Stardust

I'm a sucker for a good cover album and this is a very good cover album. I also love the story behind this. Record label was like, "You can't cover these songs! You're the king of outlaw country!" And then Willie is like, "Screw you, I'm Willie Nelson. Here's a bunch of covers. Deal." Album goes quintuple platinum. Moral of the story? Willie does what Willie wants.

Big music done charmingly small, which suits Nelson's down-to-earth vocals. It's just as easy to not hear the delicate strings, bells, harmonica and various other percussion. Not because they're not strong or good enough, but because like most natural things you take them for granted first before becoming fully conscious of their beauty and complexity.

didnt care for his take version of most of these songs. probably not terrible to fall asleep to.

I'm coming back from a night of drinking, I'm completely hungover. There was no better time to listen to a Willie Nelson album! I mean, I feel like I'm in heaven, shit, I threw up during September Song, it was just beautiful!

Outlaw Country and American Pop Standards would seem to be opposite ends of the musical universe. An unlikely musical wormhole, STARDUST masterfully unites these genres resulting in a truly beautiful and transformative album. I have heard all of the songs on this album before. But my experience of them has largely been as musical artifacts. I don’t think I ever felt particular connection to most of them nor would I have sought them out. Yet on STARDUST these songs resonated with me in an emotional way that they never have before. The album opens plaintively with a quiet guitar and Willie’s voice on “Stardust”. A quiet organ and drum instantly made me stop what I was doing and just sit back and enjoy. This is my favorite version of this song. The one song that I did feel previously emotionally connected to was “Georgia On My Mind.” Ray Charles’ version is perfect, definitive and always gives me chills. It’s one of those songs that I would have thought no one else should record. Willie’s incredible vocals over a beautifully subtle arrangement proves that wrong. The country harmonica solo feels like it should always have been there and the finale provides an exciting, perfect conclusion. When was the last time I ever considered “Moonlight In Vermont?” Yet this version is so beautiful that now I cannot get it off my mind. It could be that only an outlaw would have the audacity to record such an album at the height of his career. Willie has created a truly unique American classic. STARDUST is one of the most pleasurable albums I have ever experienced.

Ron Swansons favourite artist, automatic 5 stars. Seriously though, couple songs in and really liking the vibe. Could imagine listening to this on a long late night drive and just chilling. How relaxing is this album man. Not too long either, a nice in and out experience. I can really see myself listening again to fit a calm mood.

lame covers

Very chilled and covers of old songs. Perfect for a rainy or snowy evening.

Willie Nelson is great and I've never appreciated him enough

Love this. Perfect Album, sitting in the yard in the summer evening, sunset music. Blue Skies <3

Ça fait plaisir de voir Willy Denzey un peu lâcher le Rnb pour sortir des albums de reprises pop country comme ça.

I know he’s a legend, but I’m not a fan of his voice

Georgia on my Mind and Unchained Melody are especially good!

great! and I usually don't listen to country

All the great ‘ol standards from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. A country singer doing all these great jazz & pop covers is so impressive and he put his special spin on each song. Gotta love this man. There is no other voice like Willie.

When Willie covers a song, he makes it his. Best track: Moonlight in Vermont

I said on my last review how I wasn’t a huge fan of WN and was I happy to get through that album, clicked submit, and then immediately got another boring Willie Nelson album.

It's Willie Nelson singing standards. That's it. Maybe you had to be there at the time.

I'm not old enough/gainfully employed managing a wine bar enough to appreciate albums of American standards. Nice voice Willie, save it for your own material. Having lived in Atlanta, the last thing I want on my mind is Georgia (tied with a brain tumor)

Soothing.

