Willie Nelson

Because in the past I have been so busy with different music styles and was exploring everything from classical, jazz, blues and folk to Croatian/Ex Yu "schlager" pop music, often I didn't bother with some really world-famous artists because they didn't fall into a scope of my interests. It could also be that I was tired from radio pop (I worked as a music DJ on the radio long ago) that always focused on selected handful of successful artists - nothing changed here, they still do it - my curiosity usually leads me to something off-centre or less known, call it my own musical adventures. I still have mixed feelings about the whole question of talent versus publicity - some people have well deserved world success because they are really great in their field, but often I am aware of far more interesting talent sparkling somewhere in the third row (and don't even let me start talking about backing vocalists or all those anonymous musicians). For the sake of my own music education and to make sure I am not forever stuck with obscure  artists, I had been listening and reviewing here discography of well-known people like Sam Cooke, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton (I also had serious intention to plow trough Roy Orbison but that might come later) and now I will have a look at someone who kind of intrigued me for a long time. He is often played on the radio and surely well-known singer-songwriter, very much beloved around the world but when it come down to it we all know only handful of his music and the biggest hits are just a tip of iceberg, so I decided to dive in his discography. In chronological order, just to check him out.

"And Then I Wrote" (1962)

You listen this first solo LP debut by now world famous singer/songwriter and wonder why on earth he had such a hard time to crack Nashville music market. After all, his songs are almost without exception far better, heartfelt and sensitive than majority of what was being sold in huge quantities back than. You hear something like "Funny how time slips away" and it stops you dead in tracks, the message is so universally deep and profound that it transcends genres and time - it sounds fresh and urgent even now, half a century after its release. Sure, Willie Nelson never had a classic, beautiful voice like some of the people who can make you swoon by the sheer glow of their sound but right from the start his soulful, baritone was instantly recognisable and particularly his own trademark, something that I always cherish far above anything else in musician. I just love people who have their own voice and don't follow anybody else. It could be that it took some time for audiences to warm up to his voice but songs themselves were absolutely first-class (as hit versions by other singers proved) and best of all, composer himself sounds pretty darn brilliant in his own individual way. The way he creates magic just by gently sliding trough phrase "good night" is pure genius. This was Nashville circa 1962 so naturally arrangements and cellophane reflect the times, its all old fashioned and timeless at the same time, how else to describe one of the best songbooks in country music? "Crazy", "Hello Walls" and "Mr. Record Man" are also here.

"Here's Willie Nelson" (1963)

Not really bad but definitely less interesting sequel to Nelson's excellent debut, mostly because material is not really as near as strong. For the start, there are many fillers written by other people and no matter how convincing Willie Nelson is (and he is darn convincing) it all sounds very much like typical Nashville cliché of the times, strings, cooing backing vocals and all - if you have heard any of early 1960s country albums, this is just one of the many similar products. Disappointed, heartbroken man crying in his beer because the girl has left him half of the man he used to be. The lack of variety (most of the songs are weeping ballads) and outstanding highlights makes this just another exercise in genre, kind of strictly following the Nashville rules of the day. 

"Country Willie His Own Songs" (1965)

One of the highlights of Willie Nelson's early career and its almost as great as his debut, no wonder because it focuses on his own material (three songs are repeated from the first LP) so its kind of update of his songwriting work. Nelson sings like a dream - you either love his talk/sing or you don't and I do enjoy it very much, in fact I find much more emotions in his "less is more" approach than in other people's vocal acrobatics. Sure, production and arrangements place this music squarely in its time (Nashville, early 1960s) but strong material makes it country classic. Wonderful, bluesy "Night Life" is worth purchase already but there are some really good songs here, including one by young and unknown guy called Kris Kristofferson. And I could listen "Funny How Time Slips Away" again and again without ever complaining that it has been recorded before.This album is almost like "Greatest Hits" from this period.

