On the Road Again ( Willie Nelson song ) - wikipedia On the Road Again ( Willie Nelson song ) `` On the Road Again '' Single by Willie Nelson from the album Honeysuckle Rose Released August 1980 Format 7 '' Recorded Fall 1979 Genre Country rock Length 2 : 38 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) Willie Nelson Producer ( s ) Willie Nelson Willie Nelson singles chronology `` Midnight Rider '' ( 1980 ) `` On the Road Again '' ( 1980 ) `` Family Bible '' ( 1980 ) `` Midnight Rider '' ( 1980 ) `` On the Road Again '' ( 1980 ) `` Family Bible '' ( 1980 ) Music video `` On the Road Again '' ( audio ) on YouTube `` On the Road Again '' is a song written and made famous by country music singer Willie Nelson. The song, about life on tour, came about when the executive producer of the film Honeysuckle Rose approached Nelson about writing the song for the film 's soundtrack. `` On the Road Again '' became Nelson 's 9th Country & Western No. 1 hit overall ( 6th as a solo recording act ) in November 1980, and became one of Nelson 's most recognizable tunes. In addition, the song reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was his biggest pop hit to that time and won him a Grammy Award for Best Country Song a year later. Contents 1 Background and writing 2 Release and reception 3 Legacy 3.1 Parodies and covers 4 Charts 5 See also 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External links Background and writing In 1980 Nelson starred in his first leading role in the film Honeysuckle Rose, about an aging musician who fails to achieve national fame and relationship with his family, who also are part of his band that travels throughout the United States while playing in different venues. Shortly after signing the contract, Nelson was approached during a flight by the executive producer of the movie, who requested him to write a song about life on the road to use as the theme song. Nelson quickly wrote the song on a barf bag. The tune featured a `` train beat ''. Release and reception The song was released with Nelson 's 1980 album Honeysuckle Rose, reaching the first position on Billboard 's top country albums, while it ranked twenty on the Billboard Hot 100. Nelson received a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, while he was nominated for Best Original Song during the 53rd Academy Awards. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 471 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2011, `` On the Road Again '' was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame. Legacy The song has also featured in several other films and TV series including South Park, Shrek, Shameless, Family Guy, Forrest Gump, The Littlest Hobo, Monk, Open Season 3 and Dumb and Dumber To which features Nelson rehearsing the song with his band. A live version of the song is featured in 2008 video game Guitar Hero World Tour, while the studio version was released for Rock Band via the Rock Band Country Track Pack. The song appears in a 2016 TV commercial for the Volkswagen Passat with Willie making a cameo appearance driving alongside the car in an older model of Volkswagen. Parodies and Covers The song was parodied by the comedy musical group Da Yoopers as `` Road to Gwinn '' ( a reference to Gwinn, Michigan ) on their 1986 album Yoopanese. On the 1983 CBS game show Press Your Luck, Whammy sings a parody of the song on a horse, singing `` Got your bucks again. I ca n't wait to get your bucks again... ''. This Whammy animation was used during the final months of the show 's run in 1986. A Swedish version, with lyrics by Keith Almgren, called `` Jag ser mig om '' ( Eng. `` I look around '' ) has been recorded by Anne Kihlström on the album Förgät mig ej in 1984, and also by Paula Jarl on a single and by Bennys on an album in 1987. Graeme Allwright adapted the song in French as `` Comme un vrai gamin '' in his 1992 album `` Lumière ''. The Kidsongs kids sang this song in their 1994 video `` Country Sing - Along ''. Buckcherry recorded the song for the NASCAR On Fox