Stardust

Very lovely easy listening.

Willlieeeee

Great Album, he has a good voice, the music just isn’t a style I particularly love or listen to often

As a concept, I respected the album and I think a lot of the arrangements were beautifully done. The whole track list had a melancholic vibe throughout. For some songs I think Willie’s more laidback and subtle vocal performance worked really well. On other tracks I think it was a hindrance to my enjoyment of the album. Ultimately, it left more to be desired. Fav songs: Blue Skies All of Me September song

Willie Nelson’s Stardust perfectly matches the album cover. It feels abstract, grand, but solemn, and lonely. That’s an element of this album that I really liked the most, how much order there was to it. However besides that, I didn’t like the individuals tracks a lot, besides Stardust and On the Sun Side of the Street. All in all, Stardust is an alright album. Best Song: Stardust Worst Song: Unchained Melody

A lot of standards from a bygone era here. All very pleasant, but nothing special. Wouldn't turn them off, but equally, wouldn't turn them on. Got to be a middle of the road, easy listening 3

I must feeling mellow, fuck knows why. This was one of the least painful 'Country' records I've ever listened to. Probably because it's mainly missing a lot of the typical clichés in the songs, or to put it better, spread out across in a palatable veneer. On the other side of the coin, if I was feeling in a less charitable mood, which is probably how I should be feeling, I would sum it up as the American version of Val Doonican, replete with rocking chair and jumper and all the bile I could throw at it. By ‘Sunny Side of the Street’ I was getting seriously bad Micheal Buble vibes...... However, I'm feeling nice. It's going to get a 3.

Slow and stately country ballads with easy listening arrangements: nylon string guitar, piano, organ, cheesy strings, some nice horns and a light hand drum/bass rhythm section. His understated lead guitar playing on the nylon strings is great on a few tracks, simple, melodic, and spacious - says a lot with very little. Willie Nelson's warm baritone is the throughline on the album though: technically limited but aged and inviting, he croons his way through a set of jazz & country standards. It's an interesting companion to Ray Charles' 'Modern Sounds in Country' insofar as as we see a canonical artist interpreting the songbook - but it's not really a good representation of Willie Nelson's actual contribution to American music. Phases & Stages or the one with Waylon Jennings would be much better picks. That said, this sets an incredibly gentle relaxing mood - it's the audio equivalent of taking a hot shower after a dusty day.

Ok, sure.

Recht ruhig, melodisch, gut zum nebenher hören.

Good rainy day/driving album… which fits cause today is rainy all day lol

Chill. The cowboy equivalent of driving around at night while it’s raining.

This was a sweet album - not like "yo sweet dude", more like "aww that's sweet". Had never listened to Willie Nelson much before, was always put off by him simply because of the cult of personality surrounding him as some stoner icon... Not really sure if this album clarifies any of that at all, wouldn't consider this something you need to listen to while high. It was fine to me. I liked Blue Skies a lot, guitar tone on that one was clean.

Итс окэй. Какой-то оригинальности в этом якобы "не кантри" я не увидел, но и чего-то резко негативного не испытываю. Лучшая песня - Unchained Melody.

It's a sweet little cover album, nothing too crazy. Love 'Unchained Melody' but i think that's just because the original is such a great song anyway. Wish i'd got an original album by him instead but this was an enjoyable time.

Pretty good stuff. Nice production.

Really charming album, but at the same time, hearing Willie Nelson cover various standards is of no major consequence. I hope he has other albums in the top 1001!

Wasn't bad... but his voice doesn't suit the songs 😬 3 ⭐️

Smooth af

Relaxing, cozy interpretations of pop standards. I probably like the first half more, but it's all pretty pleasant stuff, even veering a bit into jazz territory with On the Sunny Side of the Street and Don't Get Around Much Anymore. Highlights: Blue Skies, All of Me, Unchained Melody, Don't Get Around Much Anymore.

Very relaxing and even though it's a country album, not a very country sound. I'm still not a Willie Nelson fan but this is a good album.

This was a really solid album that was really peaceful to listen to. Not a lot that really got me excited, but it definitely has it's place. I think this is a 3.5/5, but at they moment I'm feeling like a 3 fits better than a 4

This one is a mixed bag. There are some quality western (read: not C&W) tunes as well as some surprisingly well done covers of pop classics, but much of it comes across as Willie singing over bad karaoke tracks.

3/5. Love hearing Willie's voice and the songs are nice but there does seem to be some missing passion in some songs. These are not bad songs just okay as a collection in general. Not much else to say, but I might check out some of these songs later on. Best Song: Georgia On My Mind, Unchained Melody, Someone To Watch Over Me

3 for my personally tastes the songs are bit slow and sappy but it’s a fantastically made album

So chill and easy listening. Calming, relaxing and mellow Texas

This is a lovely album - it really cheered me up and reminded me life is worth living if we are able to listen to music like this. I am officially a Willie Nelson fan. His cover of Unchained Melody is great too. Also, last week Willie Nelson released a duet of a country song about gay cowboys with Orville Peck and that makes me so so happy. ALSO, the interludes on Cowboy Carter? SLAY Standout tracks: - Blue skies: 4/5 - Someone to watch over me 4/5

Smooth voice.

