Stardust

You know what? It’s raining outside, I’m stuck at my desk, and slow Willie is the perfect tonic. Beautifully crafted songs, poetic lyrics and melodies that suit it perfectly. What’s not to like?

a little touch of schmelson in the night

Amo la voz

Gjesp.

Just magnificent. I love Willie Nelson. Always have. He's been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I think I associated him with the cowboy stories my dad would tell me growing up in Ephraim. In the mind of a 10 year old, Willie Nelson may as well had been one of my Grandpa's friends. I think what I didn't know as a kid is how fluid Willie is between genres. Is this a jazz album? Could Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday have sang all of these songs? Maybe. Its smooth, its soulful and longing. The covers are cutting and great, the original are perfect. Willie's kind and inviting voice is what grounds the whole album and makes it dynamic, but its the harmonica and Spanish guitar in each song that makes it uniquely Willie. He's an American classic.

Inte vad jag förväntat mig, men fint!

Love it

Very tender, very sentimental, but quietly enjoyable. I like his voice, the production, the songs. 4 out of 5

Not what I think of when I think of his music but not bad

Feels weird to go so low because I do love that wynton marsalis collaboration, but BLEUGH

Eh

Probably one of the best albums ever recorded.

A popular type of audio recording, arguably across at least all Western nations, is one in which a seasoned "great artist", typically a man, performs covers of the most renowned and/or overplayed songs within his linguistic region. Stardust is a perfectly pleasant album, though.

listened to a few songs - was nice!

Legit dont remember anything oops

Chill country renditions of some recognizable pop standards - kind of a different side of him but it's very pleasant. My favorites here are "Blue Skies" and "Unchained Melody." As Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert sang earlier this year, "What asshole doesn't like Willie?"

It's solid, but I'm not quite sure why it's on here? It's mostly good but unexceptional covers

アメリカのもともと超有名な曲をこの人が歌ったらこうなるよっていうアルバムらしい。 全体的にほんのり暗いなと思っていたけど、もともと明るめのカントリーの曲だから、暗めにしても雰囲気があると言うか、カッコよくなんのはすごいんじゃないかと思う。知らんけど マジで普通かもそれ含め

Неплохо, но и не сказать, что отлично. В основном это необязательный набор каверов, который лучше всего подходит для тихого вечера со стаканом вина у камина.

A pleasant enough listen

Nice to have a different sound than outlaw country but I did panic a bit when I saw this pop up on my daily after having lost Dolly recently.

This album was enjoyable and well curated, but the songs I recognized were not improvements on the originals. This album is neither the most memorable recordings by Nelson nor the songs he performed.

I like Willie Nelson because at a certain point in the early 70s he started recording whatever the hell he wanted to record. This a a good example of it working well (listen to the album “Angel Eyes” for an example of it working poorly) Crooner Willie is almost as good as Country Willie. September Song is so beautifully done. Stardust, Blue Skies, Moonlight in Vermont are all examples of Crooner Willie’s excellence. The addition of Mickey Raphael (for it wouldn’t be a Willie album without him) shows you can never really take the country out of this crooner.

Idk, none of it is bad, but it's just covers and none of them are better than either the original or a different cover I've heard

1978. 22nd studio album. Its ten songs consist entirely of American pop standards (term that signifies a golden era of American songwriting and a universal musical language that permanently shaped global popular culture) that Nelson picked from among his favorites. This made it controversial because the industry wanted him to keep making "Outlaw Country" music. They were skeptical over doing old songs.

В целом неплохо, но не более. Очень приятно слушать когда некуда спешить. Blue Skies и September Song

Бля не к тому альбому позапрошлый отзыв написал.... Вот тут я фанат кантри. А Holy bible был жоский

OK there is some beautiful songwriting on this, but it's a boring album overall. It's not bad, it's just really not for me.

After reading up on this album, I appreciate Willie going away from the country during that time, but this album just doesn't do a lot for me. 3/5

Might use this album to help me sleep, and I mean that in the best way possible. Just nice, relaxing and pretty unassuming for 35 mins; could totally imagine hearing Georgia On My Mind or September Song in some dimly lit chill bar late at night. Probably better for background listening cause there isn’t a great deal of variety here but I guess there doesn’t need to be

“Leave your worries for awhile, they will still be there when you get back, and your memories aren't invited.” The Master (2012)

I prefer the outlaw cowboy , but this is fantastic.

Comfy

мило но скучнямба

6/10

When this album dropped in I initially thought "oh shit, not Willie Nelson too.". Thankfully he's still around. Great album of Willie's interpretation of classics. His relaxing voice, the slow pace, the harmonica. All contribute to this being a great album.

Slow, Sunday morning jams.

Kinda nice. Maybe not something I will jump to put on again soon.

A slow, sentimental dream like start. There seems to be a moment where it almost sounds like stairway to heaven, a nice little nod considering this is about the stars. Georgia is equally a chilled sentimental song, with WN's voice and sorrowful temperament. Blue skies continues with what is starting to feel like a various collection of covers.

classic album of covers

Why does this remind me of Toy Story.

i really love calm music, it makes me relax and stay in my head without thinking

not my thing

Fine, but not particularly exciting.

This is pretty tough not to like at least a little, but it bums me out that the first Willie Nelson that pops up for me is a cover album. Even still, this was an enjoyable listen. 7.5/10

Not a fan of country. Decent album though

It was okay

5/10

1. ztar - 2 2. mind - 2 3. zkiez - 1 4. all - 2 5. melody - 1 6. zong - 2 7. zunny - 1 8. vermont - 1 9. around - 1 10. uuatch - 2

4.4/5 "Stardust" 7 good slower ballad style song. "Georgia on My Mind" 6 good but almost too slow for me "Blue Skies" 6.5 glad for a little more tempo on this one, a little more jazzy. "All of Me" 8 this one is great, I like the organ in the background. "Unchained Melody" 8.5 "September Song" 6.5 "On the Sunny Side of the Street" 7 kinda strange hearing willie jazz "Moonlight in Vermont" 8 "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" 7 snazzy "Someone to Watch Over Me 6.5 good but feels almost too slow to be a good closer for this album.

It was fine. Classic Willie.

