found that demo in a drawer among a stack of his own while recording unreleased songs for iTunes at his Spicewood, Texas, home studio. Nelson says, "I thought it was the funniest goddamn song I'd ever heard. I had it on the bus for 20 years, and people would come in and I'd play it. When Brokeback Mountain come out, it just seemed like a good time to kick it out of the closet". There were plans to release the song on a future album and filming for the video featuring Broken Lizard Comedy Troupe occurred at Dallas' gay cowboy bar, the Round Up Saloon (in Oak Lawn), in February 2006. Nelson's publicist describes the release of the song, which debuted on Howard Stern's satellite radio show: Since everyone is talking about the acclaimed film Brokeback Mountain and its Academy Award nominations, Valentine's Day seemed like the right time to let [the song] be heard. Nelson appeared on the movie's soundtrack with the traditional "He Was a Friend of Mine", which made the US charts at number 54. Nelson himself described the release in a prepared statement to The Dallas Morning News: "The song's been in the closet for 20 years. The timing's right for it to come out. I'm just opening the door." The song's release was encouraged by the coming out of his friend and tour manager of thirty years, David Anderson, two years prior. Says Anderson: This song obviously has special meaning to me in more ways than one. I want people to know more than anything—gay, straight, whatever—just how cool Willie is and ... his way of thinking, his tolerance, everything about him. Reception Nelson's version of the song is his highest charting solo single since his 1984 duet with Julio Iglesias "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" (number 5), debuting at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which Nelson last appeared on with the Toby Keith duet "Beer for My Horses". The song was also well received by critics. Pitchfork Media's Stephen M. Deusner rated the song four out of four stars despite calling it "even more of a stunt than his reggae album" (2005's Countryman). Saying that the song sounds written by Nelson, and that his performance raises the piece above the level of a cheap gag, he felt that it adds "a whole new level of complexity to the outlaw