'One to Willie' by Riley Green - Lyrics & Meaning

Riley Green has made his name balancing rowdy honky-tonk anthems with songs that feel like quiet confessions, and 'One to Willie' leans firmly into the latter.

Featured on the deluxe edition of Don't Mind If I Do, this track takes its cue from country’s most enduring figure, Willie Nelson, as a benchmark for how to measure the good life.

Where many of Green’s songs find him at a party or on the road, 'One to Willie' feels like a soft pause button. It’s reflective, conversational and cuts through the noise with its simple but resonant hook: “On a scale of one to Willie, how high are you livin’?”

It’s less about scoring points and more about whether you’re wringing the most joy out of the life you’ve been given.

Sonically, the track has the makings of a timeless country ballad. A slow, steady pace sets the mood, while steel guitar threads in that classic ‘90s shimmer. Green’s voice is warm but restrained, capturing both the intimacy and universality of the song’s message.

It’s easy to imagine this song becoming a setlist staple. Picture an arena crowd falling quiet, phones and lighters raised, as Green eases into the chorus. Unlike some of his more upbeat cuts, this ballad finds its strength in simplicity and space, letting the melody breathe as the lyrics land.

At its heart, 'One to Willie' is a ballad about gratitude, perspective and the little benchmarks that make life worth living.

The verses ask thoughtful questions–“Did you kiss her like you mean it? / Does your co-pilot look like Jesus? / Does your rhyme have a reason?”–that ground the song in small but deeply human moments.

The chorus ties those snapshots together into one larger idea: no matter who you are–“all you cowboys, all you hippies / California to Mississippi / Suits and old hillbillies”–the ride is messy but beautiful. Measuring that ride “on a scale of one to Willie” becomes a playful but profound way of asking if you're living fully, honestly and joyfully.

It’s the kind of sentiment that feels universal. Whether you’re chasing backroads or stuck in the city, Green reminds us that a life well lived is the goal, and Willie Nelson is the north star.

Did you kiss her like you mean it
Does your co-pilot look like Jesus
Does your rhyme have a reason
A couple holes in your guitar

Is there tequila in your sunrise
Whiskey River® in your baptized
Some hello in your goodbye
Was the story worth the scars

All you cowboys, all you hippies
California to Mississippi
Suits and old hillbillies
It’s a crazy life we’re given
Country backroads to the city
And this ride ain’t always pretty
And on a scale of one to Willie
How high are you living

Make a list there for your bucket
And don’t you dare leave off nothing
Do it all and if you love it
Two times if you can

From the major to the minor
It’s your song, you’re the writer
Make the crowd hold up a lighter
When you strike up the band

All you cowboys, all you hippies
California to Mississippi
Suits and old hillbillies
It’s a crazy life we’re given
Country backroads to the city
And this ride ain’t always pretty
But on a scale of one to Willie
How high are you living

On a scale of one to Willie

Did you kiss her like you mean it
Does your co-pilot look like Jesus
Does your rhyme have a reason
A couple holes in your guitar

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