Another case where there's talent behind this album but I just can't get with the super minimalistic showtune covers. I'm sure this is a great album if you like that sort of thing, but for me it wore pretty thin for an entire album.

2nd album from the great Willie Nelson on this list for me. Still enjoyable and still good, however this has quite a few covers and less of a original material, so not sure if this is as good as the one I got before. Despite all of that I can see this reaching 4 stars, def 3.5 on RYM

As much as I thought country music is not for me, this actually made for a quite chill cataloguing soundtrack today. And his version of Unchained Melody is WAY more listenable than Elvis Presley's.

*Recognizable songs but Nelson's vocals don't always add too much to the songs.

9/10 = another scrumptious yummy album for me i dont care for anyone (cough) shading country because they have yet to open their heart to the whimsical joy of this specific type of country, perfecttttt guitar and slides and his voice goes so good on top of it, will be so good in winter, cover album so i dont know how they compare to the originals, i do nawttt understand the country hate at all if i heard these songs in a tv show or film i'd look them up straight away after, i bet this would sound flames on vinyl

This was pretty great. Very cool, easy listening...but after the 6th or 7th song I was ready for it to be over with. Good takes on already established songs.

bored

It's a nicely done cover album. Willie has never been an exceptionally talented vocalist, but always seems to meet the moment. Overall it was good. 3.5/5 Might listen again

I don't want to be disrespectful but I felt like I was on a cruise ship

I usually prefer my standards sung by someone like Fitzgerald over lush orchestrations, but I gotta say these stripped down guitar-driven versions with the earnest voice of Nelson really is quite lovely.

Maybe not my favourite Willie, but nice execution and pleasant mellow vibe

Nice chill covers album from Willie.

Nothing that makes me feel like I just witnessed a monumental piece of music but man it was one of the most peaceful and soothing albums I have ever heard. The Great Great American Songbook has some of the most beautiful songs ever written in its arsenal and Willie Nelson made some great picks out of that. Great choice whenever you need a little peace in your day. 3,5/5

4.5

Always had a soft spot for Willie and this is a great example of him at his best. 8/10 Top song... All of me

Smooooooth.

I'm glad that these standards inspired Willie to get into music, and that this album was so amazingly received. Apparently, I was NOT the audience for this, because I find the old pop standards uninteresting, and was pretty bored with the whole thing. Listening to this actually made me go back and listen to Red Headed Stranger, just to make sure I wasn't being too harsh on this. Yep, that one is great; this one's a yawner.

Dull enough to be good background music.

some nice relaxing old style contry. thanks willie

Moved the needle on my opinion to country, I consider that a pretty good achievement. PF: All of Me

Tender, sensitive, sensual, delicate.

Kenne Willie Nelson eigentlich eher von seinen Country-Sachen. Daher war ich schon überrascht, dass die Platte eher in die Folk-Richtung mit Jazz-Elementen geht. Macht natürlich Sinn, wenn man bedenkt, dass hier nur Songs des Great American Songbooks gecovert werden, dir mir aber abgesehen von "Georgia" und "Unchained Melody" alle bislang unbekannt waren. Gerade die beiden haben wir in der Willie Nelson-Version besonders gefallen, obwohl gerade "Georgia" mit der überlebensgroßen Ray Charles-Version eine herausfordernde Konkurrenz hat. "Blue Skies" und ein paar weitere Songs fand ich auch noch ganz gut, ansonsten dümpelt die Platte so etwas vor sich hin. Willie Nelson hat für mich keine besonders herausragende bzw. markante Stimme, ich mochte aber die Produktion und vor allem die Parts mit Mundharmonika, die sich schön eingefügt haben. Wenn man die Songs aus dem Effeff kennt, dann hat die Platte vermutlich einen größeren Impact.

Das hat meinen Morgen wirklich sehr bereichert.

A cover album that makes you feel covered - pure comfort, an unprecedented level of sweetness, and nothing you'd expect when you think of Willie Nelson It's a lovely night to look out at the stars

who chose these bro.

Moody, atmospheric, and pleasant. The music threatens to veer into the unassuming but it manages the careful balancing act between ambience and class.

This album feel so homey.

Gorgeous renditions of great songs.

It's a bit crooner but not too bad. Very chilled.

Masterclass of easy listening defined as an album.

Not a fan of this kind of music.

I expected this to be sort of brilliant; interesting interpretations of standards. Instead, it mostly sounded like basic, countrified covers to my ear. It was more enjoyable than a lot of forgettable albums I’ve given three stars, but not as good as I was hoping for. I guess that makes it 3.5, rounded up to four, but I’m a little disappointed it didn’t quite make four stars on the merits.

Me sentía en el bosque viendo el cielo despejado y estrellado. Una sensación cálida.

*1978. *Willie covering old songs from primarily the 1920s/1930s shouldn't work, but of course it does. *Georgia on My Mind, Blue Skies, All of Me, and Unchained Melody are the big hits, but the whole album is solid. *Loved learning from several people's comments that the record label wasn't into Willie deviating from outlaw country, but of course the album was a hit. RATING - 7.5/10

I think this record goes down so smooth, so immediately familiar, that it could possibly be taken for granted. Ok, I mean...obviously not as it is multi-platinum and critically acclaimed but I had the thought at first 'Maybe there isn't a lot here?' But it takes some serious stones to follow up your outlaw country hits with a record covering American standards. I think the arrangements feel both lived in and yet hand crafted, and Willie's signature vocal and guitar phrasing shine.

This was a surprise for me! I was going into it thinking it would sound dated or hokey (Willie Nelson's voice is hit-or-miss for me usually, while most singers make The Great American Songbook sound boring), but it's beautifully timeless instead. Listening to it in full made me realize I've slept on Willie Nelson's work for too long that I even went ahead and started listening to his other albums right after this one (esp. *The Red Headed Stranger*). Favorite tracks from this album included "Blue Skies," "All of Me," "September Song," and "Moonlight in Vermont." Only thing close to a dud (and it wasn't really) was "On the Sunny Side of the Street" since it sounds a little dated, but it also sounds like it's from the 80s instead of the 70s so... Impressive album I wouldn't have listened to if it hadn't popped up in my list but so glad I put my bias aside and checked it out, since it's a new favorite. (5/5)

Music to fall asleep to

I appreciate Willie Nelson the man far more than I’ll ever love most of his music. Slower country isn’t really for me, but this is still pleasant.