Lovely chill album. Wilma the dog sat, listened intently, and swayed with Willie. This will bring more Willie into our lives.

wow im surprised wasnt expecting it to be so beautiful pleasant melodies and harmonies nice chill solos nice length

Really liked this album, such a good representation of Willie Nelson. Didn't know he covered a bunch of the songs on it, which was cool to hear his rendition. Got me listening more to him and other country artists! Highlights: -Stardust -Georgia on my Mind -Blue Skies -Moonlight in Vermont

Loving the guitar aspect of Blue Skies and All of Me. Loved Stardust, the first song on the album. Strong start. His voice is slow yet so beautiful. This is my first time listening to the whole album, and I'm loving it.

As this plays on, I realize this is a cover album. Willie albums are so pleasing to the ears, and I like the cover choices here. Solid album that gets a 4 from me. Love me some Willie!

Just from the opener, I thought, "I'm going to need to own this album." Such a harken back to a yesteryear that never was, immediately nostalgic but unique. The remaining covers didn't change my mind. I never thought any version of "Unchained Melody" could rival the original, but here we are, equally painstakingly beautiful. There's a quality in Willie's voice that is aged, deliberate, and at ease, so every song he sings seems to impart a sense of learned wisdom. The arrangements here perfectly complement Willie's voice and create a timelessly classic and round sound. I can hear the analog here, despite me listening to this off of YouTube. I'll be picking this one up.

I don’t know why I’ve never properly listened to Willie Nelson before; he’s got good vibrations and good sounds. Quite good stripped down covers of some classics. I think I’ll cover his covers

Nelson's style matched Booker T. Jones' production perfectly and the result is a fairly simple album, but one that is beautiful from its cover until the last track. Can't really say I love all the songs, but Nelson personal choice of covers makes sense and made his vocal performances more passionate. "Georgia on My Mind" is the obvious classic here - creating another definitive version of a song that already had a definitive version with Ray Charles - but "Stardust" and "Moonlight in Vermont" are also worth noting.

Willie's voice is smooth and relaxing. Though not necessarily my kind of music, it is easy listening and straightforward. The standouts on this album for me are Blue Skies and Georgia on my mind.

Very mellow and relaxing. I liked The Red Headed Stranger better, though.

I've tried listening to this album twice, and even though the songs are quite nice and calm, performed sparsely with good vocals, it's too dull for an entire album. I lose focus and have a hard time seperating the tracks from one another.

I think I liked it?

cozy covers

This was fine

mellow versions of older pop standards. I enjoyed Willie's stylings but wasn't blown away (nor did I think I was intended to be).

Cover albums do very little for me unless there is something particularly interesting about either the voice or the arrangements. I was rather bored by this.

I'm honestly not sure of the significance of this album for it to be included in this list, all of the songs are covers of much older songs written mostly pre-1950, which I guess is why the album feels much older than 1978. I don't know much about Willie Nelson (although I have heard of him) so maybe he is the reason it's on this list more than the album itself? I do find that this kind of music can be quite a comfort to me though. There's something about the predictability of the chord progressions in these older songs that makes me feel safe, and it's nice to just have on in the background. It's nice enough but I don't think it's essential listening.

I've never really felt that I understood Willie Nelson or his appeal all that much. This album feels like background music to me. The parts I like the most ("Georgia On My Mind"; "On the Sunny Side of the Street") sound like riffs on artists I prefer (Sunny Side sounds like a Randy Newman composition, but with none of Neman's charisma). All in all, the album just feels a bit dull to me, although I'm sure there is something in it that I am just not connecting with.

Willie sings a few pop standards. His distinct vocals and guitar playing, created his take on some songs. Unfortunately, this isn't very original.

Songs only your grandmother (if she were from the Midwest) could like. I mean, seriously, why is this on the list? I genuinely think this is the most tedious album I’ve ever been forced to listen to. The fact it’s all covers makes it even less interesting. There are zero positive points to reflect on. Wow that was bad.

Willie goes all Sinatra n shit. Shit being the operative word.

Why is this even on here?