Stardust Willie Nelson Background: This is already the 22nd album by Willie Nelson, it’s all pop standards recorded by Willie Nelson, the king of cowboy country. Produced by Booker T Jones, the album is a departure from what he had done up to this point. The arrangements suit Willie’s voice and keep the spirit of the standards many of which played no small part in inspiring Nelson to become the musician that he became. Track-by-track: Stardust Willie Nelson’s voice is distinctive and iconic now. We try to think back to context here in 1978 when the album came out. This song is a relatively standard jazz/country song, guitar arrangement on the nylon string guitar is pleasant, the hammond organ on top of the piano adds to the ethereal feeling of “stardust”. It’s hard to think that this is “On the road again” Willie Nelson, but I think Willie Nelson’s voice may be something I can only feel one way about. Georgia on my Mind This intro organ is great, and Willie’s voice actually suits Georgia on my mind quite well, even if his version as he worried will never be as good as Ray Charles’. The country jazz feeling of this rendition still brings something new with the addition of the organ and Willie’s distinctive country voice. The guitar arrangement and piano arrangement work around the organ to make a rendition of this song that understandably performed well on the charts. This is the first time they bring out the melodica and it has a great effect on this version. Blue Skies There’s something more blue than blue skies about this rendition of Irving Berlin’s song. All of Me These minimalist arrangements and instrumentation really suit Willie Nelson’s voice. The combination of guitar simple drums and the hammond organ create a mood that suits perfectly the idyllic voice of Willie Nelson. Guitar work on this track is great, gives a real country jazz feeling. Nelson’s voice is only what it is, a part of the ensemble of the song, his renditions aren’t technical, they aren’t the best way these songs have ever been sung, but there’s something pure about the combination of solid simple arrangements and his distinctive twangy voice. The production also just sounds good. Unchained Melody He even decides to take on Unchained Melody, perhaps the most prolifically performed song in popular music. Wilie’s version is worthy, the strings and the harmonica solo really stand out alongside Nelson’s guitar playing and his performance in his higher register, which is a technical merit that perhaps people don’t give enough credit to Nelson for. September Song Kurt Weill’s September song, another standard written aptly for an older star in a musical who had a limited vocal range, this version stands out among the stronger tracks on the album although perhaps it would be even better to hear now in Nelson’s old age. Is this album the midlife crisis, the existential crisis of Willie Nelson? He recorded this album in 10 days, Booker T Jones’ arrangements are so congruent and singular, his piano and organ playing so consistent. On the Sunny Side of the Street This one’s just pretty forgettable to be honest, adds to the overall feeling of the classics, but I just can’t help but like other versions of the song better. Moonlight in Vermont This is the song that inspired Willie to do this album, the one that he asked Booker T Jones to arrange for him and made him decide to go forward with the project he wasn’t sure would work with a producer he hadn’t worked with before. Suddenly I feel that Willie Nelson could pass for a granola man with his granola wife in Vermont when I hear him sing this song, that the southern twang of his voice is not so much southern as it is mountain. More great melodica/harmonica parts here and the interplay of organ and piano again makes a great backing to the simple sharp voice that Nelson delivers. Don’t get around much anymore For some reason I played this song on guitar and liked to sing it when I was first learning guitar. The guitar sound with the bass and organ is nice on this one. These versions are really something nice, something distinctly Americana, also something very white though. These songs are great songs and the versions are very digestible, but I think probably Willie could have chosen not to cover most of these songs and we would have been just as well off. This song really reads like a sad country western, and actually fits Nelson very well. Someone to watch over me George Gershwin tune, honestly this track is one of the songs that holds up the least well as a standard today. Not entirely surprising considering it’s not a top song of George Gershwin and it’s quickly approaching 100 years old. We’re not really getting anything new at this point, more of the same combinations of strings, organ, guitar and album #22 from Willie Nelson wraps up. Overview: Every time I open one of these songs I just feel like it can’t hold a candle to the version that Ella Fitzgerald did. For instance moonlight in vermont has a version with a beautiful piano arrangement behind it as well as a Louis Armstrong solo, Willie’s version is nice, but Ella’s version is downright divine. If I had to only listen to one version it would be Ella’s version with no question. The style that they chose for this album is great, I enjoyed listening to probably 8-9/10 of the songs on the album and generally thought the instrumentation was enjoyable. Some of the instrumentation approached being innovative, though the range of production was predictably limited as the 10-track album was recorded in as many days. The combination of Booker T Jones and Willie Nelson works very well, and definitely finds its way into a niche that feels different from other versions of the same songs, feels true to Willie Nelson, and feels true to the all-time classic standards that were on the album.

Very peaceful. Favorite track: Blue Skies

The album itself is quite nice, lot of good songs with pleasant lyrics but I can't get used to his voice and depressing melodies (too much of a crooner style?). I've heard multiple covers of these songs that I've enjoyed more.

Soft rock? I’m honest: i didn’t really focus on this album

3+

Stardust is a pleasant listen, soft songs with Willie singing about weather and being glad overall. Simple and effective approach here. 3 stars

Relisten!

I think this is the first “cover” album I’ve gotten (standards count as covers right?). This was nice, and I think I’m officially a fan of Willie Nelson now (3.5/5)

на удивление приятный - раньше оказывается норм кантри было! анчейнд мелоди это у нас кантри! много открытий

This is a very charming album that I will never have occasion to listen to again, except, perhaps, if/when Willie dies.

Just okay, pretty boring but well made covers. I liked Don't Get Around Much Anymore and Blue Skies

I mean this in the absolute best way possible. I fell asleep listening to this album. Some great covers here. Favorite songs were Stardust, Georgia On My Mind, Blue Skies, and Moonlight in Vermont

Quite pretty yet boring

It’s pleasant enough hearing Willie’s takes on others’ songs, but I’d rather see an album of originals on the 1001 list than this.

I’m not usually into this crooner wannabe album sorta thing but Willie gets a pass because he’s Willie and because Booker T produced it.

Very pleasant and very well produced, but tbh the whole thing was sullied for me knowing it’s all covers. It’s not bad at all but I don’t really see the point for this list. 3.1/5

I should hate this? I don't hate this

You know exactly what you're getting with a Willie nelson album, and this is no exception. Perfectly nice, perfectly fine

So quit, good to listen during the late evening

Ну лайтово, лирично. Приятно слушать, но не моё. Может, не в настроение попал

I'm surprised an album full of covers made it to this list. The songs aren't half bad, but I kept thinking it doesn't sound a lot different that what I would expect from a lounge singer.

There's an internal mechanism within my brain that almost always tries to reject anything that is country. I've been trying to override this recently, especially when it's an artist and album from the 60s, 70s or 80s. This was such a pleasant surprise. It set me on a good mood for a chilly Monday morning in March.

Not a big country western fan, but Willie is one of those songwriters that is so prolific you have to respect them. So many of these songs have been covered by other artists that familiarity alone makes them enjoyable.

I loved reading about how Willie’s decision to release an album of jazz and pop covers ruffled the feathers of record company executives worried it would undermine his outlaw image when, in fact, doing so only reinforced that image.

not bad

Had Georgia On My Mind while I watched the Moonlight In Vermont when I heard this one.