compilation Crank It Up. In 2006, the American punk band Me First and the Gimme Gimmes released a cover of this song on their album Love Their Country. In 2007, Deana Carter released a new version of the song featuring a duet with Willie Nelson on her album The Chain. It was released as single, but failed to land on the chart. Conan O'Brien performed the song as `` My Own Show Again '' during his 2010 Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour, changing the lyrics to reflect how he could n't wait to return to hosting a television series after leaving The Tonight Show earlier in the year. Canadian musician Neil Young released a cover of this song on his 2014 album A Letter Home. `` Forever Country '', a promotional single released in 2016, features the song as a medley with `` I Will Always Love You '' and `` Take Me Home, Country Roads ''. Jerry Reed sang part of `` On the Road Again '' in his hit `` The Bird '' : `` The life I love is makin ' money with my friend... ''. Phish performed the song during the encore of their show on August 6, 2017, closing out their record - setting 13 - night `` Baker 's Dozen '' residency and 52nd show played at Madison Square Garden. Charts Chart ( 1980 ) Peak position Australian Kent Music Report 64 Canadian RPM Country Tracks Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks US Billboard Hot 100 20 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 7 US Cashbox Top 100 22 See also Whitburn, Joel, Top Country Songs : 1944 -- 2005, 2006. Whitburn, Joel, Top Pop Singles : 1955 -- 2006, 2007. Footnotes Jump up ^ ( 1 ) `` On the Road Again '', from `` The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time '', Rolling Stone, November 2004. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 - 2001. Record Research. p. 178. Jump up ^ Deming, Mark 2012. Jump up ^ Corcoran, Michael Joseph, p. 80. Jump up ^ Rolling Stone staff 2004. Jump up ^ Cartwright, Gary 2000, p. 276. Jump up ^ Berry, Mick ; Gianni, Jason, p. 63. Jump up ^ Thomas, Willie 1995, p. 9. Jump up ^ Jurek, Thom 2012. Jump up ^ Hilburn, Robert 1986, p. 14. Jump up ^ Rolling Stone staff ( 2 ) 2004. Jump up ^ `` Various -- ( NASCAR On Fox ) Crank It Up ''. Discogs. Retrieved 2017 - 03 - 07. Jump up ^ Scott Sepich ( April 13, 2010 ). `` Conan O'Brien Revives Edgy ' Late Night ' Vibe at First Live Show ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 14, 2010. Jump up ^ Greene, Andy ( 18 April 2014 ). `` Neil Young 's New Covers Album Available Right Now : Surprise ! ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 April 2014. Jump up ^ Finan, Eileen ( September 16, 2016 ). `` The Story Behind Country Music 's Epic Mash - Up ! Plus : Hear Blake, Carrie, Miranda and 36 Other Stars Sing ' Forever Country ' ''. People. Retrieved 21 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Aug 06, 2017 Setlist - Phish.net ''. phish.net. Retrieved 15 April 2018. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ `` Willie Nelson Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Willie Nelson Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Willie Nelson Chart History ( Adult Contemporary ) ''. Billboard. References Cartwright, Gary ( 2000 ). Turn Out the Lights : Chronicles of Texas in the 80 's and 90 's. University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292711990. Corcoran, Michael Joseph ( 2005 ). All Over The Map : True Heroes Of Texas Music. University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292782495. Deming, Mark ( 2012 ). `` Honeysuckle Rose ( 1980 ) ''. Allmovie. Rovi Corporation, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2013. Hilburn, Robert ( 1986 ). `` The Landmark Career of the Red - Headed Stranger ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 98 ( 41 ). ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jurek, Thom ( 2012 ). `` Honeysuckle Rose ''. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved March 26, 2013. Rolling Stone staff ( 2004 ). `` On the Road Again ''. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Archived from the original on April 1, 2008. Retrieved March 26, 2013. Rolling Stone staff ( 2 ) ( 2004 ). `` The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ''. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2013. Thomas, Willie ( 1995 ). Jazz Anyone... ? MAKING Music A Simple Language systems for Jazz. 3. Alfred Music Publishing. ISBN 9780769230160. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard ( Good Ol ' Boys ) '' by Waylon Jennings Billboard Hot Country Singles number - one single November 8, 1980 Succeeded by `` Could I Have This Dance '' by Anne Murray hide Willie Nelson singles discography 1950s and 1960s 1957 `` No Place For Me '' / `` Lumberjack '' 1959 `` Man With the Blues '' / `` The Storm Has Just Begun '' 1960 `` What a Way to Live '' / `` Misery Mansion '' `` Nite Life '' / `` Rainy Day Blues '' 1961 `` The Part Where I Cry '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1962 `` Willingly '' / `` Chain of Love '' `` Touch Me '' / `` Where My House Lives '' `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' / `` There 's Gonna Be Love In My House '' `` You Dream About Me '' / `` Is This My Destiny '' 1963 `` Half a Man '' / `` The Last Letter '' `` Take My Word '' / `` Feed it a Memory '' 1964 `` How Long is Forever '' / `` You Took My Happy Away '' `` Am I Blue '' / `` There 'll Be No Teardrops Tonight '' `` River Boy '' / `` Opportunity to Cry '' `` I Never Cared For You '' / `` You Left Me ( A Long Time Ago ) '' `` Pretty Paper '' / `` What A Merry Christmas This Could Be '' 1965 `` She 's Not For You '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Healing Hands of Time '' / `` One Day at the Time '' `` I Just Ca n't Let You Say Goodbye '' / `` And So Will You, My Love '' 1966 `` One In A Row '' / `` San Antonio Rose '' `` Colombus Stockade Blues '' / `` He Sits at my Table '' `` I 'm Still Not Over You '' / `` I Love You Because '' 1967 `` The Party 's Over '' / `` Make Way for a Better Man '' `` Blackjack County Chain '' / `` Some Other World '' `` San Antonio '' / `` To Make a Long Story Short '' 1968 `` Little Things '' / `` Sweet Memories '' `` Good Times '' / `` Where Do You Stand '' `` Johnny One Time '' / `` She 's Still Gone '' 1969 `` Bring Me Sunshine '' / `` Do n't Say Love or Nothing '' `` I Hope So '' / `` Right or Wrong '' 1970s 1970 `` Once More With Feeling '' / `` Who Do I Know in Dallas '' `` Laying My Burdens Down '' / `` Truth Number One '' 1971 `` I 'm a Memory '' / `` Fire and Rain '' `` Yesterday 's Wine '' / `` Me and Paul '' 1972 `` Words Do n't Fit the Picture '' / `` A Moment '' 1973 `` Shotgun Willie '' ( mono ) / `` Sad Songs and Waltzes '' `` Stay All Night ( Stay a Little Longer ) '' / `` Devil in a Sleepin ' Bag '' `` I Still Ca n't Believe You 're Gone '' / `` Heaven and Hell '' `` Bloody Mary Morning '' / `` After the Fire is Gone '' ( with Tracy Nelson ) `` Sister 's Comin ' Home '' ( mono ) / `` Pick Up The Tempo '' `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' / `` Bandera '' 1976 `` Remember Me ( When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming ) '' / `` Time of the Preacher '' `` I 'd Have to Be Crazy '' ( mono ) / `` Amazing Grace '' `` If You 've Got the Money I 've Got the Time '' / `` The Sound in Your Mind '' 1977 `` Uncloudy Day '' / `` Precious Memories '' `` I Love You A Thousand Ways '' / `` Mom and Dad 's Waltz '' 1978 `` Georgia on My Mind '' / `` On The Sunny Side Of The Street '' `` Blue Skies '' / `` Moonlight in Vermont '' `` All of Me '' / `` Unchained Melody '' 1979 `` Whiskey River '' / `` Under the Double Eagle '' `` September Song '' / `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` White Christmas '' / `` Blue Christmas '' 1980s 1980 `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' / `` The Pilgrim, Chapter 33 '' `` My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys '' / `` Rising Stars '' `` Midnight Rider '' / `` So You Think You 're A Cowboy '' `` On the Road Again '' / `` Jumpin ' Cotton Eyed Joe '' ( performed by Johnny