I've never listened to Willie Nelson before. Not as country or western as I feared. Just some nice understated songs. Mostly standards maybe? Nice.

I liked every song, he has a great voice

I'm not a fan of Willie. He's not a bad singer by any means, just nothing I find interesting about it, pretty boring.

It’s beautiful album , nothing special in there in terms of standouts for him

Actually so gorgeous

I have an ex who was a terrible alcoholic, and her love of this album is my fondest memory of her — R.I.P. Megan

I would listen to this just because it’s Willie.

I know these are covers but Willie makes them his own. They're actually all the best versions of these songs.

Love Willie the person is awesome! The music for me is eh

Lounge Lizard Willie. Not bad.

Okay but unnecessary.

Quite enjoyed it.

Very nice to hear Willie’s voice but I still wish it were original material.

I wouldn't say that Willie is always my cup of tea, but there's no denying his talent. I liked Blue Skies and his renditions of Georgia On My Mind and Unchained Melody.

Ol Willie, what a don, the king of soft emotional country. Great voice and lovely songs, a quite reflective album. He is one of the GOATs for sure. 3.5/5.0 Best Song: Georgia on my mind

A lot of boring tunes at the start of the album unfortunately, but the second half of the album is absolutely lovely and i think that is my new favourite version of unchained melody

Meh

(5.7) Best songs: Georgia on my mind, All of me

Kinda had Pixar movie soundtrack energy. Don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing, but it’s not exactly a good thing either

So this is pretty much the same as Rod Stewart sings the great American song book a couple decades before Rod did it? The songs for pleasant to listen to and I always appreciate Willie's guitar.

Makes me happy that I have a vinyl copy tucked away on a shelf back there. There's a secret hidden somewhere in Willie Nelson that explains what makes Americans unique and impossible to ever fully replicate.

Best Track - "Unchained Melody"

1.75 - maybe i wasn’t in the mood…

me hace sentir en una romcom. romzantizar la vida se vuelve fácil con blue skies tbh. las melodías son completamente majestuosas, me dan ganas de irme a francia a tocar algún instrumento en la calle como único ingreso. estoy en el colectivo mientras escribo esto y escucho el álbum flashendome una vida con el chabon en el asiento de en frente. recomiendo si sentis que tu vida es una mierda y te pones mitski a las 9am (me proyecté)

I love Willie Nelson's voice and have many of his albums but just can't enjoy this one. It's just a bit too cheesy. Sunny Side of the Street is nice, though.

Easy listening album

Once again it doesn't feel great to rate Willie this low, but it was just a slow and unengaging album.

I did not expect to like this. Willie is categorized in my brain as cheesy shlock country pop. But I got to say, my foot was tapping and I was smiling more and more as this kept playing. By the time All of Me came on, I was full on engaged. A lot of the guitar work reminded me of Chet Atkins or David Bromberg. Now my question is had Sinead O'Connor known about this album when she created Am I Not Your Girl?, which has the same premise of cover tunes of the classic songs she heard in her home as a child. Another album which introduced a new generation to classics while bringing a new older audience to her fanbase.

I love Willie but I'd rather hear him do his own songs than all these covers

This one is like my weighted blanket. Its pressure against my body creates a calming state where my nervous system can relax. It’s safe. Grounding.

It's just what you do but when you do it...and how you do it. This album may feel like a cash register CD offering from Starbucks in the early aughts but it is instead from an era before the Seattlites sold brewed coffee. Not much sounded like this in the 70s but a lot sounded like it in the decades to come. It's definitely from another era but what era is not exactly clear. And that is the genius. It exists outside of space and time. And goes down easy. Not particularly glum or cheerful. Nothing calls attention to itself. No grand revelations. Just a collection of songs that are in no hurry to get anywhere in particular - perfectly unfussed. Just music, made and played by a handful of humans hanging out in in a living room playing some old tunes.

Stars for execution and boldness. Leave it to Willie to take songs I don't necessarily care about into something I can get behind.

very sweet

A nice laid back, relaxing album of covers. Only problem is it might be a little too relaxed, playing all these different songs in one style lacks a little variety. Still, I enjoyed it overall. Would happily listen to again. 3.5* rounded down to 3*

I made a mistake listening to this just before noon. This is only for the pre-dawn hours or pitch-black nocturnal reflections, no other time. Soft to the point of lulling me to sleep, and I'm not quite sure if that's a compliment or not. Does great work for relaxation, though.

A very lovely cover album

low energy funky blues click and sway, brings subtle joy to your mood end of summer sipping a cocktail in a plaza

I didn’t listen much. Not my thing

Very chill and an easy listen. 3.6

this is one of those albums that before i started i didn’t think i would like but it’s honestly beautiful and im only halfway through. this is kind of jazzy with the piano

1. 4 2. 4.5 3. 4.5 4. 3.5 5. 5 1. 3 2. 4 3. 3 4. 2.5 5. 3.5

Thank you for giving me a list of songs that I should just listen to the original sing

Willie. This shotgun Willie and red-headed stranger. Three totally different albums. But they show the breadth. All essential. Willie Fucking Nelson. 500 stars.

Brought a tear to my eye listening to it for the first time in a long while. In 73 he gave us a hint with the way he performed Fred Roses' Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain on Red Headed Stranger, it was a portend of things to come. The aching beauty of these tracks, September Song, Moonlight in Vermont, Blue Skies, they are so moving, so quietly intense. And now definitive, and that's saying something when you think of something like Frank's take on September Song. It's the power of the songwriter taking on the works of others, freed from expectation, but still Willie being Willie. And Booker T producing, what a pairing of greatness, the production is sublime, there's pictures being painted way over yonder, as Willie rides off into the distance never looking back. It probably suffered for its ubiquity but like all great works of art it has survived the revisionism and stands alone as a work of art.