A nice cover album. Ringo Starr’s cover of Stardust is still better though! 7/10 Top 3: 1. Stardust 2. Unchained Melody 3. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

Some good songs

Cool - some nice takes on songs. But I think a cover album can only max out at a 3.

It was nice but I probably won't ever listen to it again.

Solid fit being covers. Neat arrangements.

Pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm not a fan of country, but do have a lot of respect for an artist like Willie Nelson. Turns out, this is an album full of old classic cover songs and had very little country stylings. It's not a challenging album, but it is comfortable. Willie's guitar playing and vocals are always center stage, sounding great. Production on this was handled by Booker T (as well as organ duties) and as a big fan it was evident. All around a good listen.

This is my second, and therefore last Willie Nelson album to review. I liked The Red Headed Stranger, but I'm also not super into Willie's music (nothing against him, it's just not what I gravitate towards), so I wasn't sure what I'd feel about this album. I think the overall concept of performing pop and jazz standards is really great, and I love that Willie basically told his record label to kick rocks when they expressed hesitation at the idea, and then the album went on to perform really well and win a Grammy. Are record company executives even human, or are they just sentient piles of garbage? I digress. I'm not terribly familiar with many of these songs, but I thought Willie did a great job of singing them, and putting his own musical touch on each one of them. Willie's voice is great, and I love the gentleness and smoothness that he brings to each song. "Unchained Melody," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," and "Moonlight in Vermont" were my favorite tracks on here, and I think I prefer Willie's version of "Unchained Melody" to the Righteous Brothers version. Overall, I thought this album was fine. It's well done and and it's a unique and enjoyable listen. It's not the sort of thing I gravitate towards, but I'm glad I got to experience it.

I like the songs on here, I am unsure about the singer. It is clear he has skills and he has a good sense of musical phrasing, but just coming from listening to jazz where these songs are sang so much differently my ear is not used to it. I got nostalgic feelings from this album. I thought it was good but it is not my préférence, but it is enjoyable.

Wel chiller dan verwacht, nummers als georgia on my mind kun je ook weinig aan verneuken. Snap vooral niet dat zo'n album met alleen covers hier tussen staat.

Classic Willie Nelson. My gripe with the album is that it is very slow and full of ballads.

Willie Nelson's "Stardust" is a masterful exploration of American pop standards, in its artistry and innovation. At the heart of this album's success is the collaboration between Nelson and the legendary Booker T. Jones, whose sophisticated and understated arrangements breathe new life into these timeless classics. Jones's work on the album is nothing short of genius, providing a lush, yet never overpowering backdrop that perfectly complements Nelson's distinctive and tender vocal delivery. This partnership elevates tracks like "All of Me" to new heights, showcasing Nelson's unique interpretive skills and Jones's remarkable ability to frame them within the context of American music heritage. While Nelson's vocal style may not seamlessly fit each song, as observed in his take on "Sunny Side of the Street," the overall impact of "Stardust" on the music industry is undeniable. It blurred genre lines, broadening Nelson's appeal and setting a precedent for musical exploration. The album's boldness, coupled with Jones's masterful arrangements, cements its status as a significant achievement. "Stardust" not only demonstrates Nelson's artistic bravery but also celebrates Jones's pivotal role in its creation, making it an essential listen for those who cherish the art of musical reinterpretation and the transformative power of collaboration.

Listening to Willie cover these American standards really helps to showcase the quality and simplicity of his voice. While it's a great compendium of American songs, it feels like it shorts out not having one of the greatest singer song writers with his own music. I hope to hear him again on this list.

easy listen

Very nice

Nice and mellow, very easy to listen to. Probably a 2 or 3 star?

it's a fun album. the confidence and the level of no-fucks-given to just record a cover album for fun is something I truly admire. good for him

not my favourite Willie Nelson joint on this list, but it's a sleepy journey through some lovely covers.

Very pleasant for nighttime sick crocheting. So so relieved that I didn't get Deep Purple or Korn tonight

OK, was not expecting this. I can't stand most country music (esp. since the "achy breaky" & beer-bro era), but Willie Nelson (along w/ Johnny Cash) is one of the few I can listen to. So why, on this list, do we get an absolute legend in the world of country music doing... an entire album of pop standard covers? IDGI. 3* I guess cuz he still has an unmistakable voice, but I'm utterly baffled why this album is on the list. side note: hearing Willie Nelson sing Unchained Melody is about as weird as hearing The Pet Shop Boys singing You Were Always On My Mind.

I love Willie Nelson and the whole outlaw country thing, but this album is a noted departure from that style. I can see the appeal, but for me, it's far too light. Very reminiscent of easy-listening elevator music. Still some great arrangements of the songs though.

That was a peaceful listen. I'm not sure what else to write on a review for it. The album ended and I almost hadn't noticed any specific song. It all blended together into each other.

Sleepy cover album. Nothing outstanding, I'm not familiar with these tracks but they all seem pretty standard to me. Not the outlaw country I know Willie from but not terrible at the same time.

I was pleased, and impressed by the recording quality. I'll gravitate more toward his own dope smoking and/or cowboy tunes, however.

Willie and the great American songbook.

Great artist, easy to listen too, but not my jam at all.

This is not my cup of tea at all, so it's hard to rate. This is one of the cleanest and most professionally recorded albums I think I've heard. Great job on the production. I can certainly see what the appeal would be for people who might like this style of music. He has a very appealing voice and it's relaxing in a way. I just wouldn't ever pick to listen to this style. Fav tracks: N/A

Some amazing songs on here. Blue Skies is fantastic.

Did not one this album existed. I love these old American classic songs and Willie Nelson does a nice job covering them. Definitely a country twang feel and I prefer other artists singing these songs, but it was fine. Moonlight In Vermont was probably the best.

Good ol willie

first three is pretty but the others are boring

it’s a great album though it is only covers. That is what caps this for me.

Nicht so meine Musik, aber kann man anhören.