Gimble ) 1981 `` Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground '' / `` I Guess I 've Come to Live Here in Your Eyes '' `` Mona Lisa '' / `` Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star '' `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' / `` Over the Rainbow '' `` Heartaches of a Fool '' / `` Uncloudy Day '' 1982 `` Always on My Mind '' / `` The Party 's Over '' `` Let It Be Me '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning '' / `` Old Fords and a Natural Stone '' `` Little Old Fashioned Karma '' / `` Beer Barrel Polka '' `` Why Do I Have to Choose '' / `` Would You Lay with Me ( In a Field of Stone ) '' `` Take It to the Limit '' / `` Till I Gain Control Again '' `` Without a Song '' 1984 `` City of New Orleans ( Unedited version ) '' / `` Why Are You Pickin ' On Me '' 1985 `` Forgiving You Was Easy '' / `` You Would n't Cross the Street '' `` Me and Paul '' / `` I Let My Mind Wander '' 1986 `` Living in the Promiseland '' / `` Bach Minuet in G '' `` I 'm Not Trying to Forget You '' / `` I 've Got the Craziest Feeling '' `` Partners After All '' / `` Home Away From Home '' `` Heart of Gold '' / `` So Much Like My Dad '' `` Island in the Sea '' / `` There Is No Easy Way '' `` Nobody There But Me '' / `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' `` Spanish Eyes '' ( with Julio Iglesias ) / `` Ole Buttermilk Sky '' `` Twilight Time '' / `` Ac - Cent - Tchu - Ate the Positive '' `` Nothing I Can Do About It Now '' / `` If I Were a Painting '' `` There You Are '' / `` Spirit '' `` Is The Better Part Over '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1990s `` The Highway '' / `` Spirit '' `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' / `` I Never Cared For You '' ( `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' also on CD Single ) 1991 `` The Piper Came Today '' / `` ( I Do n't Have a Reason ) To Go To California Anymore '' ( `` The Piper Came Today '' also on CD Single ) `` Ten With a Two '' / `` You Decide '' `` Graceland '' `` Still is Still Moving to Me '' / `` Valentine '' 1995 `` Turn Me Loose and Let Me Swing '' 1998 `` I Never Cared for You '' 2000s and 2010s 2002 `` Mendocino County Line '' ( with Lee Ann Womack ) / `` Maria ( Shut Up and Kiss Me ) '' ( Both single tracks released on CD and 7 '' record ) 2003 `` Wurlitzer Prize '' ( with Norah Jones ) `` Beer for My Horses '' ( with Toby Keith ) 2005 `` I 'm a Worried Man '' ( with Toots Hibbert ) `` The Harder They Come '' 2006 `` You Do n't Know Me '' `` Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other '' 2008 `` Gravedigger '' `` You Do n't Think I 'm Funny Anymore '' 2011 `` The Scientist '' 2012 `` Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die '' `` Just Breathe '' `` Come On Back Jesus '' 2013 `` From Here to the Moon and Back '' ( with Dolly Parton ) `` Grandma 's Hands '' ( with Mavis Staples ) `` It Wo n't Be Long '' ( with The Secret Sisters ) `` Somewhere Between '' ( with Loretta Lynn ) 2014 `` The Wall '' `` Bring It On '' `` Laws of Nature '' `` Who 'll Buy My Memories '' `` Summer of Roses '' / `` December Day '' 2015 `` It 's All Going to Pot '' `` Alice in Hulaland '' 2016 `` Lay Me Down '' 2017 `` Still Not Dead '' 2018 `` Last Man Standing '' Book : Willie Nelson Category : Willie Nelson Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=On_the_Road_Again_(Willie_Nelson_song)&oldid=840529297 '' Categories : 1980 singles 2007 singles Willie Nelson songs Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles Deana Carter songs Vocal duets Songs about touring Songs written for films Songs written by Willie Nelson Columbia Records singles 1980 songs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Singlechart usages for Billboardadultcontemporary Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Français Nederlands Русский Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 10 May 2018, at 13 : 47. 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Question: who wrote the song on the road again
Answer: Willie Nelson