The tempo of the album is too slow for me. Not the greatest fan of country either even though i don't mind it. There's really nothing to grasp on in this album for me. The singer sounds great and that's about it. Every song (that i managed to listen to) were just plain boring with nothing special in them, which is just made worse that they're covers.

I really enjoyed this album. Of course, by enjoyed, I mean tolerated it. By tolerated I mean I'd rather be waxed from head to toe by an angry Glaswegian smack head, then dipped into a bath of lemon juice, all the while Clive Tyldesley screams Gael Clichy's name down my ear and the sound of the England football band limply plays the theme tune from The Great Escape, than ever listen to it again.

These classics are smoothly done by the red headed stranger.

As an austinite, I am legally obligated to give any Willie Nelson album 5 stars. Loved this one!

Beautiful Sound. Cold nights are starry and warm here

"I love this record... i know it intimately... as a teen boy i had a lot of trouble falling asleep... and late at night, there were two albums i could put on and not disturb my parents... "Days of Future Past" by The Moody Blues, which i'm SURE will be on this list... and this one... Willie was at his peak in my opinion... he had done "Red Headed Stranger" (which WILL also be on this list)... and "Waylon and Willie" (ditto)... the arrangements... the song choices... and the VOICE of Willie Nelson... "Stardust" by Hoagy Carmichael starts it off in a very hauntingly beautiful way... then comes the ONLY version of "Georgia On My Mind", not sung by Ray Charles, that i ever want to hear... Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" is next and is done to perfection... "All of Me" and all the rest of the tracks, sublime... every song a STANDARD... and every performance a tour de force... "Someone To Watch Over Me" closes this GEM... probably one of the best "cover" albums of all time... FIVE STARS forever..."

Familiar songs. Vocals and guitar. Easy listening

Almost entirely composed of solid bangers

Beautifully arranged and performed pop standards. Willie's delicate voice shines!

I gotta spend some more time with Willie. Both albums have been fantastic.

Been too long since I’ve listened to this one! Needs to be in regular rotation

This album was already one of my favorites of all time, I was stoked to get this one.

Its Willie Nelson at his best, no notes, nothing. Just sit back and take it in

One of the first albums I bought on vinyl. Just a great showcase for Willie’s voice. The definitive version of Moonlight in Vermont. I love this album!

Albums like this make me glad I'm going through this list because I honestly would have never listened to this myself. So many reasons for me to enjoy this: I love cover albums, I already like a lot of these songs, and I like these interpretations! Would totally listen to this again on a drive or a quiet evening.

I love this one. I bought it when it first came out. Over the years I've had it on cassette, disc, and have it downloaded. It just gets better with time.

One of Willie’s 3 best albums. Sure, it’s a covers album, but few people can consistently improve upon a cover song like Willie!

Loving the sound of this, it’s perfect of its kind. At various points I’ve listened to lots of the kind of songs he’s covering e.g. Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, Gershwin, so it’s all sort of familiar but also distinctive with Nelson’s vocals and guitar.

Classic songs done with Willie's signature style. Beautiful.

The best cover album IMO.

An album that proves (if proof was needed) that great music is great music and great artists are great artists. I can still remember just how crazy it seemed that Willie Nelson of all people, Mr. Country Outlaw, had done a record featuring romantic standards from decades past. But every song and performance here is amazing. You can not like the type of music; that's just a matter of personal preference. But what can't be denied is the quality and beauty of the performance.

Just saw him play a week ago. Hearing his voice and listening to these songs that he made classic is an amazing experience. There's so much that goes beyond just the song writing. There's this odd, longing melancholy that is woven into his songs that make them feel so personal.

Willie Nelson has a strong place in my music history and this is an amazing album, this man is a story teller, I have listened to this album four times today.

I love this album. It's filled with covers of standards, and although Willie has never had an impressive voice, he still manages to infuse each song with poignancy and emotion. His version of Unchained Melody may be my favorite.

Heerlijk om mee wakker te worden in de bus naar werk!

