’s lead single in June 1989.

The song’s selection came after Chapman presented it to Nelson, who connected with its theme of letting go of regret, aligning with the album’s blend of personal and narrative tracks. Nelson recorded it during a period of creative collaboration with Foster, who had worked with him on earlier projects. In a 1989 interview with Country Music magazine, Nelson said: “The song spoke to me about moving on—it’s something we all face.” The track gained visibility through its inclusion in the 1989 television special Willie Nelson: The Nashville Sessions, showcasing his live performance.

Covers of the song include a 1990 version by Conway Twitty on Crazy in Love and a 1992 rendition by Randy Travis on High Lonesome, per SecondHandSongs. A live performance from a 1989 Austin City Limits episode was released on the 2006 album Live at Austin City Limits. The song appeared in the 1993 film The Firm, used in a scene depicting a character’s personal reflection, and in a 2016 episode of Nashville, featured in a storyline about a singer’s past. Nelson recorded a duet version with Ray Price in 1996 for the album San Antonio Rose, released in 1997.

Nelson included “Nothing I Can Do About It Now” in his live sets, notably at the 1989 Fourth of July Picnic in Austin, Texas, where he performed it with Waylon Jennings. A 2002 recording with Norah Jones was released on the album Willie Nelson & Friends: Stars & Guitars. The song was featured at Farm Aid 1991, Nelson’s benefit concert for farmers, and included in a 2018 documentary, Willie Nelson: Country Soul, aired on PBS, exploring his catalog. The track remains a recurring piece in Nelson’s performances, often paired with other introspective songs.

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Lyric

I’ve got a long list of real good reasons
For all the things I’ve done
I’ve got a picture in the back of my mind
Of what I’ve lost and what I’ve won

I’ve survived every situation
Knowing when to freeze and when to run
And regret is just a memory written on my brow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now

I’ve got a wild and a restless spirit
I’ve held my price through every deal
I’ve seen the fire of a woman’s scorn
Turn her heart so cold and still

I’ve got to turn and walk away
I’ve got to go where the wind will take me
And regret is just a memory written on my brow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now

I’m a man who’s made mistakes
A fool who’s feed the wolves
I’ve thrown my pearls to the swine
But I can live with my mistakes
I’ve learned and paid for every one

When the memory of those times returns
I’ve always worn it like a crown
And regret is just a memory written on my brow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now

And regret is just a memory written on my brow
And there’s nothing I can do about it now