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.

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

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.

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.

great! and I usually don't listen to country

Georgia on my Mind and Unchained Melody are especially good!

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

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

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

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

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.

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

lame covers

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

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

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

Soothing.

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!

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.

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

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).

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

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.

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.

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 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)

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

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.

Why is this even on here?

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

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.

aaaaaa walang tapon na song huhuhuhu ang gandaaa <3 altho i know some songs are covers (not sure if lahat! :O hahaha) but still they're good covers

Willie is a crooner. Georgia on my Mind cover is fantastic. This was an easy great listen.

Super enjoyed—a lot of covers of songs I already liked, but with a Willie vibe.

Kind of slow and lovely, and definitely not what I expected from Willie Nelson. He did a great job with the pop standards though. Beautiful!

Great album of covers. Several of these are almost as enjoyable as the originals: Georgia On My Mind, All of Me, and Blue Skies.

Not sure why I never really listened to Willie Nelson. I like his voice, and I like older country. So far, I’m enjoying this one.

Great

A lot of known songs

Música maravilhosa de se ouvir! Preciso terminar e ouvir com mais atenção às faixas

i like how understated it is, the vocal performance is really emotive without ever getting cheesy or too sentimental. his voice is rough in some spots but it doesn't really detract. pretty nice production too. moonlight in vermont🥺🥺. giving it a 5, i don't think I'd change anything about it.

Brilliant

אם לבילי ג׳ואל ולסרטי פיקסאר היה ילד אה הוא היה שונא יהודים

Wow, what a fantastic album. This is up there with American IV for me as one of the greatest cover albums of all time. Willie really brings a unique take on these classic songs. Incredible.

Gorgeous album, super chilled out

sounds very pretty, beautiful and calming

you don’t understand, i’m obsessed. the title track is phenomenal and i hate that i’m only discovering it now

Very Good Album!

Really nice album - did make me feel very single though. Feel like it is the kind of music you sway around the kitchen with your childhood sweetheart too. I just washed up on my own :')

Great album.

A wonderful selection of songs that are carried far by Nelson's voice. Beautifully peaceful, a great listen.

Man I love it Calming soothing and honest

Excellent album. Short and sweet. Crosses genres with jazz/blues/country. Album starts strong and carries throughout. 8.9/10

Super easy listening

Fantastic! What a surprise - all classics, beautifully done.

Listened to this one while visiting my mom.. she approves. You have great taste, mom, love you.

The 22nd Willie Nelson's album (1978) consisting of great cover versions of famous songs in traditional pop style. Enjoyed it a lot!

Infinitely soothing. Willie means every word he sings and every note he plays. Beautiful stuff

Willie does the standards! I loved this so SO so So so much. Funny story, when I first discovered this website, I made an account and this was the FIRST album that came up. I didn't end up listening to it by the end of the day, and I was so new to the site that I couldn't figure out how to go back. So I started a whole new account, and I've been waiting about a year for it to come back up. Georgia on My Mind, Unchained Melody, and Don't Get Around Much Anymore are tops.

Soothing and calm, but a tad short.

Soul is happy

Thank you, 1001 Robot, for giving me this album today. It was a balm for my soul at the end of a sad week. There is a delicacy, a clarity, a precision to every note of this album. Tempos are steady, slow, and deliberate, giving a sense of being suspended in some warm, gooey, sweet syrup. These are some of my favorite standards delivered by musicians of the highest order. Perfection.

I am familiar with Willie Nelson. I have never listened to a Willie Nelson album, and I have never even heard of this one. What a surprise I had in store...I love this album. When I saw Willie Nelson pop up on the list, I wasn't excited. For most of my young life I found Willie's music very off-putting...not just the style of music, but his actual voice. I have matured to a point where I can listen to Willie Nelson, but I can't think of a time where I have ever sought to listen any of his music...but I just couldn't get enough of this album. The musical arrangements were extraordinary and Willie's delivery very special. It felt so gentle and heartwarming...just plain comforting. I am still stunned at how much I enjoyed listening to the album and I don't know why I ever would have, if not for this listening project! I want more!!

Oh, I love these songs so much. And Willie Nelson did, too, and he sang them on this album, and they're perfect. I will listen to this many times again. Hooray for a celebration of the most beautiful songs by a unique, lovely voice.

When I was a kid, I HATED country music. Country music was my parents' music. You know what happens when you play country music backwards? Your wife comes back to you, your dog comes back to life and your truck miraculously gets fixed. My parents listened to country music of the time, in particular the group Alabama. But I remember hearing Willie Nelson on the radio, in particular "You Were Always On My Mind." I got back into Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash recently. Particularly with Cash being revitalized with producer Rick Rubin. Willie Nelson's cover of "The Scientist" is what made me want to look into his work. So the point is I had listened to this album before. It's a great album for Nelson, it complements his voice very well. Definitely well-done and great production.

9/10

I discovered Moonlight in Vermont a month ago and thought it was a recent Willie Nelson song. Here now I find this album and realise what a jackass I am.

Beautiful, just beautiful. 5****

Fantastic. Haven’t listened to him before but classic songs done very well.

This was a sweet treat. Soft and melodic.

Que album espetaclar!! musicas prediletas: -Stardust -Georgia on my mind -Blue Skies -Unchained Melody

do i love a good covers album, especially when it's all old, classic songs. even though these aren't willie nelson's original songs, his emotions are so palpable. i feel so connected with these songs, some new to me, even after one listen. every song is a hit. a beautiful album that includes genre hopping! oh what can’t willie nelson do?

21st February 2022 Listened on the train on the way to the airport in Stockholm while the snow came down outside. Beautiful from start to finish. Simple, true songwriting.

Perfect in my book.

A trip in the past to hear some wonderful songs by one of the best storytellers.

5 stars

idk yet

Willie continues to blow me away - an incredible voice with so much depth. Guitar playing doesn't even need to be talked about its that good.

A perfect album - end to end - and it’s Willie Nelson’s 22nd I found out. Wow.

Peerless country soul

Soft and classic

I didn't have to relisten to this to know I was giving it five stars but I did anyway. I love genius songwriter Willie and outlaw country Willie but I think Great American Songbook crooning Willie is my favorite Willie.

Wonderful album, he's got a great voice as always and the band is incredible.

10/10 really, really beautiful I’ve enjoyed Willie Nelson since I was a little kid, listening to K-Rose on GTA SA this whole album is just so goshdarn lovely

Loved this record.

very subtle and chill, it was perfect for a short ride from work🥰 was just thinking of him this week you psychis u😂

grande presença, muito agradável

Stardust showcases perfectly why Willie Nelson is one of the best country artists out there. The minimal instrumentals let his voice guide the album effortlessly from one song to the next, and you've gone through all 10 songs before you know it.

Good god this is beautiful. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much but the production is so clean and warm, and the arrangements are just beautiful. I know this is a record of pop standards, but Nelson really really fucking nails them. Beautiful altogether.

Подслушано! Очень душевный и классный альбом. Отличное кантри.

I love these covers, but I keep singing along like it was the originals, and it kinda throws me off. They're still so good though. 5

Excellent!!!

Willy at his best. Singing those sweet tunes that just make you happy.

Willie! Timeless. Classic. Genius.

Super album avec potentiel de reecoute incroyable. J’ai adore les reprises. 5

Good and Chill

Insanely beautiful vocals. Such calming delivery.

Amazing writer with a very distinctive style.