"Country Favorites Willie Nelson Style" (1966)

Chugging, fast-moving "Columbus Stockade Blues" opens the album where Nelson pays tribute to some of his own favorites by other people. Since at this point he was known more as a songwriter, it does make a interesting point that he was actually very interesting, individual singer and excellent interpreter of other composer's music as well (but this recognition would come belatedly with "Stardust" when the whole world would be caught be surprise how effectively he can put his own spin on familiar material). Ballads are all fine but its Bluegrass that shines the best, just listen the fierce fiddle on "My Window Faces The South" and unexpected jazzy phrasing Nelson uses towards the end of the song. Its so unpredictable, original and off-the-wall that you can't help but wishing Django Reinhardt could pop his head in the studio. To my knowledge this is first time that Nelson recorded song by his idol, wonderful Lefty Frizzell who would eventually receive full-length tribute LP treatment in the future.

"The Party's Over and Other Great Willie Nelson Songs" (1967)

The title song is fine but the rest of the album is just anonymous selection of half-baked country clichés. Listening to Willie Nelson's discography you do get the impression that he follows a great record with something uninspired. Or perhaps late 1960 were simply not good years for him. Its not only music that hardly ever picks up but also his singing shows the signs of weariness and lack of energy, everything sounds exactly the same and you won't find here any of his trademark jazzy gliding or those effective off-centre little ornamentations. I guess this would be for completists and hardcore fans only.

"Good Times" (1969)

This sounds very much like stripped-down albums by Lee Hazlewood and since I always loved Hazlewood, this is a good news.

It means gone are Nashville strings and cooing backing vocals, focus is on acoustic, almost meditative, autumnal melodies where Willie Nelson gently ponders love, life, happiness and sorrows. Nothing here screams chart topping hit and it must have been nightmare for recording company who wanted to sell this, on the other hand music actually stands the test of time quite nicely and for once it doesn't sound dated at all but actually timeless. It really feels like he is in the room with you and softly hums just for you. "Sweet Memories" is haunting and so its the rest of the album, unfortunately the B side goes step back to that same old, tired Nashville overproduced sound drown in syrupy strings and all. If only he kept his focus completely on acoustic guitar-and-voice sound, it could have been just perfect.

Note: Three Years later he would come back to this sound and even re-record "December Day" again on his very first masterpiece LP.

"Both Sides Now" (1970)

As a Nashville veteran facing Woodstock, singer-songwriter avalanche and complete change of life everywhere in society around him, Willie Nelson must have felt certain mid-life crisis at this point. He was nearing 40, faced divorce, debts, his ranch burned down and hits have dried up at that point. This album reflects this need for a change - it goes very cautiously and unsurely into different directions but still holds on to the past in a psychological if not exactly musical way. Here he leaves overproduced Nashville sound behind him and focuses more on simple arrangements (opening "Crazy Arms" won't make you forget Patsy Cline but its surprisingly great in Willie Nelson way), there are a couple of uplifting, good-time songs ("I Gotta Get Drunk") that are defiant in the light of reality and there are few nods to new singer-songwriters (Kris Kristofferson, Joni Mitchell, Fred Neil) that show that Nelson was aware of what was going on around him and was not afraid to adopt their music to his own peculiar style. There is enough twang and country here for hardcore fans but it is the first time that Willie Nelson so openly flirted with pop music outside of his genre. What I miss here are those so beloved trademark gliding notes and imaginative re-inpretations, most of the songs here are recorded very straight with perhaps one exception "Everybody's talkin'" that shines and glows in the dark.

"Yesterday's Wine" (1971)

Vaguely conceptual album that circles around some religious theme, but its more spiritual than preachy and the whole atmosphere is actually perfection of what Willie Nelson already attempted few years ago on "Good Times" album, meaning moody, acoustic musings about life, death, love and state of the world. Call it country version of "What's going On". While plowing trough Nelson's discography it always bothered me that he had to survive overproduced Nashville sound of 1960s and here he finally leaves it completely behind, using the simplest of backing and clean, spare arrangements that never overshadow the music or the lyrics. Listener is aware of the backing musicians but focus is first and foremost on the voice and lyrics. Already recorded "December Day" is absolutely lovely, sweet, tender and meditative little number and it might be one of my all-time favorite Willie Nelson songs. I have no problems whatsoever with religious overtones of the lyrics since they are quite universal and listener can take them or leave them, according to his own point of view. Themes covered here are after all the essence of human lives and we all understand them.

