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Track Listings

1	Ballad Of Spider John
2	Muskrat Candlelight
3	Geraldine And The Honeybee
4	Wishbone
5	Satin Sheets
6	Goodbye Old Missoula
7	Painted Lady
8	Watermelon Man
9	Boy From Oklahoma
10	Angel Eyes
11	Northeast Texas Woman

Editorial Reviews

Product description

CD has 11 songs. Published by Wishbone Music.

Amazon.com

A landmark of the progressive country movement, with some of the sweetest, most memorable songs of the '70s, this album has both a rough and silky warmth, distinguished by Ramsey's bass, guitar, and harmonica work, and by his great patience and musical care. As good as the songs are, Ramsey's country-soul voice, owing more to his Alabama roots than to Texas, is even finer. And even if you've never heard of him, you'll recognize his compositions. "Muskrat Candlelight" is notorious, and if that song makes you wary, it shouldn't. Ramsey's version has a soulful glide and captures an elusive romantic tone. David Bromberg recorded "Northeast Texas Women" and Jerry Jeff Walker covered "Ballad of Spider John," but the mythic air of Ramsey's originals--especially "Boy From Oklahoma," the best song ever written about Woody Guthrie--has never been equaled. Unfortunately, the reticent, demanding Ramsey never found that groove again, and while rumors of a follow-up have circulated for decades, his exquisite debut is all we have. --Roy Kasten

Product details

Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 4.94 x 0.45 inches; 3.31 Ounces
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Koch Records
Date First Available ‏ : ‎ December 7, 2006
Label ‏ : ‎ Koch Records
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00000JKG2
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Best Sellers Rank: #73,567 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #1,375 in Easy Listening (CDs & Vinyl)
- #1,405 in Country Rock (CDs & Vinyl)
- #1,529 in Soft Rock (CDs & Vinyl)

Customer Reviews:
4.8 168 ratings

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4.8 out of 5

168 global ratings

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JOHN

This album is a gem!

Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2023

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Fifty-one years after it was released, Willis Alan Ramsey's only album remains one that spawned a generation of Americana singer-songwriters, and still serves as a touchstone. Simply a gem.
Many are still waiting for his second album to be released.

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One-off soul/country classic

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2007

Verified Purchase

Soul/country, you ask? I know, it sounds improbable, but it's true. One his lone, eponymous album, Willis Alan Ramsey combines country subject matter and instrumentation with a smooth, soul-drenched voice that wrings the emotion out of his fantastic original tunes. This is truly one of those lost classics; music made by a man who knows what he's doing and should have made a whole lot more records.

The album's opener, "Ballad of Spider John," is mellow, but that belies the song's intensity. Ramsey proves an excellent balladeer and his smooth voice achingly tugs the strings of the song's story of a former outlaw whose lover leaves him when she finds out about his dark past. Probably the most recognizable song on the album (unfortunately for Captain and Tenille's lame cover) is "Muskrat Candlelight." When you hear Ramsey sing it, you understand that it's more than just an easy-listening novelty tune. The original version combines humor with a genuine tenderness that lends the song a real legitimacy.

Ramsey's beautiful voice doesn't prevent him from bringing his songs a bit of grit though--"Wishbone" and "Watermelon Man" are bluesy and spring with a lot of twang. Ramsey plays a lot of instruments on this album--not only guitar, but bass and lots of background vocals as well. It's surprising how good he is at what he does--it sounds like a live band.

Really what makes this album a lost treasure is its uniqueness. I've never heard a country album that has so much soul blended effortlessly with genuine country sounds--it's nothing like the bland country pop we hear on the radio today, but it's not straight-up country either. The best part is, it's a mellow listen, but better than just background music. If you want an album that's good to chill to, but can also be enjoyed if you're REALLY listening to it, this is a great choice. I guarantee it'll reward on repeated listens, and you'll wonder too why he never made another album.

7 people found this helpful

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Music Lover

Great Music

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2022

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CD arrived from Germany much earlier than anticipated by the estimated delivery date. The music on the CD was great. Unfortunately, the jewel case was broken but it did not affect the quality of the music.

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Steve Heimel

Willis Alan Ramsey album re-released again

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2021

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This album is central to the strain of progressive country music that arose in Texas in the early 1970's and swept the country. In it you will hear that swampy twang of the Big Thicket nexus triangulated by Cajun funk, Oklahoma swing and folky oil patch grit that gave us Townes Van Zandt, Johnny Winters, Janis Joplin and Guy Clark.

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022

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Never heard of it but coming out of Austin it is no surprise. Great album.

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H. Johnson

Perhaps THE essential work of the 70's Austin scene.

Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 1999

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Before Lyle Lovett released "Step Inside This House," the only brushes with the work of Willis Alan Ramsey most folks had were via The Captain and Tennille's version of "Muskrat Love," or perhaps Jimmy Buffett's cover of "The Ballad of Spider John." Thanks to the release of "Step Inside This House," apparently enough interest has arisen to prompt the re-release of Willis Alan Ramsey's self-titled album. Originally released in the 70's, this album made a huge splash with fans of the Austin-based music scene of that period. However, Ramsey chafed under the constraints of the music business-even within the relatively loose bounds of Shelter Records-and to the best of my knowledge, he never released another recording. (Until Lovett's "Step Inside This House," I wondered if he'd died.)
An interviewer once asked Clint Black-respected as a songwriter in spite of his place in "Commercial Country"-what five albums he'd want with him on a desert island. He reportedly rattled off a mixed list of country and rock artists, and then, as an afterthought, named one more: "Willis Alan Ramsey." This recording truly is a treasure. Listen to it, and you'll find that, like a well-loved piece of antique furniture, it gets better with time. (If the world is a just place, we'll next see a re-release of a Steve Fromholz recording.)

50 people found this helpful

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Mona Lisa

A Perfect CD

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

In the 1970s, someone turned me on to this album, which I got on vinyl, and pretty much wore out. I waited more than 40 years for the CD version to come out, and now that it finally has, it does not disappoint. Willis Alan Ramsey is one of the greatest, and most unknown, singer-songwriters of my lifetime. Every single song is a masterpiece. Buy this CD and take the time to savor it. True genius does not come along often.

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Kindle Customer

this CD was so difficult to find

Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2020

Verified Purchase

I have been hunting this album for years. Now I know why it was so hard to find. Nobody who owned it has ever wanted to give it up. Awesome songs, delivered in a voice perfect for the genre, and super tidy guitar picking. I want to make myself a copy right away. I'll play the copy until it dies, then make another one from the original, so I'll always be able to listen to it. Then I'll will my copy to my niece.

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utanokami

さすがテキサス出身のSSW

Reviewed in Japan on June 11, 2005

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最後に入っている曲、どこかで聴いた事があるなとおもったら、あのジェリー・ジェフ・ウォーカーが「Lone Wolf」というアルバムの中で取り上げていました。名曲です。ジェリー・ジェフ・ウォーカーやガイ・クラークが好きな人には、ウイリス・アラン・ラムゼイはお勧めです。たぶんこの人は、アルバムはこれ1枚ではないでしょうか。

7 people found this helpful

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Luca Mazzocchi

Gioiello nascosto della musica americana

Reviewed in Italy on October 13, 2020

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Fa pensare, che di un talento, evidente, come quello di Willis Alan Ramsey, dell'Alabama ma cresciuto in Texas, a Dallas, esistano ufficialmente solo undici canzoni, quelle che compongono questo album mitizzato, uscito nel 1972, e ristampato oggi in CD dalla Koch, dopo anni di "fuori catalogo". Ramsey è uno di quei personaggi, tipicamente americani, che hanno più leggenda che corpo fisico, tutta costruita su questi quaranta minuti di musica. Bisogna dire che quelli erano anni magici per chi faceva cantautorato in America, innumerevoli sono i dischi fondamentali usciti in quegli anni là, a cavallo fra i sessanta e i settanta, e anche Ramsey è stato baciato se non dalla fama sicuramente da un'ispirazione importante. Anche il suono, pur arrivando dal Texas, non è del tutto classificabile, visto che si muove fra il folk e il country, certamente, ma con deviazioni jazz e pop, con alcuni vocalizzi alla Tim Buckley, la malinconia di certe ballate di Jim Croce e i grandi texani dell'epoca, a cominciare da Jerry Jeff Walker, che è poi texano d'adozione proprio come Willis. Un gran bel disco, con il suono giusto, turnisti di classe, come Leon Russell, che lo ospita nei suoi studi quando Ramsey incide in Texas, o Jim Keltner, Russ Kunkel, Tim Drummond o Eddie Hinton. Eppure il disco, nonostante le critiche molto positive, non sfonderà, se non attraverso il saccheggio dei brani, incisi da molti altri colleghi, gente come Jimmy Buffett o i Widespread Panic. "Willis Alan Ramsey" rimane un classico, uno di quegli album destinati a restare, a dispetto di tutto e di tutti, nonostante il suo autore, pur tornando sporadicamente alla musica, non ha più pubblicato un seguito, anche se pare esista un fantomatico secondo disco già pronto. Se consideriamo che questa ristampa, ottima, è venduta a prezzo economico, direi che è da non farsela scappare.

One person found this helpful

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TIM BLUE

Truly excellent

Reviewed in Germany on August 31, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is a truly excellent album from a relatively unknown Willis Alan Ramsey. Every song is first class. As far as I know, this is the only album that he ever released, which is a crying shame. If you like Bob Dylan and Townes van Zandt, this album should be right up your street. Recommended.

blackcat

Excellent Album

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2015

Verified Purchase

I bought this album as I heard Jimmy Buffett sing Ballad of Spider John and America sing Muskrat Candlelight. I thought to myself this guy must be good writing those songs. I wasn't disappointed. This is a gem of an album. The music is timeless, just can't believe he didn't do much else.

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