To Lefty From Willie [Original recording remastered]

Willie Nelson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00009VU2C
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,421 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine, often overlooked, tribute to Lefty Frizzell, September 5, 2003

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Lefty From Willie (Audio CD)

Nelson's 1975 tribute to Lefty Frizzell, recorded the same year as his breakthrough LP, "Red Headed Stranger," wasn't actually released until two years later. It made a reasonable commercial splash on the album charts, spun off a hit single ("I Love You a Thousand Ways"), and then largely disappeared from discussions about Nelson's ouvre. Given the fruitfulness with which Nelson recorded in the '70s ("Shotgun Willie" "Phases and Stages" "Red Headed Stranger" "Stardust" and more), it's not hard to see why this album was overshadowed.

Removed from the context of Nelson's string of ground-breaking '70s releases, this affectionate tribute reveals significant charms. Like the best of such albums, it melds elements of each artist, combining Frizzell's iconic songs (along with a few more obscure items) with Nelson's idiosyncratic style. In particular, Nelson's singing style, with its unusual phrasings and stretched notes, gives these songs an edgy modernity -- much as Frizzell's originals did in their own time.

Highlights include the hymn-like reading of "Mom and Dad's Waltz," brilliantly mixing slip-key piano, harmonica and Nelson's own gut-stringed guitar. The backing provides an emotional pulpit from which Nelson proclaims the song's sentiments. Similarly, the desperation and sadness of "Look What Thoughts Will Do" could easily have been from Nelson's own pen. Even the sunnier lyrics, such as those to "I Love You a Thousand Ways," are more wishful than positive, and, conversely, the sadness of "She's Gone, Gone, Gone" sounds more wistful than genuinely apologetic.

Nelson's fine ears also picked up a few tunes not often associated with Frizzell's own performances, including the superbly depressed "I Never Go Around Mirrors," and the resigned "That's the Way Love Goes." Legacy's remastered reissue augments the original ten cuts with a previously unreleased take of Frizzell's very first single, "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time," and John Morthland's newly penned liner notes flesh out the story of an album that is often unjustly overlooked in Nelson's catalog.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent tribute album, April 18, 2004

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: To Lefty From Willie (Audio CD)

Originally released in 1977, this album is often overlooked but it has much to commend it, not least that it helped to keep the music of Lefty Frizzell alive. It was successful at the time but, understandably, was soon eclipsed by Stardust, his brilliant 1978 album of pop standards. His 1976 album, Sound in your mind, included a cover of Lefty's classic song, If you've got the money I've got the time. It makes sense to add that song as a bonus track to this re-issue, but I understand that the version here is an alternate take. I only have the original album without that extra track so I cannot confirm it. Willie recorded some of Lefty's best-known songs together with a few less obvious songs. All of them suit Willie's style ideally.

The first five tracks (Mom and Dad's waltz, Look what thoughts will do, I love you a thousand ways, Always late with your kisses, I want to be with you always) together with If you've got the money I've got the time, were songs that established Lefty as a force in country music back in the early fifties. She's gone gone gone and A lttle unfair came later in Lefty's career. Though less successful, Willie chose well in selecting these songs to record. The remaining three songs (I never go around mirrors, That's the way love goes, Railroad lady) were songs that Lefty recorded near the end of his career in the early seventies. Without this tribute album, it is unlikely that any but Lefty's committed fans would associate these songs with him. Indeed, That's the way love goes is generally associated with Merle Haggard, whose voice is very similar to Lefty's.

Willie recorded many fine albums, some of which appeal to people who don't normally like country music. My guess is that this album will mainly appeal to traditional country fans - if you are one, buy this. If you enjoy the songs, hopefully you will eventually buy a collection of Lefty's own music.