From everything I have heard so far, this is first complete Willie Nelson masterpiece even if it didn't set the charts on fire. 

"The Words Don't Fit the Picture" (1972)

Well, that's one eye catching album cover for sure - looks like something straight from "Monthy Python" and it shows different, humorous side to wonderful Willie Nelson but make no mistake, there's nothing funny about this album. Where previously on "Yesterday's Wine"he tackled some really deep issues of religion and humanity, here he goes back to his usual territory of heart-broken ballads, loneliness and reflection. At first listening it sounds pretty safe and generic but give it few spins and slowly songs start to creep under your skin - for one thing, backing musicians are really strong (just listen to guitar on "Good Hearted Woman") and as "Stay Away From Lonely Places" proves, when he is inspired, Nelson is pretty unbeatable as songwriter. The most interesting song here is late night, after-hour "Rainy Day Blues" that would not be out of place in Charles Brown repertoire and is absolutely refreshing to hear Nelson stepping out of the box and bringing his twang to what is pure 1940s blues.

"The Willie Way" (1972)

Opening "You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago" is pure, classic Willie Nelson and I dare you not to stop and listen, it has such a strong story and message that it must have caught quite a few listeners by surprise. Unfortunately the rest of the album is pretty mediocre, even with help of such people like Kris Kristofferson whose "Help Me Make It Through the Night" is impossible to resist. New, uptempo version of old chestnut "Undo The Right" is interesting as comparison to original recording from a decade ago, though it does not really bring anything new. "Home Is Where You're Happy" is basically his countrified variation on famous Burt Bacharach song "A House is not a Home". Even mediocre Willie Nelson album still stands tall above competition but I can't help but think that instead of releasing two so-so albums, he would have been better off with one strong collection.

"Shotgun Willie" (1973)

In steps no other than Atlantic records own Jerry Wexler who had in the past brought both Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles (and countless others) to the dizzying highlights of their creativity and he steers Willie Nelson in completely different direction that feels so natural and right that it makes you wonder why nobody thought about it before: everything we always knew and loved about Nelson is still here, but now he is surrounded with completely different, loose and funky colours that gives his music completely new life. Here finally not just some Nashville songwriter crying in his beer but true ballsy cowboy, defiant and down to earth. Everybody by now have their own favourites but for me its one-two punch of opening numbers that definitely lifts it up to absolute top of Nelson's discography. Just a year ago he was still moping around and here he swaggers in "Whiskey River" I mean, this is a true rebirth from ashes. 

"Phases and Stages" (1974)

Concept album (there must have been something in the air back than, because lots of people did concept albums) that sounds strange on the paper but it works surprisingly well as a music novel - and what else to expect from country music top class songwriter? As psychologist Willie Nelson shows surprising compassion for "wife" in her part of the story but he is even better as no-good "husband" in the second half of the album, or its just a coincidence that guy's songs resonate stronger - he has no problems with using song from his back catalogue (sizzling "Bloody Mary Morning") and the rest of the music just feels as a perfect fit for the story. Even though most of the songs have acoustic feel, its when backing musicians pick up the speed that everything start to really rock.

"Red Headed Stranger" (1975)

Willie Nelson was 42 when he created the masterpiece of his life and even now, some four decades after its original release this album is a stunning as it once was - other people have already noted that once this music gets under your skin, it becomes obsessive listening. Its not just about concept (there is a story here), or the music itself (Nelson's own material mixed up with off-the-wall oldies that perfectly fit the story) but the whole deliberate simplicity of the stripped down instrumentation that completely hypnotises listener and sucks him in Nelson's world. What people at Columbia records initially didn't get, because they were used to big, polished productions is what a strong effect can be made by avoiding usual traps and creating something new and original by going back to music as a source of storytelling - there are no highlights here (oh well, "Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain" is darn unforgettable) but final result is the album you listen from the start to the end with greatest pleasure. This is something that would live long after we all say goodbye to this world. Just a perfection, instrumentals and all.