There are songs that chase youth—and then there are songs that embrace time. With “It Gets Easier,” released in 2017 as part of his album God’s Problem Child, Willie Nelson doesn’t run from age, regret, or change. Instead, he sits with them—calmly, playfully, and with the kind of quiet wisdom that only comes from living a long, full, and complicated life.
Written by Willie Nelson and his long-time collaborator Buddy Cannon, “It Gets Easier” is not a sad song. It’s not even entirely serious. It’s honest—delivered with a wink, a shrug, and a deeply human voice that says: “You don’t have to prove nothin’ to no one, just live every day like it’s your last one.” That kind of lyric only lands when it comes from someone who’s seen it all—and Willie Nelson, at over 80 when he recorded the song, had nothing left to prove.
The song begins with a deceptively light guitar and a melody that rolls easy like a front porch conversation. But beneath the surface lies a gentle meditation on aging, letting go, and the quiet clarity that comes with time.
“It gets easier as we get older… it gets easier to say not today.”
There’s something deeply comforting in that message. Where once ambition and obligation may have driven the younger man, the older version of Willie—weathered by the road, softened by perspective—offers a kind of grace to himself. He’s not quitting. He’s simply choosing peace.
Musically, “It Gets Easier” is built in Willie’s classic understated style: his signature nylon-string guitar playing, relaxed phrasing, and production that never distracts from the message. You feel like you’re listening to a man telling you the truth, not performing for a crowd.
But what’s most powerful about the song is its tone. It’s not mournful. It’s not defiant. It’s accepting—and maybe even a little amused. In a world that often fears growing old, Willie Nelson reminds us that there’s a gift in it: the freedom to choose how we spend our time, and the ability to finally stop worrying about what doesn’t matter.
“It Gets Easier” is not a hit made for the radio. It’s a mirror for anyone who’s felt time passing, and a gentle invitation to meet it not with fear—but with gratitude, a smile, and maybe a good cup of coffee on the porch.