I am a record fiend from way back and I spend a lot of time trawling for bargains in dusty record stores. I have a special place in my heart for classic records that you commonly see for $1. Willie Nelson's Stardust is one of those records. It sold a bazillion copies back in the day but has fallen a bit out of favour, so it is common to find vinyl copies languishing in the bargain bins. It is an under-appreciated gem. Willie Nelson might dress like a country outlaw, but secretly he is a jazzbo -- he always liked a clever chord, a surprisingly complex solo, and 'jazz' cigarettes. Especially the 'jazz' cigarettes. Willie obviously loves American popular song, and so do I. These are some of the greatest songs of all time. Willie knows and loves these songs and he deeply understands them. I love the modest and tasteful arrangements from Booker T. Jones, thankfully avoiding over-egging the pudding with strings or backing choirs. Willie's regular band plays with sympathetic and understated restraint. I like the road-weariness in Willie's voice -- it makes everything seem heartful and honest. It is a welcome opportunity to hear these classic songs with fresh ears. Many artists have copied this concept with a late-career tribute to the American songbook, but few attempts approach the sincere beauty and warmth of this album. This is an evergreen album I can happily listen to any day.

First listen. Not a huge country fan. I can listen to Willie in small sessions, but a full album is pushing my limits.

Too clean-cut for me! I prefer other versions of the songs he sings

Incredibly tender tunes 3,5/5

this album reminds me of watching UHF channels on a black and white tv with aluminum foil hanging off the antenna

It is just a cover album.

Not my fave Stones

Este álbum en lo personal, me llegó bastante, nostalgia y calma te traen en el, me sentí con muchas emociones encontradas, sin duda, un álbum que conecta con tu subconciente cuando no necesariamente necesitas que llegue la noche para estar en ello.

I listened to this before. Piss-weak. Fuck you Willie Nelson

Man, I hate country music. The younger (more recent) it is the worse it is. Now, earlier country has a few folks I have a great deal of respect for and Willie is one of them, mainly because he's such an iconoclast. Him and Cash have a special place in my mind and stand outside of the "country music machine" in my head canon. His attitudes, politics, and personality buys a lot of goodwill with me. His music? Eh. I can swallow this record and give him a (4/5). I appreciate the artistry on display but I begrudgingly give him that out of respect for him and not the forms/styles he uses. I generally hate country music. His cover of "All of Me" is also really good.. When Cash finally comes up, there might be a 5 from me, for the genre.

I was never a big Willie Nelson fan growing up, but in the mid 2000s I got free tickets to see him and John Fogerty at Deer Creek. I won them the afternoon of the concert and my wife and I had to leave immediately to get there in time. My mind was forever changed. To say that they were absolutely incredible live is a remarkable understatement, and it's the first thing that came to mind when this popped up in the queue. The album itself did not disappoint, though I was never aware of it or its remarkable background (his 22nd album in 16 years, and it stayed in the top 100 for a full decade?? Inconceivable!!). I was familiar with several of the songs, but not his renditions, and I must say I enjoyed it enough to play through twice before singling out my favorites. It's a solid 4/5 that made me long to smoke weed with Willie again.

156. Stardust - Willie Nelson (1978) 7.28.26 Variety: 2 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 4 = 3.8 rounded up to a 4 "Blue days, all of them gone/ Nothing but blue skies from now on" I think by the time this is over we'll have heard several great swings at the great American songbook by well established artists. Willie was only 45 when this was recorded but in memories as a kid, this album made him seem like he was already the ancient, grey haired elder statesman musician he was already morphing into. The cover of this one even exists has a hazy childhood memory, as it was one of the records my grandpa had mixed in with all his Elvis and gospel records. This stood out though, and maybe my tiny brain connected the cover art to Star Wars or E.T. or something, with the deep blue night sky and the twinkling stars. And since I heard all of these before any of the originals ( to my knowledge anyway) these versions themselves are THE versions of those classics in my mind. Enough so that at various points I probably wondered why Bing Crosby or whoever was singing a Willie Nelson song when I would hear the original. I am now wondering if this might have been my first inkling of the concept of cover songs? I certainly became fascinated with them, and when I was able to enjoy the short lived pleasures of the iPod when it came out, I quickly loaded the thing up with covers. I'm sure this will be an easy one. THE TRACKS Side one v- Picture yourself out west. It's nighttime Monument Valley, and you're huddled around a campfire with your fellow cowpokes. The sky is so clear and bright it looks like a painting. Maybe there are some animals gathering around. This is the soundtrack to that moment. Or at least it's what I picture in my head when I listen to this. Willie's gentle acoustic playing, with the barebones accompaniment of the drum and the feather weight notes of the Hammond organ give this a rolling, calming vibe that is pretty unequalled. And yet it still manages to be a bit melancholy, looking back at loves past. But it's still a comforting sort of sadness. "Georgia on My Mind" - Another Hoagy Carmichael classic that can only be trumped by the Ray Charles version. Willie's got plenty of soul, but c'mon... Even he would likely bow out in that contest. If Willie's version has a leg up in any way it's that it manages to be slightly more sweetly melancholy, where Ray's version feels more painful. "Blue Skies" - This one has been described as "the saddest song about happiness ever written" and I can buy that, especially with Willie at the helm. On paper it's all absolute joy and, but the minor key creates that sad tension, so it's already there for him to work with and man, does he make a meal of it. Willie makes the implicit feeling of someone trying to talk themselves into happiness ( and maybe failing) very explicit. Which maybe is besides the point of the thing, but it works very well just the same. My favorite track on the album. "All of Me" - Heartbreak, longing, and emptiness never sounded so jaunty. The shuffling beat carries this jazzy breakup song ( THE breakup song?) along and Willie keeps it breezy and light. A fine entry, but do yourself a favor and listen to BIllie Holiday's version, with which this just cannot compare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J18k5Sx3Dw. "Unchained Melody" - A song I otherwise do not care for, and not helped by the fact that the Righteous Brothers version being EVERYWHERE when I was a kid. Willie comports himself admirably, and his version is maybe the most palatable one I can think of. Not even a fan of the Elvis version. Side two "September Song" - There are a LOT of great covers of this one. Among the ones I dig the most are ones by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kitt, Bryan Ferry, Jeff Lynne... I'll stop there, and note that Willie's is my favorite, by far. It's already a sad song ultimately about death and realizing how little time we all have, and I think Willie nails it. The arrangement here is one of the prettier ones as well with the relaxed jazzy notes floating out and swimming around in the air around your head. Tailor made for retirement home slow dances. "On the Sunny Side of the Street" - An exception here with Willie actually playing into the cheerful, bright nature of the song. The jazzy piano notes help this, and we're left with the one legitimate happy song on the album in my opinion. Surely Kermit the Frog has done this one? "Moonlight in Vermont" - This one doesn't leave me cold by any means, but it's just not one I connect with all that much. Willie does yet another fine job with it though, and adds a sort of longing I don't see in the Sinatra or Ella version ( maybe the only other versions I've heard?). Both of those are more romantic and Christmasy to me. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" - This jazzy number gets an infusion of Western swing from Willie and the boys, and it moves along a nice pace and ends on a bluesy note. More fine stuff, but only special because Willie's driving. "Someone to Watch Over Me" - We end on a high note with a lonesome cowboy version of a Gershwin classic. The Spanish notes on the guitar solo add a little something extra special to the mix, and Willie's vocals here might be among the most emotional on the album. HIGHLIGHTS - "Stardust" - "Georgia on My Mind" - "Blue Skies" - "September Song" - "On the Sunny Side of the Street" - "Someone to Watch Over Me" MIDLIGHTS - "All of Me" - "Unchained Melody" - "Moonlight in Vermont" - "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS If this album suffers from anything, it's the knowledge that these songs in fact did not spring forth from that be-pigtailed noggin of his. As uniformly great as the interpretations are, it can't help but feel like lighter, lesser materiel when it goes up against the likes of his originals. He still owns most of these in my mind, which softens the blow, but by all accounts this really was a bit of a lark that just happened to touch a nerve and launch him into the stratosphere and I think minted him as an international star. Over the years I have noted several instances of Willie being revered in the UK, and it always struck me as a little odd. Like how would country music be popular over there? But re-listening to this especially, it makes a lot more sense. Even his other more traditional country stuff is more thoughtfully and has less of that cowboy swagger that turns even the likes of me off quite a bit, so if there was a representative of the genre who was going to make it big internationally, it had to be him. This album I think cemented that legacy. As much as I love it, I have to knock it for variety and innovation. As good as these are, and as interesting, and creative as the interpretations are, they are still just interpretations of already well loved songs. If most anyone has covered this same set list, they'd get knocked down even further probably. All the gravy here is Willie and Willie alone. Many of these songs I don't even like as performed by other, even objectively great artists. There aren't any stinkers here, but there's just a very hard ceiling for this sort of thing. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - FURTHER LISTENING - Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker - Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown by Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown - In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book by Ella Fitzgerald - Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music by Ray Charles - Mr. Soul by Sam Cooke - Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell

