By the time Willie Nelson recorded the song in 1981, it had already been a hit for others, but Nelson brought a "raw emotion and simple honesty" that redefined it.

Willie Nelson ’s 1982 rendition of "" is more than a country hit; it is a definitive cultural standard of regret and redemption. While the song was written by Wayne Carson, Mark James, and Johnny Christopher and previously recorded by artists like Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee, Nelson’s version transformed the ballad into a global phenomenon, winning three Grammys and becoming his signature crossover success. The Genesis of a Modern Standard

Willie Nelson's “Always on My Mind” topped country chart