“I Literally Had Georgia On My Mind” — Lukas Nelson Tells The Story Behind Heart-Wrenching Song, “Forget About Georgia”

The story behind the song. Since I first discovered his music years ago, Lukas Nelson's "Forget About Georgia" has been at the top of my list as an all-time favorite. It's a solo write about his heartbreak and how, though he wanted to move on stop thinking about his ex-girlfriend Georgia after they broke up, he’d have to sing Ray Charles’ (and later Willie Nelson’s) hit “Georgia On My Mind” on the road every night with his dad. The track was included on his 2017 self-titled album Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, and it really is a stunner. Lukas just has a way with words, and I think it’s safe to say he comes by his writing chops and effortless musicianship very honestly. And the other day on Instagram, he shared the story behind it and how the song came to be. It's based on a true story, which like I said, was inspired by the fact that he, quite literally, had Georgia on his mind all the time while on tour with his dad, the great Willie Nelson, decades ago. He penned is during a six month process recording an album in San Francisco: "So 'Forget About Georgia' was written, I don't know, 2012. I was doing a record in San Francisco in this old Victorian mansion from like 18-something, right on Alamo Park Square there, where the painted ladies are from the show 'Full House.' I stayed there for about six months actually, but the record we were doing there, during that time, I wrote this song. I had been seeing this girl, her name was Georgia, and I'd go out on the road with my dad and I'd be thinking about her all the time. And we'd be singing the song 'Georgia On My Mind,' which is a song that dad did on his 'Stardust' album and of course Ray Charles also did it. We'd be doing it every night as I'd be out with dad, 'Georgia On My Mind,' and I literally had Georgia on my mind." Of course, I imagine all of those circumstances make it all the more difficult to move on after you breakup... "After Georgia and I stopped seeing each other, I still had to go sing that song every night. So I wrote a song called Forget About Georgia,' and that's how that song was born. It was born in that Victorian mansion in San Francisco. I don't know, it came out pretty good." I'd say that's a bit of an understatement... you can watch him talk about it here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C8xaEo_hpkH/ The song itself is absolutely stunning, and almost haunting in the storytelling and wistfulness that showcases heartbreak in such a forlorn, simply sad manner. I think one of the top Youtube comments sums it up best, though: "This is one of the most heart-wrenching songs I've ever heard. I'm just crying." And if you've never seen Lukas perform it with his dad at Farm Aid a while back, it's time to change that now. It's my favorite video of him singing this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbQvnxq3xp4 The studio cut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FUQfoZjeJk