I have a lot of reverence both for Willie Nelson and the compositions on this record. And I do like this album, but it's not something I'm likely to listen to on a regular basis. There are multiple albums of his I know that I prefer, and multiple versions of most of these songs that I prefer. 3.5/5

That was a sweet listen actually. I don’t listen to much Willie Nelson but I imagine this is one of his slower albums. I dig. (3.5)

Not an awful album. Willie actually didn't do too badly on this collection of covers. Think I would've pick an album full of his original outlaw country selections if I was choosing a must listen album of Willie Nelson. Solid 3⭐

Wish I liked Willie more

Listened Before? No Interesting that a cover album made this list. Also, sweet Jesus this dude was prolific; this is his 22nd studio release! Through the first three, I can say that this has a supremely laid back vibe. Nice, but Georgia On My Mind belongs to Ray. All of Me is a nice one that gives more space to the guitar work -- fell like his voice is effortless, but effective. Cohesive album that made for a very calming listen indeed. I particularly enjoyed Unchained Melody and Don't Get Around Much Anymore. This isn't really something I'll be back for anytime soon, but if I ever need an inoffensive album of background noise this is a good place to start. For me this is a middling 3 / 5. Added to Library? No

I liked this album. Willie Nelson has a great voice. Calm, deep and soothing. I give it 3.5 stars and I would definitely listen to more of these songs on their own. Great songs to listen around a campfire

Well this is a beautiful album of covers so far. The guitar work on some songs is pretty great - definitely uplifts an already pleasant song. Started to lose momentum after while but still a great listen.

liked this WAY more than i was expecting :)

Nice and pretty easy listening versions of some classics. Good for relaxing or as a smooth background for some light conversation. This is hardly real country music, I believe, but Willie's voice is familiar and comfortable. I find it a bit baffling, that this is one of his most successful records and considered a classic.

Country, aber schöne bis sehr schöne Klassiker. Gut!

Slow jams, its a VIBE. Feels like a (mostly?) cover album, don't prefer his versions of the covers i recognize, but they're still enjoyable

I kind of expected more. I don’t know if it would have been as “good” if I didn’t know it was Willie Nelson.

Not nearly as enjoyable as his own stuff. I’d call this one for Willie superfans only.

Great album to play in background of a fancy party. Very easy listening. Nothing special though. I do think Willie's version were very good, just not something I would want to listen to on a regular basis. Did produce some "new" outlaw country after finishing listening.

No surprises with Willie Nelson; pretty much what I expected.

Not a country fan

Very slow and calming album, not too exciting

I enjoyed this and I wasn't sure that I would.

okish

Willie Nelson is a legend. That being said, this album didn’t resonate with me. Some wonderful renditions in what was clearly a passion project for Nelson, but others don’t quite hit the mark. Still, though, was worth the first listen for sure; however I probably will not revisit it.

I found this very listenable and like Nick, nice background country music. Some good covers and this was a nice take on some I didn't know he'd recorded. Decent 3.5/5

Listening to this was great, just some soft background country. I hope the Highwaymen appear on this, I never get round to actually listening to it myself and now I use this list as an excuse to keep holding off on new stuff too.

I've never really listened to Willie Nelson before but was pleasantly surprised by this. It helped that I was familiar with some of the songs. I like how some have been arranged.

Same monotonous tunes

I thought this was a good record and in the 'style' of 70's cover records, and I love the story of Willie sort of setting the mold for these 'old guy does crooner record' that came after. Ultimately the vocals were recorded with a lot of clipping that REALLY bothered me, and I found his vocal interpretation only 'ok' for most of these tracks. It's neat to hear Willie's very distinct voice on these, but ultimately none of them were a knock out for me. Georgia On My Mind was a nice take for sure, but I actually found Blue Skies and Unchained Melody to be a bit of a bummer.

Georgia On My Mind is a great track 3/5 overall

Sehr nettes Country Album - hat mir einen guten Start in den Tag bereitet, auch wenn nicht mein Heimat Genre...

Lekker naturel, beetje moe van de mondharmonica soms

Tikkie saai, maar wel lekker. 2,5 was beter geweest

Nice, pleasant listen, even if a couple songs were a little slow for my taste or just too on-the-nose country

Shit is beautiful!

Stardust - 7.5/10 Georgia On My Mind - 8/10 Blue Skies - 7.5/10 All of Me - 8/10 Unchained Melody - 8/10 September Song - 7.5/10 On The Sunny Side of The Street - 7.5/10 Moonlight in Vermont - 7.5/10 Don't Get Around Much Anymore - 7.5/10 Someone to Watch Over Me - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 76.5/100

Country

Ver

Netter Country… handwerklich gut gemacht.

Ultra Chill zzz Song aus Ghost

I love Willie but I had never listened to this album. Not really my style, just covers of older songs and kind of repetitive. His emotion is great but I like is country western/early country style.

Relaxing country music with some covers.

Who doesn't love a little Willie Nelson? Sadly it was all covers, so docked a star for not being his original work, which there's so much of! Honestly don't know how this 1001 list ever got made sometimes.

Solid album, I liked the feel of the album though I do not think I would listen to many of the songs individually.

Once again I wish everybody could sing like Willie

3 - I know it is standards and country, but it leaned farther into the standards than I expected it to, which is probably a good thing for me because country is boring. But yeah, this was more enjoyable than I expected. Some of these songs are done way better by other artists, which makes the covers boring, but oh well.

Started solid. Started to get a bit bland towards the end. Not a ton of variety within the album which I am a fan of. But it’s very soothing.

Very pleasant

Taken for what it is, this soporific, inoffensive and slightly downbeat collection of songs work best (as the cover art suggests) in the twilight hours. It is a bit MOR at times, but I won't hold that against the record, because that's pretty much the target audience.

Again, I struggle with the concept of "what is an album?", where I generally rule out a collection of cover songs. Despite that, if you're caught in a sentimental mood, this could be quite a nice album to listen to, (as I was today).

albums like these make me wish there were decimal ranks here, it's pretty squarely a 3.5 because sometimes it's really good and sometimes it's just ok. i'll give a 3 because it peaked early on (love the title track though). 3.5/5

Boven verwachting fijn met alle sneeuw buiten en een dekentje en thee binnen.

Nice, nothing particularly amazing or ground breaking, just nice.

Willie Nelson, el que salia en dos chalados y muchas curvas y en monk. Fuma maria

Música suave y relajante, un hilo musical para leer y estar tranquilo en casa

Disquín del putu chill.