Willie Nelson has one of the most soothing and comforting voices in music. Period. Everything else follows that for me. These songs, part of the American songbook, can be hit or miss with me depending on whose version it is. Willie’s versions are top notch because Willie Nelson is the person singing it. Tender vocals and pleasant sentiment. We’re in good hands here. I grew up hearing a lot of country, but I grew out of it. Some country acts though still can get to me. Willie Nelson’s mellow approach to these tracks is in retrospect his commitment to his ethos. They work because of Nelson’s unflinching earnestness. That works for me. Outlaw Country flows from the same steadfastness, in my opinion too. I’m sure we’ll get to that version of Willie Nelson on this project eventually, but when we do we’ll be in good hands then too. 4/5

There is something charming about this standards collection of thin, occasionally off-tune warbling and basic-ass, canned-sounding instrumentation, there is.

For the most part I enjoyed this album though it dragged a bit at the end (last few songs were a bit too crooner for me). But all-in-all, I laud his choices and for the most part Willie pulls it off. 4 "it's in the voice" stars.

What a smooth voice and ethereal guitar 🥹 it truly does sound like stardust

Сара 3 Марко 2

Ok cover-album, men originalene er bedre, både artist og låter.

Ок

It’s fine

We and all life are made of stardust.

This sounds like one of the Muppets singing arrangements of well-known songs. I like the Muppets and I respect Willie Nelson but I'm unsure as to why this album is on this list.

Boring

Wonderful covers of well written pop standards. Standout is Georgia on My Mind

It was really chill, nice music, that probably would've been better listened to at night. Not what I was expecting. Some songs I did think sounded similar

JL : 4

I knew like half the songs but Willie's versions are all new to me. Warm and tender with wisps of melancholy, that's the good stuff

I think for an album of cover versions, even of classic songs, to get on a list like this it has to be strikingly unusual. I don't get a sense that this is an exceptional album. There was nothing wrong with it, but the songs just didn't grab me - all rather bland. On the plus side, seeing as it's pre-CD, it's only 37 minutes long!

Really liked “someone to watch over me” “blue skies” and “on the sunny side of the street”. “Unchained Melody was definitely my favorite.

Couldn’t possibly live this more… I was very surprised 😮

The crossover you never thought you needed. Willie Nelson sings Hoagy Carmichael and the rest of the standards songbooks. And the result is charming. Willie brings tenderness and vulnerability to the songbook.

I remember Stardust from my parents' record collection. I was so young, so it's one of those memories that you're not quite sure is truly authentic or if the memory has been fed enough information over the years that you come to believe it as your own. But I know we had a very brown living room with brown art and tan curtains and all wood furniture and wood paneling and I would sit on the brown carpet and look at the Stardust cover while it was playing on the stereo in its big, brown cabinet. And I know I remember thinking to myself, "this music does not sound very brown". Or maybe my mom told me I said those words to her and she found it amusing and it's not a true memory. I do know I inherited Stardust as part of a record collection my mom got rid of when she downsized after my dad died. She didn't have a record player in her new, bright white living room. The record I have is one year younger than me. It sounds really old, though, because my parents played the hell out of it, and each scratch and pop adds to the ambience of the track list. Like, it sounds like it's from decades before 1978, which is appropriate for the kind of songs featured. I'm so lucky to be able to time travel through Stardust in this most authentic way. It does not sound brown, at all. In fact, it sounds as lovely as a blue night sky with twinkling stars. It's incredibly charming and nostalgic, and my favorite Willie. Favorite song: "Stardust"

I quite liked this, nice and relaxing. Solid

So this harkens back to Willie's early style I think.

