Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger 1975

I fought long and hard to dislike Willie the whole time of my youth. He was THE country star in the 70's and 80's and I just could not bring myself to like country music. After I had grown up enough to realize that all music has some good to it I got this record to start my Willie collection. I doubt I could have made a better choice. This album complete my personal holy trinity of country music on my blog - Hank Sr., Johnny Cash and Mr. Nelson (I may someday throw in some Waylon...). This album is full of great songs and stories - I could not pick one or two or even three favorites here - it'd be too difficult. His covers of Hank Sr.'s songs are almost wholly new - the lyrics are the same, of course but he re-arranges the music to make them much more contemporary. This was his beginning of reworking old standards and renewing them as his own - each bears the indelible stamp of Willie Nelson and they are all the beter for it - "Bonaparte's Retreat', 'I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You' and the majestic 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain' could be the three best songs on anyone else's album. Enough of my rambling on about the man but please listen to 'Hands On The Wheel' a great love song that only Willie could do justice to.

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