I have read critics try to explain why this album where a reedy-voiced country singer known mostly for his songwriting covering old standards is so great and I think they all miss the mark. The reason it’s great is because maybe once in a generation an artist hits a patch where they could read the phone book and it would be amazing, and Willie was in exactly such a patch in the late 70’s. It’s not hard work or practice or dedication. It’s magic. Willie was fully connected to forces beyond human comprehension in this time period and so this album is great because he made it at this time, despite its content. This album is great because magic. But I don’t like old-timey songs, so three stars.

Feeling poorly, I almost missed writing this. When I saw this was a covers album, I was disappointed. What I’ve heard of Nelson has been either intriguing or great (Phases and Stages is a record I will return to one day); I wanted to hear his songs, not his versions of others. I enjoyed this more than I expected: the boundary between outlaw and whisky blur lounge singer suddenly seems tenuous.

Willie sings the classics. A lot of songwriters eventually do records like this. Great songwriters appreciate other great songwriters. An enjoyable laid back easy listen, nothing that jumps out at me as amazing but nothing that offends either.

I don't love Willie Nelson, but there is something kind of comfortable about his music. I'd love to listen to him after a long horse ride sitting by a campfire, drinking some whiskey. Gotta get into the element I think.

It's not what I expected. Pop culture hivemind led me astray again. Pretty collection of love songs.

I have a lot of respect and appreciation for Willie. I have a lot of respect and appreciation for the Great American Song book. Unfortunately I don’t much enjoy Willie singing the old standards. I didn’t hate it but it was just kind of underwhelming.

I was expecting a very C&W album - surprised that it was more just laid back, gentle melodies with an old school 'crooner' voice. Liked 'Blue skies', 'All of me' and 'Moonlight in Vermont'. A decent, listenable 3 out of 5

Sounds good Gentle

Willie is a national treasure. This album is a mood if you’re feeling mellow and chill. Beautiful vocals and guitar playing. It’s not really my thing but I do appreciate it and understand why it’s on this list.

Mellow and safe. Well produced covers of big songs by a big name. Nothing special but I guess by 1978 Willie had said just about everything he wanted to.

nice, too slow for a monday.

Okayish

Música de boomer

Definitely not the album I expected, based on hearing a couple of Nelson's songs before...it was a good listen, and I could appreciate the great blend of styles and lovely vocals, but not an album I want to listen to again. Just not my preference, so I'll give it a middle of the road rating.

Actually like this one in a weird way. Never thought that willie nelson sings pop would be compelling but here we are. A strong 3 stars.

лучший кантри, что тут был

relaxing and well-done but just not really my vibe

Don’t often listen to country but I can appreciate the sentiment behind this album. Unfortunately it’s just not for me!

Nice vibes

Didn't think I'd like this as much as I did

diferente do que imaginava, mais suave

Nice album to chill out with on the back patio and drink a beer.

3 Holy cow, this came out during what’s considered the height of Nelson’s career and yet he already had 21 studio albums behind him at this point. And considering this point was 45 years ago, I looked up how many albums the guy has total, and as of 2023, that would be 74 - and that’s solely original studio albums, not even counting compilations or live albums. So, shoutout to Willie for breaking the “lazy stoner” stereotype, dude’s been cranking these things out - or maybe he’s just still working to pay off the IRS. Anyway, I don’t feel like I have much to comment on this album in particular. I think it all sounds nice, Nelson’s vocals and guitar-work are soothing, though as someone not super familiar with a ton of his normal output, I’m not entirely sure how this compares. I did read he had previously established himself as an outlaw country artist, so his decision to write an album of pop covers was met with resistance from his record label. I respect his “screw you guys, I’m doing it anyway” energy, but once again, I don’t even really know the original versions of the songs he’s covering here besides Georgia on My Mind and Unchained Melody, so I can’t really comment on their translation either. Maybe that’s for the best, since it meant I was just able to enjoy the record without having to constantly compare it to someone else, though the two covers I did recognize felt like they each had an identity of their own with Nelson’s mellower takes here, so I don’t have any doubt he succeeded with each adaptation. To summarize, I’m incredibly musically ignorant regarding most everything surrounding this album, but it sounds nice. Solid 3 from me.

3/3 whistling willie

Liked this now

sweet it's giving movie soundtrack

I really liked this one, maybe more than any other country album so far. I was actually pretty close to giving it a 4, but I didn’t like one song enough for it.

I like big Willie

Pretty chill, love Nelson’s voice.

Smooth as usual. Was delighted by “Unchained Melody.”

Not bad but not hype music by any means. This is sloooooooow Willie

This album sounds really nice, the only thing is that they’re all covers. I can see myself returning to this tho, it’s definitely well-made.

gentle and chill

Nice - felt very calming, but maybe not my vibe. Looped thrice through the album without really picking out a standout song or two, but maybe I need to listen to the lyrics more

Sounds classic. Love the instrumental mixes so fit his vocals. Lot of classic musical tropes I’ve heard before, is this where they started?

Some pretty songs, some dull songs. Better than the previous Willie album I rated.

Not a bad album but just not what I would want to hear when I pick up a Willie Nelson album

Covers anger me, so instant points lost. This list is so contradictory sometimes, promoting artists solely because they are singer-songwriters (often not noteworthy) and then giving us albums of just straight covers because they are somehow equally significant? Ok I'll be real, I will come back to the album at some point due to the calming sound, and they were solid covers, but I can't give him too much credit for redoing a bunch of songs everyone already knew.

B- Stardust - 3 Georgia On My Mind - 3 Blue Skies - 4 All of Me - 4 Unchained Melody - 3 September Song - 3 On the Sunny Side of the Street - 3 Moonlight In Vermont - 2 Don’t Get Around Much Anymore - 3 Someone to Watch Over Me - 3

willie has a solid voice and the instrumentation is pretty good but it feels lacklustre because it’s a willie album full of covers.

Some of these covers are super vanilla and reveal the Caucasian nature of Willie Nelson. As long as there wasn’t a soul cover that is much better, I liked the song.

Versões poderosas que ele foi capaz de fazer, além de criar uma atmosfera envolvente sem buscar elementos da fama relacionados com o country

Lyrically interesting but musically not much. Like really nice campfire tunes

A light and beautiful album filled with great songs, his voice, the instruments bring you the vision of a calm night under the stars, a cool air blows over the nap of your neck. and everything is fine in the world.