Very slow, but beautiful. This particular type of music isn’t really for me, but I do love Willie Nelson.

Didn't listen to this yesterday. But I've listened to it in the past. It's in Tom Moon's book of recordings to hear before you die. I have a hard time with albums that are all covers and this one didn't grab me. In fact the only Willie Nelson I've ever gotten really into is Red-Headed Stranger.

Hard to give this guy a 3. The music was great, just not really up my ally.

Immaculate vibes

Full on lullaby

Lovely.

Pretty chill deep voiced singer ballad, amazing closer

Favorite songs: Stardust, Georgia on My Mind, Blue Skies, All of Me, September Song, Moonlight in Vermont, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore 3.5

Immaculate. Found this at a thrift store when I first moved to Massachusetts and didn't realize what a classic I'd stumbled upon. Proof that a covers album can reach the stratosphere.

So lovely.

Love the timbre but this is quite uninteresting

Nice but at l didn't hit me

I looped it all night and felt a calm in my body that I have not in a long time

relaxing, should be nice to listen to this under the sky full of stars

A beautiful journey of lonesome tunes, sung brilliantly by one of the best voices in country, tied together by the common denominator of every song here being a rendition of a traditional pop standard. And looking at the cover, staring up at the night sky, is what this whole album feels like. Even on the happier songs, there’s an air of sadness on them. There are some songs that I think would’ve been much better off not on this project, but it’s hard to not appreciate it for what it is, which is a great, charming little album. 8.4/10

Prime Willie. Sweet and simple. Nothing heavy, no overt twang nor kitsch, just classics from a better time in America.

Amazing production quality. I will be listening again. Very soothing and feels very comforting. A remarkable album.

Calm, surprised it’s considered country

Damn. I was hoping to hear him sing Moonlight ON Vermont

Very nice easy listening album. Strong focus on the lyric writing ability. I preferred this to Red Headed Stranger.

Manages to be kind of goofy and charming at the same time.

Willie Nelson has a nice voice. The songs he chose to cover, also nice. The arrangements are also nice. As the album is just nice, this gets the bog standard 3.

Excellent

Easy listening by the legend himself

Boring shit, all covers

it was fine... not for me

Oh very sweet album.

Stardust - 3/5 Georgia on my mind - 3/5 Blue skies - 4/5 All of me - 4/5 Unchained melody - 5/5 (awesome cover) September song - 4/5 On the sunny side of the street - 3/5 Moonlight in Vermont - 2/5 Dont get around much anymore - 3/5 Someone to watch over me - 4/5

Willie Nelson I love you I love you I love you. Let me roll your joints. I’d learn how for you. I’d heard of this album, but I didn’t know it was a collection of American pop standards that he picked and covered. I’ve never considered myself a “covers album” person, but this is too good to scoff at. He has great taste. Deepened my appreciation for his singing voice and I enjoyed the classic late 70s country arrangements. I particularly enjoyed “Georgia On My Mind”, but I’m always happy to hear that song.

Solid album. Good covers

Love Willie but BORING!

snooooooork mimimimimim snoooooooork mimimimimi

3/5. I admittedly don’t have a ton to say about this one, it’s a solid collection of covers from Willie Nelson. His voice fits well with these songs, the production is good, but it’s nothing too exciting. Just a dude covering some good songs.

Helt ok. Han har en fin röst för de här låtarna som han sjunger. Jag förstår att han tycker om dessa låtar eftersom de är covers. Det märks både på arrangemangen och hur han sjunger dem. Det enda jag tycker är att det blir lite slätstruket till slut. Georgia on my mind gör han ju väldigt fint dock. Jag gillar Outlaw Willie bättre än denna versionen även om jag imponeras av hans röst.

Smooth and silk but I thing the 5th star is only accessible when laying in a straw friend which i don't have at hand

Highlights: Georgia On My Mind, Blue Skies 2.0

Calming album that I fell asleep to but nothing really special. I have also disliked the idea of a cover only album. Willie nelson is one of the country goats though, so I will give this album a 3/5.

Beautiful and intimate. I really loved this.

Better than Coldplay

(60/100)

5/10 - Pleasant. But too slow and too country for my taste Fav Tracks: n/a Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ❌ Saved Album? --–-- ❌ Will Listen Again? -- ❌ Album Cover -------I actually really really like it

Mmmm no está mal, pero tampoco me encantó. Agradezco que no llegó al country que no me gusta.

I enjoyed myself way more than I expected, really great sound

Not a country fan but this is nice.

I don’t know if I’ve ever actually sat down and listened to Willie Nelson , and while it’s not something I would normally gravitate towards, this album was so good. Some of the best versions of these classic pop songs.

Something very soothing about Willie songs and his way of singing

Was prepared to really not care for this, but have to admit it has its moments. It's sort of peaceful and nostalgic, and I like his take on a few of these classics, like the opener and Moonlight in Vermont in particular. Songs that are so well known, but he manages to but some unique spins on them. Not bad at all.

Gotta love the earlier days of Malibu living, yeah? Before your Xanadu was at severe risk of burning to the ground from wildfires, when people talked to their neighbors, when hippie musicians preaching peace, love and excess could meet their bombshell actress fellow residents, have secret affairs in the public eye, leave their wives of 35 years, and get remarried on their yachts. Those were the days when you could just say “hey neighbor, I think I want to do some stripped down covers of the classics, wanna help?” And since you were Willie Nelson and your neighbor was Booker T Jones, whose Booker T. And the M.G.s Green Onions I just rated on the list btw, he said, “why sure!” And you know, it’s a very nice collection of the classics. My grandma would have liked it. She probably did like it. It kinda sounds like living in Malibu in those earlier days… 3 Boolean: true maybe - because those earlier days of Malibu DID exist and this is an historical document

7.5/10

good stuff

Willie!!!! Best Song: All of Me Rating: 8/10 Stars: 4

Por un momento pensé que todas eran originales de el y que era todo un genio por crear tantas canciones tan iconicas, cuando vi que todas eran covers me desilusione, pero igual fue bastante bueno

This was a pleasant listen. Willie's got such a lovely voice, it's hard to not feel comforted and taken care of when he's on the mic. A nice selection of covers with good arrangements.

