About the song
There’s something unmistakably comforting about a Willie Nelson song. Maybe it’s the warm familiarity of that slightly worn, road-traveled voice, or the way he wraps his lyrics around life’s deeper truths like a well-worn quilt. Whatever the magic is, Willie has never needed flash or gimmicks to hold our attention—just his voice, his guitar, and a story worth telling. And in “If It Wasn’t Broken,” he offers another thoughtful meditation that speaks not only to the heart but to the times we live in.
At its core, this song is a gentle, poignant reflection on change—the kind that isn’t always welcome. Willie, now in his 90s and still as sharp as ever, sings with the easy wisdom that only decades of life, love, and heartbreak can teach. The title alone, “If It Wasn’t Broken,” hints at a familiar sentiment for many of us: that things were once better, simpler, maybe even whole. It’s the age-old notion that not everything needs fixing, especially when what came before still holds value.
Nelson doesn’t rage or preach. Instead, he leans into a quieter kind of protest, one that questions the speed and direction of modern change. Whether he’s referring to personal relationships, aging ideals, or broader cultural shifts, the message resonates: why tear down what still works? Why replace the old with the new just for the sake of novelty?
Musically, the track is unmistakably Willie. His signature nylon-string Trigger guitar weaves in and out with that relaxed, syncopated rhythm he’s made his own. The production is sparse but rich, allowing his voice to sit front and center—unpolished, honest, and deeply human. It’s this stripped-down intimacy that draws listeners in and keeps them there, long after the final note fades.
“If It Wasn’t Broken” isn’t just a song—it’s a sentiment, a sigh, a small act of resistance wrapped in melody. And like much of Nelson’s work, it reminds us that sometimes the old ways still hold the deepest truths, especially when delivered by a voice that’s been here long enough to know the difference.
Video
Lyrics
You may be empty
So is the drum
That brings me rhythm
When I’ve got none
How would you know you had a heart
If it wasn’t broken
If it wasn’t broken
So you lost your baby
So you lost your job
And you lost all faith
In the one you call God
You came to me for refuge
And I’ve got none
How would you know you had a heart
If it wasn’t broken
If it wasn’t broken
Many will hurt you
You’ll hurt them too
You leave them high and dry
And they’ll leave you blue
But the love you share
Is worth the world and more
And that’s why you care
That’s what you stood for
You came to me for refuge
And I’ve got none
How would you know you had a heart
If it wasn’t broken
If it wasn’t broken
If it wasn’t broken
If it wasn’t broken