Classic Willie

I’m always weary when I get some old country album but Willie is usually pretty good. I enjoyed his version of unbridled love(?).

Liked it at the beginning than gradually started liking it less

American Recordings alpha-0.0.1

I mean, it was nice but that’s all I can muster with it. One of my colleagues did mention that I was listening to some dogshit today so it obviously doesn’t tickle everyone.

Wow, Willie Nelson can SING! And I would barely call this album country, since it strayed so far from the typical of the genre. I definitely enjoyed it.

Masterful covers of beloved tracks. Can't rate too highly as unoriginal works, but skilfully played and produced regardless. Highlight was All of Me.

This is ok. I'm not a huge fan of how slow and ballad-like these songs are, but the musicality of it all is good. A 3/5

ei sovi englanniksi näitä...liian kaunista tuollaselle kielelle..olisi syntynyt suomeen willie... vili olisi nimi oi mikä potentiaalii....kankkulan kaivoon 2tähtöstä, stars turned to dust heh, heitetty.. ugly ass language....talking to you anglomaniacs.... 36 minuuttia pirahtaa äkkiä ohi tätä kuunnellessa silti all of me

It's 2023 all year, so it's Willie Nelson's 90th birthday all year. Crazy to think that Willie Nelson's 22nd studio album was one of the ones that really propelled him into the mainstream. Cool story about Booker T. Jones producing and arranging the album after meeting on a jog in Malibu. It's hard to hate classics like these, especially coming from Willie Nelson reflecting on his own influences.

A warm hug

Good for falling asleep with

10 Pop Standards Departure from country/folk sound of Nelson prior Worked with Booker T Jones on Moonlight in Vermont

Wholesome but not amazing.

Somewhat of a hit and miss. Georgia On My Mind is fantastic but I didn't care for Willie's version of Unchained Melody. Everything else is OK. Have respect for this forever outlaw for making this record against the record company's wishes.

bit cool, not my cup of tea

This was fine but not really my cup of tea.

It was ok. Lots of covers? Good for background music at work I guess.

Good songs, good voice!

Relaxing to listen to. Nothing over the top but a good voice.

Ok so Willie goes back to American standards and reinterprets them in the smoothest manner possible. The arrangements are lush and the whole thing feels wholehearted, obviously nothing is groundbreaking here but as a cozy album of countryfied standards it works well.

Stands for a really great feelgood album. Just not my kind of feelgood. Well executed nonetheless.

Hey, that was a pretty good country album. Nothing really distinctive, but I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. It was peaceful, soothing and wonderfully interpreted by the legendary Willie Nelson.

Se laissait écouter, du petit country très mélodique et relax. Ça faisait beaucoup plus soft pop que le outlaw country que je m'attendais de WIllie Nelson. Mais ça reste un album de reprise donc un peu décevant de voir ce genre d'album dans un palmarès comme ça, d'autant plus que je suis sûr que d'autres albums de Nelson seraient plus représentatifs de son impact sur la scène musicale. 6/10

Cantautor americano con estilo algo country. Buenas canciones, voz profunda y un tanto melancólica. Escuchable en ciertos momentos.

Hyvää hidastempoista countryä. September Song oli kova

Stardust is the 22nd album by Willie Nelson, and interestingly it consists entirely of traditional pop songs he favored before adding his country flair during recording. This album was critically and commercially successful at release; topping or performing well on charts around the world, winning Willie a Grammy (1979 Best Male Country Vocal), being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015, and being certified 5x platinum in 1988. Funnily, Columbia - his record company - did not like anything Willie Nelson was doing for this album and thought it would flop so they ordered less than usual pressings of the record. In fact, the album sold so well that within a week Columbia already ordered more record pressings. This was a beautiful album by Willie that showcases his musical prowess and vocal skills by being able to transform these classic pop songs into something sounding brand new - even with a stripped down production. Sweet and simple, this is a classic American album featuring pop standards sung by the talented Willie Nelson.

A collection of classic crooner covers. 3/5

It's a nice record of Willie Nelson doing some old classics. He does them well enough and even stretches his genre boundaries a lot here. Still, doesn't really wow me. Favorite tracks: "All Of Me", "Someone To Watch Over Me"

A much more listenable country album than previous albums. He's got a great singing voice, but it's still country (or "swamp-rock") and therefore I'm still somewhat ambivalent about it.

Chilled out country covers of well known standards. Easy like a Sunday morning. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: September Song Date listened: 26/03/23

A lovely collection of some of Willies favorite songs growing up all covered by the man himself. His classic voice suits each choice well and if you didn’t know he didn’t write it you’d never know he never wrote it.

Solid

For some reason I feel bad giving this less than a 3, but I also feel like that’s too generous. I mean, all my life I’ve heard about Willie Nelson and he’s such this icon and pot and yada yada yada. But seriously this dude’s most famous album is one filled with standards. Are you fucking kidding me. His outlaw country output must not have been notable enough. OR was this such a CRAZY 180 at the time that wow who would’ve thought this guy would’ve done this. Maybe I could convince myself, this album is then just a mindfuck. Touché Willie. It’s a 3.

And why not go against type. An imaginative set of covers with some fine arrangements. As a collection it doesn't do it for me but there are a couple that are very good.

Willie is great, but not so well suited for singing jazz classics. I'd really have to be in the perfect mood to sit through this one. I'm not sure I'd consider this terribly influential, either.

This is a classic from Willie Nelson. It's always a treat to artists perform music that is "outside" of their typical genre. Similarly to how Ray Charles performed Country Western music, Willie Nelson performing 1920's-40s jazz standards is quite a bit out of his normal zone. Modern listeners may not understand the fairly strong barriers between genres from the 20th century and Willie breaking that mold is actually one of the things that makes this album unique and standout. At the same time, this is not the most interesting album for modern ears and so many artists like Rod Stewart have done the same thing since this. While this is an excellent album, it is worth noting that in the grand scheme of this 1001 album project, it is very "mid" which grants it my 3-star review.

Very pleasant, but capped at 3 for being all covers.

