Good 'ol Willie

I'm not a country music fan - it just doesn't float my boat. What that means though, is I've been mostly ignorant to the awesome power that is Willie Nelson. I knew the basic pop culture osmosis stuff about Nelson, knew "Always on My Mind," "On the Road Again," the pot. I also had fond, if distant and hazy, memories, of listening to the Willie Nelson Christmas album as a kid. But in the last few months I've started to develop a real appreciation for Nelson's voice, and his supremely deceptive way of singing so simply and yet with so much emotion . From that, I've developed an addictive habit - finding Willie Nelson doing covers of songs I like.

It all started with the discovery of his expectations-shattering, moody take on "The Rainbow Connection." I wrote about that one here.

Since then, I've discovered a few others, including:

• A good, if a little too modern-sounding, take on Dave Matthews solo "Gravedigger.
  
  
  
  
  


• A wonderfully lived-in rendition of Bob Dylan's "What Was It You Wanted?"


• An older, near-operatic take on Procol Harem's "Whiter Shade of Pale." This song, in particular, clued me in to how strong a singer Nelson was - his most recent stuff shows his voice's age, but back in the day he could belt a clear, powerful tone like a more laid-back Roy Orbison


• A serene and softly expansive take on Elvis Presley's "Blue Hawaii"

So that's the new game. Hunting Willie Nelson doing covers. Anyone have any offerings?

Until Whenever