The first few whispers of that guitar seduced me. From the start I was hooked; I immediately knew that this was a five star album. I can't believe this is the same guy I'm supposed to roll up and smoke when he dies.

Bad vocals, and boring arrangements.

Columbia Records thought this was commercial suicide. Willie Nelson covering ten American standards with lush orchestral production by Booker T. Jones had no obvious market in 1978 and made no strategic sense for a country artist riding the outlaw wave. It spent two years on the country charts anyway, because the people who heard it recognized immediately that something had gone completely right. The origin story matches the record's spirit perfectly — Booker T. was living on a Malibu beach, Willie jogged past his house, they started talking, and somewhere in that accidental collision the idea took shape. Two musicians who had no business being in the same place at the same time finding each other and making something neither could have made alone. The record has that same quality of inevitability that the best collaborations always do — not planned so much as discovered. The song list is the foundation: "Stardust," "Georgia on My Mind," "Blue Skies," "All of Me," "Unchained Melody" — some of the most enduring American popular songs ever written, handed to a voice that turns out to be their perfect vessel. Willie's phrasing is unhurried and completely his own, treating these standards not as museum pieces to be preserved but as living songs that still have things to say. Booker T.'s production gives him exactly the space he needs — warm strings, piano, arrangements that serve the voice rather than competing with it. This brings together everything that matters most in this project: voice as primary instrument, ensemble serving the whole, standards reimagined rather than merely executed, and the specific pleasure of musicians operating precisely at the intersection of their greatest strengths. It makes you want to make a record like it someday, which is the highest thing music can do. Some records are self-evidently wonderful. The people who don't hear it are simply wrong.

These songs have not aged well, and my god are so depressing… I just couldn’t get into the album enough to enjoy it despite not actually hating it. Therefore Average 5/10 Beat track- ‘on the sunny side of the street’ Worst track- ‘September song’

Willie Nelson - Stardust Timeless songs? Tick. Exquisite playing? Tick. Voice full of experience, life and pain? Tick. Long overdue sales for a man who didn't ever give a fuck? Tick? Big middle finger to the record label? Tick Anything not to like? Nope. Am I glad I heard it? Yes. Will I play it again? Probably not 😂 Best Track - September Song (all too poignant) Worst Track - Sunny Side of the Street (didn't quite suit) 8/10

On paper, this is pure insanity. The king of Outlaw Country (and potheads) meets the legend of Stax and they bond over songs that are older than both of them combined. It shouldn't work. It couldn't work. The execs wouldn't let it work if they could. But here it is, a marvel of threading the needle perfectly. Willie’s voice, Booker T’s production, and of course the songs. A wealth of great American songs brought to life in the most unexpectedly wonderful way

Not sure why I thought that a full cover album wasn’t eligible for inclusion on this list? In any case, a toned down, smooth Willie changes out outlaw country for intimate covers of American pop standards. Fine to listen to while falling asleep. 2.5⭐️

slow paced, intentional, lovely

BEFORE: I haven't listened to this in full before but I did pick up a very worn copy on vinyl a few weeks ago that I've been meaning to listen to. My FIL was a big Willie Nelson fan and I'm familiar with Stardust and Georgia On My Mind. Funnily enough, I'm the same age as Willie was when he released Stardust. AFTER: Willie Nelson has one of the most beautiful voices of all time. Smooth but never too smooth. I don't listen to a lot of music this mellow but I'm a big Ray Charles fan and this scratches the same itch. HIGHLIGHTS: Georgia On My Mind, Blue Skies, Unchained Melody, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Moonlight in Vermont. LOWLIGHTS: Parts of September Song are a little soporific. I also struggle with this much harmonica. I know it's an essential part of the genre but it always reminds me of fucking Blues Traveler. VERDICT: 5 stars. A gentle, warm and beautifully realised album. The few elements I don't love are really just a matter of personal preference.

Musique très calme, très très calme, la guitare fait planer dans les étoiles et les différents sons on des petites variations qui fait en sorte que l'album passe vite !

5/10

Willie's great. Everone loves Willie. And this might be one of the best cover albums ever. But what a snooze fest. Willie gets the bump for being Willie, but it might be a 28 in disquise.

mostly if not entirely covers of standards, good enough for a once through

Relaxing and soulful easy listening. Afternoon nap music in the best way possible

Can something be almost aggressively pleasant?

I love his voice and guitar playing but him singing standards is surely a filler album, not an essential record? Anyway this was fine, I’d rather an album of his songs as he’s obviously a great songwriter as well.

I don't really listen to country and I actually really enjoyed this one. It was very beautiful and melodic. Dang who knew.. makes me wanna sleep under the stars

This is not an exciting album in the obvious sense. It is not fiery. It is not dramatic. It is not packed with surprise.

Everybody loves a bit of Willie don’t they….

He is the best!

Very chill album. Probably best enjoyed late at night, having a beer, after everyone else has gone to bed. Pleasant enough, easy to listen to, not bad at all. Not a very interesting or exciting listen, but good for what it is.

Christ on a bike, how many albums on this list are just a bunch of covers and often the same songs over and over at that. This is fine, nice covers, well recorded and played but I don't need to hear another version of Georgia on my mind.

I really enjoyed this! I love old country!

It's not bad music, it's just a bit slow and dreary for my taste.

i would have rated this a four if it wasn't a cover album, but i did really enjoy this. the twangy but smooth quality of his voice over these classics really made them special to listen to.

Can't hear it without thinking of Hank Hill. And I tell you What, it says alot that this is an album of covers, I don't think he added much to any of them but it's pleasant enough

Blue Skies is great and I'm sorry Willie but I have only listened to this twice now and I must give it a 3 lest I give literally everything on this list a 4 or a 5

This was unexpected, as someone who only knows him really for country stuff. Idk, kind of underwhelming. If you love Willie, it's probably amazing, but it's not really converting anybody I don't think.

just calm and lovely tbh

Classic Willie.

cute. easy listening.. kan in de lijst van albums die ik kan aanzetten voor mijn ouders in de woonkamer

chille muziek gwn maar niet wowie

Incredibly dull. The fact this is the same genre as Johnny Cash is remarkable.

