toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,242
|
Post by toomanyhatz on Aug 24, 2020 19:06:58 GMT
Based on a rating of Willie's 143(!!) albums being discussed on that 'other' site (via www.texasmonthly.com/interactive/big-list-willie-nelson-albums-ranked/), I'm listening to all his albums from the beginning - well, just the 60s and maybe early 70s albums for now, but starting at the beginning. His first album, And Then I Wrote is at #4, but they're pretty much all good so far, though there is an occasional soppy, string-laden "standard." Willie at least sings 'em well - like he does everything. And really, by his second album, he already had a decent catalog of great original songs - enough to fill a live album, anyway, as he did for the first time in 1966 with Live Country Music Concert, #13 on the list and a pretty remarkable document - just him playing electric guitar, a small band, and singing beautifully. He is one of the greats to me, for sure. So does he interest anyone else here, and does anyone have anything to say besides G to point out he's not Bowie?
|
|
|
Post by oh oooh on Aug 24, 2020 19:12:29 GMT
I wasn't particularly interested until I heard 'Night Life' earlier this year, which knocked me out. So if there are more songs of that quality* then I'm all in. * I won't believe you if you say there are hundreds as good, sorry
|
|
toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,242
|
Post by toomanyhatz on Aug 24, 2020 19:18:53 GMT
|
|
toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,242
|
Post by toomanyhatz on Aug 24, 2020 19:25:36 GMT
* I won't believe you if you say there are hundreds as good, sorry Hundreds, no. Certainly dozens. "Crazy," "Hello Walls," and "Funny How Time Slips Away" - three country standards - are all on his first album. I always identified him with the 70s "outlaw" albums, but damn - he was an outlaw from the beginning. Nashville tried with him, but he always resisted the industry machinery and churned out great song after great song. I'm blown away by him in general, though that may also be for sentimental reasons - seeing him live for the first time earlier this year is one of my favorite concert memories already. And who knows when I'll be able to make more. But yeah, he's great.
|
|
rayge
Administrator
Invisible
Posts: 8,790
|
Post by rayge on Aug 24, 2020 19:59:39 GMT
Jeez, I knew about Crazy from Patsy Cline, Permanently Lonely and others from Timi Yuro, but I had no idea about Funny How Time Slips Away, which I know from Joe Hinton's wonderful version that was an R&B hit in the mid-Sixties. It says W Nelson on the label, of course, but it just didn't click...
|
|
|
Post by daveythefatboy on Aug 24, 2020 20:38:36 GMT
He’s a titan. He doesn’t quite get the credit for being as visionary an artist as he is, partially because he’s viewed as more of a walking monument to country music. But make no mistake - he’s as important as Cash, Haggard or any of the best of his peers.
His 60s albums are surprisingly good. But he’s essentially a songwriter searching for an identity as a recording artist on them. He doesn’t fully come into his own until 1971’s Yesterday’s Wine. From there on, throughout the 70s he’s an artist in complete control of his thing (and frankly - I think his run that decade is as great as Bowie’s or anybody else’s).
Like a lot of great artists, he’s spotty in the 80s and beyond. But like the 60s records, there’s a lot more ‘surprisingly good’ all the way through.
|
|
|
Post by Charlie O. on Aug 24, 2020 23:25:16 GMT
I'm interested, but have been too intimidated by the sheer volume of output to investigate in depth. Still, I have enjoyed every '60s and (probably) '70s album I've heard - including that early live album, which is indeed reet.
|
|
|
Post by bungo the mungo on Aug 25, 2020 0:17:03 GMT
i only have a couple of his albums. 'red headed stranger' and 'phases and stages'. RHS left me cold, but i enjoy P&S, although not enough to dig any deeper.
i totally get why the two daves love him so much. he is very them.
|
|
|
Post by daveythefatboy on Aug 25, 2020 7:06:27 GMT
I’ll take that as a compliment.
|
|
|
Post by sloopjohnc on Aug 26, 2020 0:58:11 GMT
Great album. Willie was better with sidekicks.
|
|
toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,242
|
Post by toomanyhatz on Aug 26, 2020 1:10:19 GMT
Other than skipping over and quickly past some comps and collaborations, I'm just about thru with the 70s. Lots of great stuff. The first Waylon and Willie album is particularly great, as is The Troublemaker, from 1976, a mostly gospel album featuring Doug Sahm, among others.
I'm sure there's some cheesy stuff coming up - of course I'm also sure there's some more really good collaborations - as I venture into the 80s. But really, I'm more convinced than ever he's a giant. It's been a revelation, really.
|
|
|
Post by Charlie O. on Aug 26, 2020 1:18:15 GMT
a mostly gospel album featuring Doug Sahm
|
|
|
Post by fonz on Aug 27, 2020 16:57:35 GMT
I know next to fuck-all about him. Every pic I’ve seen of him in the last 20 years he’s had, like(!), a fucking massive bowl of drugs in front of him, like that’s his defining characteristic.
I’m getting into country and western though, so mebbe (!) I should do my home work.
Tobacco juice is where it’s at. Yee haw!
|
|
|
Post by bungo the mungo on Aug 27, 2020 18:05:27 GMT
I’m getting into country and western though, so mebbe (!) You can do a hell of a lot better than nelson if you’re just starting out on country music, fonzie. the 2 dave’s are renowned pushers of the canon. Dig a little deeper into the oeuvre and you will be rewarded.
|
|
|
Post by daveythefatboy on Aug 27, 2020 18:44:28 GMT
I’m getting into country and western though, so mebbe (!) You can do a hell of a lot better than nelson if you’re just starting out on country music, fonzie. the 2 dave’s are renowned pushers of the canon. Dig a little deeper into the oeuvre and you will be rewarded. I’ll put my knowledge of deep country music against yours any day, skopey.
|
|