What a long day. I'm so tired. But this album? Totally worth staying up for. I fucking love it. Pretty much every single song. I first put Stardust on this morning while getting ready. Then on the drive to work. Then on speaker in the office kitchen while everyone was grabbing coffee, because it’s just that good. And a few more times after that. It carried me through the chaos with grace. The covers are legendary. Elvis? Ella Fitzgerald? Louis Armstrong? Gershwin? Hoagy Carmichael? Duke Ellington?? Ray Charles?! This tracklist reads like a syllabus for American musical greatness. And somehow, Willie makes each one his own without losing the soul of the original. There’s something about his voice on this record. It’s direct and evenly paced, never rushing. That bit of vibrato on the longer notes? Just enough to feel it. He’s never in a hurry to get to the next word, and that patience works. His delivery feels like ease. Like peace. Like sitting on a porch swing, letting the light shift while the sun hangs low. Making an album of mostly covers can be risky. But Stardust proves that if you have the artistry, the taste, and the sheer soul of Willie Nelson, it’s not just possible. It’s genius. These aren’t just renditions. They’re interpretations that stand alone. Everyone should love something about this album. It’s warm. It’s masterful. It’s palatable on so many levels, and absolutely brilliant on others. It’s a quietly perfect album, timeless in its simplicity and essential in its place among the great American recordings.

Love Willie. Saw him in concert multiple times. My only complaint is Willie has way too many songs and has like 100 albums or some such. But this one is a really good one. Georgia On My Mind and Blue Skies are phenomenal. And then add in Unchained Melody and it is just a really awesome album. That being said, I am not sure why THIS album is more deserving than some of his others. It is his 22nd album and hardly groundbreaking even though it had some bangers. I do think it is hard to pick just one album of his though since he has so damn many. But yea, it is good stuff.

Very nice album

I wasn't sure going in that an album of standards should be a must listen, but hearing them without the big band, Broadway singer style is a necessity. Each of these tracks is fantastic. Keeping this one in the back pocket for if I ever do need to lullaby a baby

You know, when I tell people that I'm not really a country fan, I have to specify that I'm talking about modern "bro-country" that plays on the radio for two main reasons. Reason 1 is that that's what most people nowadays (at least from my experience) are familiar with. I need people to know that I fucking hate Morgan Wallen. The second reason, and the relevant one for this review, is that classic country has some great stuff within it. I am of the belief that there is no such thing as a bad genre, and albums like this prove it. I love this album. Willie Nelson is one of the most legendary names in the country genre. You know what? He deserves it. This album's outstanding. The context behind it is pretty interesting. Willie was largely known as an outlaw country artist, with albums of his like Red Headed Stranger (which also appears on this list) being standouts of the genre. So, of course, he decides to make an album covering a bunch of pop standards of decades past. Why? Why not! It paid off, didn't it? I think it did. After all, the album has sold over 5 million copies. The album's also really good. Willie's singing is nice. Its undeniably country, but it also feels earnest and not like a Southern caricature. The instrumentation is just beautiful. It really is. It's fairly simple, but oh so effective. This is largely thanks to Booker T. Jones's excellent production, which works wonders with Willie's style. The songs themselves, as stated earlier, are pop standards from the likes of Hoagy Carmichael, Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, and a number of others. Let me tell you, these are some excellent renditions of these tunes. I think I read a review of this album that said something about how the covering of these standards was a good decision because it simultaneously appealed to people who grew up with prior version of them and introduced these great songs to a new generation. That's the beauty of a good cover, isn't it? All of these songs are great. I especially love the first three songs on the album, though the 7 after "Blue Skies" are still excellent. Overall, this album is the kind of thing that just sits right with me in so many ways. It's an endlessly pleasing and utterly timeless listen that deserves recognition on a list like this. It also might just be the best country album I've listened to so far. As far as I can remember, I have yet to give a country album 5 stars. Welp, that changes today! Low 5/5.

