About The Song
“Me and Paul” is a song written and performed by Willie Nelson, released in 1971 on his album Yesterday’s Wine on RCA Records, with a more prominent re-recording in 1976 on The Sound in Your Mind on Columbia Records. The song pays tribute to Nelson’s longtime drummer and friend Paul English, reflecting on their adventures on the road. The 1976 version was not released as a single but became a fan favorite. The 3:48 track captures their shared experiences with lyrics like: “It’s been rough and rocky travelin’ / But I’m finally standin’ upright on the ground.”
The 1976 version was recorded in early 1976 at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland, Texas, produced by Willie Nelson. The session featured The Family band, with Paul English on drums, Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Bee Spears on bass, and Bobbie Nelson on piano. The arrangement is straightforward, with a steady drumbeat from English, Raphael’s harmonica, and Nelson’s acoustic guitar, reflecting the song’s road-weary tone. The album The Sound in Your Mind reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold over 500,000 copies by 1977, earning gold certification from the RIAA.
Nelson wrote the song in the late 1960s, inspired by his travels with English, who joined his band in 1966. The lyrics recount real-life events, including brushes with the law and late-night escapades, as a nod to their camaraderie. In a 1976 interview with Country Music magazine, Nelson said: “Paul’s been with me through it all—this song is our story.” The track gained prominence through its inclusion in the 1976 television special Willie Nelson: Live from Austin, aired on PBS, featuring a live performance with English on drums.
Covers of the song are rare, but a 1985 version by Waylon Jennings appeared on Turn the Page, per SecondHandSongs. A live performance from a 1976 Austin City Limits episode was released on the 2006 album Live at Austin City Limits. The song appeared in the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose, where Nelson performed it during a concert scene, and in a 2018 episode of Yellowstone, used in a bar scene reflecting on friendship. Nelson recorded a duet version with Kris Kristofferson in 1987 for The Highwaymen, released in 1990.
Nelson frequently included “Me and Paul” in his live sets, notably at the 1976 Fourth of July Picnic in Gonzales, Texas, where he dedicated it to English. A 2003 recording with Toby Keith was released on the album Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin’. The song was performed at Farm Aid 1986, Nelson’s benefit concert for farmers, and featured in a 2019 documentary, Willie Nelson: Road Stories, aired on PBS, exploring his touring life. The track remains a staple in Nelson’s performances, often played as a tribute to English, who passed away in 2020.
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Lyric
It’s been rough and rocky travelin’
But I’m finally standin’ upright on the ground
After takin’ several readings
I’m surprised to find my mind’s still fairly soundI guess Nashville was the roughest
But I know I’ve said the same about them all
We received our education
In the cities of the nation, me and PaulAlmost busted in Laredo
But for reasons that I’d rather not disclose
But if you’re stayin’ in a motel there and leave
Just don’t leave nothin’ in your clothesAnd at the airport in Milwaukee
They refused to let us board the plane at all
They said we looked suspicious
But I believe they like to pick on me and PaulIt’s been rough and rocky travelin’
But I’m finally standin’ upright on the ground
After takin’ several readings
I’m surprised to find my mind’s still fairly soundI guess Nashville was the roughest
But I know I’ve said the same about them all
We received our education
In the cities of the nation, me and Paul