Introduction:
It’s All Going to Pot, a duet by country music titans Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, was released in 2015 on their collaborative album, Django & Jimmie. The song, written by Buddy Cannon, Larry Shell, and Jamey Johnson, became a minor chart hit, reaching number 48 on the Billboard Country Singles chart. Despite its lower chart position compared to some of their other works, It’s All Going to Pot holds significance for its place within their final collaborative album and its humorous yet poignant look at a changing world.
Nelson and Haggard, both pioneers of the outlaw country subgenre, were known for their unapologetically honest lyrics that often challenged the status quo. They were both established artists by the time they released Django & Jimmie, and the album served as a reunion after a period of estrangement. It’s All Going to Pot perfectly encapsulates their signature styles – Nelson’s laid-back vocals play off Haggard’s blunderbuss baritone to deliver a lament laced with dark humor about a world they felt was slipping away.
The song tackles the feeling of nostalgia for a bygone era, a theme common in country music. However, Nelson and Haggard don’t just sing about missing simpler times, they inject their signature wit. Lines like “Well, it’s all going to pot/ Whether we like it or not/ Best I can tell/ The world’s gone to hell/ And we’re all gonna miss it a lot” typify the song’s tongue-in-cheek commentary. It’s All Going to Pot doesn’t shy away from the realities of change, but it approaches them with a wink and a smile, a testament to the decades of experience both Nelson and Haggard brought to their music.
While not their biggest hit, It’s All Going to Pot remains a memorable track within Django & Jimmie. It serves as a fitting last chapter in the collaborative work of these two country music legends, showcasing their unmatched chemistry and their ability to find humor and wisdom in even the most turbulent times.
Video:
Lyrics:
Well, now it’s all going to potWhether we like it or notThe best I can tellThe world’s gone to hellAnd we’re sure gonna miss it a lot
All of the whiskey in Lynchburg, TennesseeJust couldn’t hit the spotI got a hundred dollar bill, friendYou keep your pills‘Cause it’s all going to pot
That cackle-babble-head-in-a-boxMust think I’m dumb as a rockReadin’ me the newsWhile I’m kickin’ off my shoesAnd it’s scarin’ me outta my socks
That Red Headed Stranger I’m notBut buddy, let me tell you whatIf you ask ol’ Will, he’ll say here’s the dealFriends, it’s all goin’ to pot
Well, it’s all going to potWhether we like it or notBest I can tellThe world’s gone to hellAnd we’re all gonna miss it a lot
All the whiskey in Lynchburg, TennesseeJust couldn’t hit the spotI got a hundred dollar billYou can keep your pills, friendIt’s all goin’ to pot
Well, I thought I had found me a girlSweetest little thing in the worldBut all my jokes went up in smokeWhen I caught her makin’ eyes at Merle
He said, a sweet little honeyWith her eye on your moneyIs gonna take every penny you gotI said she’s never gonna get it‘Cause I’ve already spent itMerle, it’s all goin’ to pot
It’s all going to potWhether we like it or notThe best I can tellThe world’s gone to hellAnd we’re all gonna miss it a lot
All the whiskey in Lynchburg, TennesseeJust couldn’t hit the spotGot a hundred dollar billYou can keep your pills, friendIt’s all going to potI got a hundred dollar billYou can keep your pills, friend‘Cause it’s all goin’ to pot