Really gorgeous voice, love Willie Nelson and his music!! So stunning the guitar work the gravel in his voice it's all very soothing and magical. While this is a great selection of tracks he covered and I'm glad I was introduced to it, mostly I'd rather listen to the originals. The production is great so it makes sense when you realise it was Booker T :-)

Well I thought this was quite charming. Some nice covers and sentimental songs. But it didn't really quite get me, I was open to it but I didn't love this like I was hoping to. Not sure why can't really put my finger on it

Oh this was quite nice

hopefully chill. i like his voice i think. er... wait. oof. Nah just my internalized anti willie nelson. 3 stars solidly. great cover of unchained melody, ok everything else

Willie doing jazz….sure. Not bad.

Willie always complies when it comes About good soulful records. I would think there would be 1001 no covers albums but we’ll I don’t oppose its inclusion on the liat either

Сhilllllllllll

There’s something undeniably cozy about listening to this on the ride home from work, but it’s probably too 70’s-easy listening for my taste. “Blue Eyes Crying” started playing after the album ended, and now I feel I didn’t give *that* Willie Nelson album enough love. HL: “Blue Skies”, “Unchained Melody”, “Moonlight in Vermont” January 7, 2023

Cool

His soft edge on these sorrowful songs I think will sharpen with age, his Unchained Melody rendition is moving.

Mellow and melodic, but I struggle with Willie's voice. It's just that shaky old-but-not-actually-old-at-the-time-of-recording little lost lamb voice. I enjoy his jazzy guitar leads, but not enough to push this past a 3.

This surprised me, having never listened to a Willie album. Really good listen. 3 T3B 1. All of Me 2. Blue Skies 3.

It’s a mildly enjoyable album. A few standouts but for the most part it’s tough to find much memorable about it. I do enjoy the richness of Willie’s voice, and the lyrics are also really peaceful. 5/10

Solid but not sure what it really brings to the table. Willie has a great voice but I'd like to get more from him.

Love his voice, could use a better musical track

I like his music but this is a bit out there.

3/10, 30%

Some beautiful tracks on this record, but (and not knowing its history) it really feels like a cashout album. By this I mean, at the height of someone's popularity they put a record out that is more about them performing some songs to sell records. A quick win. Less substantive than an album whose total experience is some kind of artistic accomplishment. Willie Nelson has had those in his long career, I'm sure. But Stardust is not one of them. It's a good listen. Easy on the ears and charming. On occasion it delivers real feels, but it also feels forgettable as an album even if some of the tracks are quite memorable e.g. Stardust and Georgia on My Mind.

Not a country fan but it's Willie. Worth a listen but his originals are probably more deserving of a place on this list.

Its nice, 3

favourite song: on the sunny side of the street least favourite song: september song not bad but i dont think im the target audience

I generally speaking hate albums of pop covers. But this is Willie and he gets a little leeway.

Very pleasant, gently sung and played. Not exactly ground breaking and i'd always choose other more classic versions of these standards, but completely inoffensive.

This is more or less a default rating. An album full of sweet slow dance songs. Very much not my genre. This didn't convince me and I didn't find it particularly compelling to try and analyze. Was all quite same-y.

If I hear blue skies one more time I will lose it, apart from that pretty good

This is not what I expected. The album really doesn’t sound like country music at all. It has kind a dreamy, jazzy quality, enhanced by the use of orchestral instruments, drum brushes, and jazz changes. The sound is also much fuller than I had expected. Nelson’s voice is pleasant even if his range is a little limited, and for the songs he performs it works well. I came in expecting Waylon Jennings but this honestly has more in common with Elton John. The album overall is a little light and a little slow but an enjoyable listen.

Suena bien, pero no my cup of tea. 3-

Nice and peaceful, good album of covers and especially enjoyed his version of Unchained Melody.

A bit too slow and chill for my taste, but otherwise good.

Beautiful lyrics, but too slow for me

Wow do I like country!?

Good for Sunday morning but don't need to listen to again

Enjoyable to listen to, I really liked Blue Skies

Slow

Pleasant melodies, drenched in melancholy. Sad boy vibes that remind me of Nick Drake/Elliott Smith. I also really like the album cover, it's very soothing to look at and fits the mood of the album well. Not something I'd willingly listen to again all the way through, though may check out a couple songs again.

didn't think i'd like willie nelson but very pleasant so far

It is impossible not to give five stars for a album like this.

Willie Nelson has one of the most unique voices in Country Music. I thought this dialed back production of these American Standards suited Willie's voice well. That being said, I was not crazy about these renditions.

he has a soothing way about him, nothing particularly incredible but just interesting and calming to listen to.

There's something about Willie Nelson's voice that just makes me happy. Corny as hell but there it is. Not a country fan per se, but this sort of old/raw style suits me just fine. I think there are better Willie Nelson albums - this one being an album of cover tunes from his childhood which was about 371 years ago - but there's such a relaxing feel to this that it's just simple enjoyment...and the album cover suits the material perfectly. Makes you feel like sitting on a back porch at night with some Willie Nelson and just staring at the sky. 6/10 3 stars.

Interesting and unexpected album. Willie Nelson takes these standards and makes them his own in every way. I had never realised some of these were cover versions.

Fifth album I own on vinyl, and one of only 2 Willie Nelson records on this list. Personally I think that Phases and Stages should have been included at minimum, and other candidates could be Shotgun Willie, Willie and the Family Live, or even Waylon and Willie. But anywho, I do love this record, but the more I listen to it, I notice that Side 2 tends to meander. I don’t care as much for those songs. But this is nevertheless a really good LP. 3.75 stars

A typical Willie Nelson album. Melodic and straight down the middle vocals and lyrics.

Nemam ništa protiv toga da bude svrstano kao albumi ovdje, ali tako album koji je cover različitih pjesama mi nije to, to. Okej, fora je to, razumijem, al ono...To je druga priča. Iako mi se jako sviđa album cover.

Waaaayy too sleepy for my taste. But Willie is great and I like Georgia on My Mind.

interesting to see such a successful album of only covers. Definitely thought some of these were Willie's. A few standouts, the rest feels mostly novelty. Great arrangements and worth the list for the story of it's creation and success I'd say.

When the morning is full of small moments, a few rays are pushing past the curtains to the hardwood floor, and your partner comes up behind you with a kiss on the back of your neck, then this album should start automatically--so you can two-step together across the kitchen, past the pantry, and into the remembrance of the library of little moments that you share. The dance will end in a chuckle at how silly but dreamy it was to be absorbed into that moment.