Sweet and calm. Just the perfect songlist for relaxing. I could already imagine myself playing a u-bass with friends during a camping trip.

Big surprise-- really nice

Georgia on my mind is a big favourite. Really enjoyed hearing Willie Nelson sing all time classics. Shouldn't work but does.

Wonderful ballader!!!!

Stardust is a truly beautiful album. Willie Nelson's distinctive, some might say limited, voice is sympathetically surrounded by superb arrangements from Booker T Jones. These interpretations of standards are wonderful. Nelson sings in a leisurely, laconic fashion, is rarely on the beat, anticipating at times, catching up at others, and always sounds completely in his element like he was born to sing these songs. They are uniformly excellent but special mention to the final two numbers, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "Someone to Watch Over Me" which are close to definitive, amazing given the great voices that have sung these songs over the years. I don't listen to this anything like as often as I should; it is a delight and makes me smile every time I hear it.

Willie’s songwriting and guitar lines are great. Interesting chord structures and soft, relaxing voice.

10/10 Another buttery smooth album by Willie, this time focusing on how his lover makes him feel. He discusses feelings of being blue while she's gone and happiness while she's there. Also, he only wants her to watch over him, despite how other people may want their SOs. All this over lowly guitars and drums

Really liked this. The songs are timeless and he sings them very well. There's something about his voice and the atmosphere of his recordings that's very soothing. A surprise 5.

Gil stuff from the past.

cowboy done right

This and stargazing in a field until you can barely stay awake This and dancing around the kitchen This and catching up with old friends at a cocktail bar This and reminding me that life can be beautiful

The cover art is amazing. Very good song covers too. This is the country music gateway drug for me

Really nice album

My favorite Willie album.

A collection of covers, but willie's fragile voice makes them his own, and Booker T's minimalist arrangements keep it grounded without sounding corny. A timeless album.

Wow! I expected a record full of "pop standards" to sound cheesier than this. I think a combination of Nelson's earnest singing and Jones's production and arrangements counteract this. It is 100% charming—definitely a record to pick up when you see it at the thrift (and you probably will, given its sales numbers).

I listened to this three times over the weekend. All hits.

It was the first time I listened to this as a full album. It’s beautiful.

I’m drunk in the afternoon on vacation in Hawaii and this album is hitting the spot. We don’t deserve Willie

Stardust is Willie Nelson's twenty-second studio album, and a departure from his previous work. This album is a collection of a covers of pop standards. Nelson won a Grammy for his cover of "Georgia on My Mind." His versions of "Blue Sky," and "All of Me" were remarkably well received, as was the rest of the album. Willie's warm, gentle voice, and simple guitar accompaniment made elegant versions of these classic songs.

Awesome!

10/10 Willie is so important to American music. I really enjoy that he took the opportunity to sing songs that meant something to him and give it his signature flair. Is he the best singer to ever sing these songs? Never. But the feeling he gives these songs give them a different feeling only he could provide. Furthermore, I think he benefits from picking some of the best songs ever written. This all star cast of songs features tracks from hoagy Carmichael, Louis Armstrong, not to mention the countless legends to cover these songs first. Along with this the production of Booker T. Jones can be felt throughout. Getting a booker T and the MGs take on a Willie album comprised of some of the best songs in the American songbook is really a perfect overlapping of my interests in a way that’s hard to explain. Favorite Song: All of Me

An amazing album. Very Peaceful.

Fav: September Song Least Fav: Don’t Get Around Much Anymore I cannot believe I’m giving a country album a 5/5 but here we are. This list is def making me rethink my biases against the genre for sure

Willie does the hits. Great album!

own

Willie Nelson is just great to begin with, and to hear him do intimate versions of some of the biggest songs, and put his own spin on them, was such a treat. Almost the entire album went into my cover's playlist. 5/5

Melancholy