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Drawn largely from Willie Nelson's years on Columbia Records 197593, this double-CD Set retrospective arrives in time for the nonpareil singer-songwriter's 70th birthday and eloquently underscores the enduring majesty of his art. Of Disc 1's 22 songs, 10 predate the Columbia era, and some qualify as American monuments, including the original 1961 Bellaire single of "Night Life" and, from his 1962 debut album for Liberty, a jaw-dropping triumvirate of "Crazy," "Funny How Time Slips Away," and "Hello Walls." Of the few obscure tracks here, one of the most dramatic in concept and execution is the 1964 Monument single "I Never Cared for You," a foreboding, Spanish-tinged kiss-off ballad that finds Nelson baying at both the elements and his unfaithful woman. Otherwise, the set hits those bright spots that never sound dated: "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," "Whiskey River," a live version of "Stay a Little Longer," "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground," "Shotgun Willie," and three standouts from Stardust, his collection of standards. Essential also spotlights several duets, including a couple with ol' Waylon Jennings namely, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"; the beautiful, Grammy-winning "Mendocino County Line" with Lee Ann Womack; the ethereal "Pancho & Lefty" with Merle Haggard; and another south-of-the-border-flavored confessional, "Everywhere I Go," with Emmylou Harris. Nelson joins U2 on "Slow Dancing," a B-side from 1993, but it's Aerosmith's Steven Tyler who helps bring things to a fiery finish on a previously unreleased duet with the red-headed stranger, "One Time Too Many," an acoustic country ballad that mutates into blistering roadhouse rock. All in all, not a bad way to celebrate 70 years of this mortal coil.
Condition:NEW. Drilled case
TRACK LISTINGS
Disc 1:
1. 1 Night Life
1. 2 Hello Walls
1. 3 Crazy
1. 4 Funny How Time Slips Away
1. 5 I Never Cared for You
1. 6 The Party's Over
1. 7 Good Times
1. 8 Me and Paul
1. 9 Shotgun Willie
1. 10 Bloody Mary Morning
1. 11 Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
1. 12 Good Hearted Woman (with Waylon Jennings)
1. 13 If You'Ve Got the Money I'Ve Got the Time
1. 14 Uncloudy Day
1. 15 Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (with Waylon Jennings)
1. 16 Georgia on My Mind
1. 17 Blue Skies
1. 18 All of Me
1. 19 Heartbreak Hotel (with Leon Russell)
1. 20 Help Me Make It Through the Night
1. 21 Whiskey River (Live)
1. 22 Stay a Little Longer (Live)
Disc 2:
2. 1 My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
2. 2 Faded Love (with Ray Price)
2. 3 On the Road Again
2. 4 Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
2. 5 Always on My Mind
2. 6 Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning
2. 7 Pancho & Lefty (with Merle Haggard)
2. 8 To All the Girls I'Ve Loved Before (with Julio Iglesias)
2. 9 City of New Orleans
2. 10 Seven Spanish Angels (with Ray Charles)
2. 11 Forgiving You Was Easy
2. 12 Highwayman
2. 13 Living in the Promiseland
2. 14 Nothing I Can Do About It Now
2. 15 Graceland
2. 16 Everywhere I Go (with Emmylou Harris)
2. 17 Slow Dancing (U2 Featuring Willie Nelson, Mickey Raphael on Harmonica)
2. 18 Mendocino County Line (with Lee Ann Womack)
2. 19 One Time Too Many (with Steven Tyler and Aerosmith) (Previously Unreleased)
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