Some classic Willie renditions of even more classic songs. In the end, if I'm listening to Willie I'll take the outlaw cowboy stuff over pop covers. But it was ok.

Love me some Willie - but prefer other albums to this

Bra men inte särskilt greppande.

I'm a big swing-era jazz fan so I'm very familiar with many of these songs. This was a very interesting experiment. I think it worked sometimes and other times didn't. Can't stay I particularly enjoyed the country aesthetic to these jazz songs, but I applaud the effort.

Another hotel bar restaurant, but a bit more lush, with a grand piano and plenty of plants. Fave: Blue Skies

The sound of night car trips throughout my childhood. Delightful.

I've not listened to Willie before and I'm not sure a cover album is the best starting point to be honest. Sure, he's a good singerss but so are plenty of people and the performances aren't absolutely out of this world. Without any original material to elevate it, the album can't really rise above "decent".

Willie Nelson does a good job performing these old fun standards. Favourites: "Stardust", "Blue Skies", "On the Sunny Side of the Street"

3.5/5 Willie Nelson is always good. All new songs for me, but I like the way he tells a story with his guitar as background music. Favourite songs: - Blue skies - All of me

So I thought Willie Nelson was country. But he's like Tom Waits light. It's all a bit weird innit and then suddenly it turns into an advert for a payday loan with the whistley happy song. Think I would possibly like it if I tanned the album. Sounds like it's probably a grower (that's what she said).

Best Song: Unchained Melody. Given that most versions of this song are intentionally and forcefully oversung, I enjoyed this more mellow rendition. Worst Song: Blue Skies. Too much reliance on the piano, and I wasn't a fan of the chorus. Overall: Sometimes the title and cover of an album sets an expectation of how the album will sound. Here, I expected an acoustic album, one you might expect to hear alongside a campfire under the stars. For that reason (and therefore perhaps unfairly), I was disappointed by the electric instrumentation on much of the album. I think the album would have been better if it were allowed to be more sparse so as not to draw away from Willie's often meek and subdued vocal delivery.

I didn’t listen to the whole album but I enjoyed what I heard much more than I thought I would. A solid 3*

Enjoyed it. Blue Skies was a treat.

Пара песен близки к тому, что можно назвать приятной классикой.

Georgia “From dust we came and to dust we will return” Farm, give someone an acoustic guitar, ask for a song, maybe it plays. Have a rest on a beach, wrap some sand, hear the waves, away from the desert. C

Willie is another name for penis

Felt like a Toy Story soundtrack. Great tamber to his voice. Favorite songs - All of Me, Georgia on my mind (Remix)

Soothing album, but not likely something I’ll personally come back to. His version of Unchained Melody is better than the righteous brothers imo. And I really dig All Of Me. Sounds like some Toy Story/Up track. Big Pixar vibes from that one

This was such a pleasant, enjoyable album. I like it a lot for what I call "campfire songs". :)

At the time, this album was likely seen as a risk; Willie already had a very successful, very deep country career, and this project was truly a departure from all of that. Willie found a way to take every song on this album, make them his own, and make them work for him. He did this without compromising his status as an outlaw country icon and without dishonoring the sweet spirit of the original versions. Willie's voice is so easy to listen to, and in covering some of these classics, he proved the easy listening quality of his voice can stand among the best of them.

Very mellow - would have enjoyed more if I had time to sink into the couch with some rolled up Willie. Fav Tracks: "Georgia On My Mind"

Dit album geeft me het gevoel van een late zaterdagavond, of meer zondagochtend, onderweg naar huis, verlangend naar mijn bed, terwijl je eigenlijk behoefte hebt aan wat stevigere muziek om wakker te blijven. Zang en composities zijn verder prima. ***

Gut, aber auch langweilig.

Love Willie and have for years, just not this Willie.Put me too sleep…He’s so much better

Overall, pretty great, lovely and thoughtful and highly respectful (and thus somewhat predictable) interpretation. A little monotonous in tone as the album goes on. I don't recall if this was one of the records Willie had to pump out because of his tax issues or how different or surprising this would have seemed for Willie fans at the time.

enjoyed the nostalgia

Easy listening standards performed by an icon in outlaw country. It was nothing to change my life, but I can't fault the execution. I knew of most of these songs without really knowing them, so I can't comment on how Nelson has/hasn't re-imagined them. But I can say I'm a big fan of Nelson's vocals throughout: simple and unadorned, but often gliding into a smooth croon that seems to perfectly suit the material. He seems to get to the "truth" of every song on here, emphasising the lyrics at their heart. Instrumentation is very pretty, particularly the harmonica at times- corny as it may be, it added some lovely melodic touches. "Georgia On My Mind", "All Of Me" and "Unchained Melody" are my highlights and the ones I'll be most likely to revisit. There's a yearning quality in the latter that Nelson achieves through his delicate phrasing and delivery. It was hardly an exciting listen, but none of it offended me, so I'm going to stick it bang-slap in the middle of the road.

Kaunis ja pehmeä, miellyttävää nuotiomusiikkia. Genre ei vaan täysin nappaa. Voisin kuunnella uudestaan.

Interesting to hear an album of just covers. Definitely makes me want to hear more by him, and some of his original stuff.

Not my jam but can appreciate what willy can do. Relaxing album

Listened before? N Willie Nelson's 1978 Cover Album. This one was pretty good, but different for Willie. Pros: It's Willie Nelson! His voice was at it's peak here, and I believe he even won a Grammy for Georgia on My Mind. Good stuff. Cons: It's 100% slow songs. It's all covers, although, well-known ones. Not really the style I expect from Willie Nelson. I prefer his country stuff. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Georgia on My Mind

I had never actually listened to Willie Nelson before this, and I did not expect this. Very beautiful and well put together album.

i like covers in general. i do not like that saccharine sweet smarmy thing that happened in the 70s. i have no real opinion on willie's music. but...i also have a super soft spot for jimmy druante - and even though september song isn't his, he's how i came to know it. and willie's version is pretty alright, gotta say. but...i also kinda hate what he did with moonlight in vermont. so there's that.