Preston began writing “Nothing From Nothing” in a dressing room at an Atlanta venue where he was performing. He wanted to write a song based on the saying “nothing from nothing,” a variation of the line “When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose,” from Bob Dylan’s classic “Like a Rolling Stone.” He brought the song idea to his long-time songwriting partner, Bruce Fisher, who wrote the second verse. Preston also produced the song. In an old interview, he said, “The saloon piano gave it character, and I had a feeling it would be a hit because it was a sing-along kind of thing.”
The song’s narrator is informing a prospective romantic partner that they need to bring something substantial to the table if they’re going to have a future together: “Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’ / You gotta have somethin’ if you want to be with me.” However, taken in a broader context, the song has a more universal meaning: In most things in life, one has to contribute something to receive something in return. Preston once explained that the song was about self-reliance, and that effort and contribution are necessary to gain anything worthwhile in life.
Preston and Fisher show their usual flair with clever and humorous wordplay, i.e., “I’m not trying to be your highness/’Cause that minus is too low to see.”
“Nothing From Nothing” was a single from Preston’s ninth studio album, The Kids & Me (1974). The song was released on August 5, 1974. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #8 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. It climbed to #5 on the singles chart in Canada and peaked at #60 on the charts in Australia. The single has sold over a million copies and garnered Preston a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. “Nothing from Nothing” was Preston’s second song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.” His first was “Will It Go Round in Circles,” released in 1972.
Preston performed “Nothing From Nothing” on the inaugural episode of Saturday Night Live on October 11, 1975. The other musical guest was award-winning singer-songwriter Janis Ian. They were the first musical performers on the iconic long-running late-night live sketch comedy variety show. The host of the episode was influential comedy legend George Carlin.
“Nothing From Nothing” has been sampled on 10 songs, including the Beastie Boys’ “Time To Get Ill.” It has been featured on many film soundtracks, including Nutcrackers (2024), Saturday Night (2024), Be Kind Rewind (2008), Elf (2003), and To Die For (1995).
The song was played at the end of the season finale of season 3 of the popular Emmy-winning HBO anthology series The White Lotus. The finale originally aired on April 6, 2025. “Nothing From Nothing” was also featured in the 2024 Apple TV+ animated Peanuts special Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin. Other TV series the song has been featured on include South Park, Hacks, and My Name Is Earl.
Additionally, “Nothing From Nothing” was used in all GM-brand commercials in late 2002. Also, the song was mentioned in James Baldwin’s last novel, Just Above My Head, originally published in 1979. And the late rap artist Mac Miller covered the song in August 2018 during a Spotify session in New York City.
The players on “Nothing From Nothing” include Billy Preston (piano, keyboards, vocals), Bobby Watson (bass), Manuel Kellough (drums), Tony Maiden (guitar), Kenneth Luper (keyboards), Al Perkins (banjo), and Joe Walsh (guitar).
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