This was pretty. His voice is always good. And I was familiar with his cover of Georgia. It didn't quite hit today as I needed more energy in my music, but still liked it! 3.5

Pretty good, classic Willie, not my absolute favourite though

Such a lovely mix of covers, also love the album artwork. The instruments aren't overdoing it either. Big campfire vibes. Love blue skies

I’m glad this exists but I’ll never need to listen to this again.

good one. listened to it previously also

I've never listened to Willie Nelson before. This was beautiful.

I like the idea of Willie Nelson more than I enjoyed this album. It's nice enough, but I don't understand what reason there is to include a countrified covers album on this list. I see it was mildly controversial for an artist like Willie to do an album of mainstream covers, but it's hardly Dylan going electric.

Good album.

This is a really great album! I love how melancholy it is. I'm assuming they are all covers, but it wouldn't surprise me if Willie Nelson wrote them all!

not his best album

Well this was a little delightful slice of Americana. Not my usual style but I enjoyed it quite a bit. Thanks, Willie.

cooooooollllllio

I mean, I don't fuck with country, also this record is like an evening record.

did not like

🎧Thoroughly pleasant.

willie is the man, but this is not for me.

Accomplishes what it sets out to do, and does it well. I almost lean four stars, but I’m sticking with a strong three here because most of the lyrical content/song composition doesn’t do much for me. Nelson’s delivery makes these songs special, however, and warrants replay value on a special kind of nostalgic day. STAND-OUT SONG: “September Song” HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Moonlight in Vermont”, “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”, “Georgia On My Mind”

Para una cita me gustó, o para bailar en plan cita

This is a surprisingly very good album by Willie stepping out from his traditional rebel cowboy mode but not as great as his successful sales in my opinion. His voice doesn't capture the timeless spirit of these great American standards.

Definitely my first Willie album that got me really into him. Weird that it's just a cover album but I think the arrangments really emphasize how great his voice is.

Disgusting lyrics and voice, it feels like vomiting. The genre itself is a piece of shit. No good album at all in here. 1 star is too much for all these albums

잔잔하고 꽤 괜찮았다. It was calm and pretty good.

2.5/5 Very calm music

Hmm, starts glacial, stays that way. Old songs in 70s are now 50 years old. Just can't get into it. Reading the context is interesting but this reeks of sunday pub covers. 2.5 rounded up Heard before? Some Owned: No. 82/325 (25%) Will I get: No

I'm not a country music guy, but Willie is an exception. Hopefully no time soon, but if ever a mortal were able to achieve apotheosis on their journey to the world after this one, it'd be this guy. I look forward to our one day minor god of music.

I was totally thrown off by this one. I made it a couple songs in and recognized what my untrained ears thought were a jazzy architecture. I was confused by Willie’s direction. I’m used to the hippie outlaw country badass, and that’s what I was looking for here. I had to look it up. I try not to look up albums before I finish my listening sessions as I think it may influence my rating decision to know the background behind a piece. A lot is lost by not having that context, but I try to have my rating schema be founded upon the work itself and not any geopolitical, cultural, or interpersonal issues that may have been the proverbial kiln in which the piece was baked. It turns out that this album was composed of old pop songs from decades prior and its direction was a source of contention with Willie’s record company. He was established as a pillar of outlaw country at this point and this was a departure. Knowing this shook me to my core. I questioned everything about Willie and my rating schema. I started thinking about Willie back in the late 70s and how he has always shirked the direction that the greats of country music paved the way for. Shirking responsibility and finding your own way is in itself one of the tenets of outlaw country. But why am I considering this in my review? According to how I’m undertaking this 1,001+ album challenge, this context shouldn’t matter. As I progressed further in, I started thinking about what I should rate this record, trying to separate out my sullied knowledge of the background. I was thinking that there was no way I can rate this a 5 given it’s a collection of songs he didn’t write. It’s a bit of a cheat code making an album of pre-written songs, in my mind. But in true Willie fashion, he made them his own with his almost poetic, unconventional delivery over the dreamy ambience set by the accompaniments… I need to stop blathering on and acting high-and-mighty about a few hundred words that maybe 2 or 3 people will read. But what is the point of publicly reviewing anything at all? What is a 5 to me? Does it matter? I don’t want to be handing these out Willie-nilly, but this is a 5.

all of me !!!!!!! cover so good i enjoyed this very much

love willie voice like a nice hug

Feels like he's singing to you over a campfire.

OKey. Na 3. Nic szczególnego.

1. Zu langwilig hans nöd chönne lose

I have listened to a lot of Willie Nelson over the years, but never in the form of a full studio album. It's nice to hear the songs the way God intended. :)

Laid back, easy listening album. Didn’t mind it but not something I’d typically listen to.

Love love love.

Liked it more than I expected I would. The history of the album was enjoyable too. ("I'll make whatever album I want!")

Willie Nelson has already appeared in my Generator journey, but only as a session muso. This was his 22nd?! album, and it’s 10 popular song covers, recorded in 10 days?!? I know some of the songs, but felt no warmth for these versions. I could not detect any warmth in the singing or playing. If I was doing one of these songs, I would try to put some emotional intensity into the singing, even if the backing was left minimal. The Willie Nelson versions are just easy listening. I was trying to concentrate on the music (not just reading a book) but there’s almost nothing there to concentrate on! It’s Really Poor, 2/10.

I liked this more than I expected. All pleasant, easy to listen to covers. Soulful Folk.

Mellow

MUY LINDOOO. sono re cute y con las notas esas

Tässä Nelson laulaa toisten lauluja

Decent album

This type of country might be more my speed. Very calm record, like the vibe and Nelson's voice. He really makes these songs his own. Highlights-Stardust, Georgia on My Mind, Blue Skies, September Song, On The Sunny Side of the Street, Moonlight in Vermont, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, and Someone to Watch Over Me.

Willie's voice is as American as baseball, apple pie, and the sun setting over a field of wheat. Beautiful album of American standards interpreted by a master.

Surprisingly lovely

Nothing all that special for Willie standards but its still Willie. Very light on guitar might be my only downside or maybe the covers if they are. I got a bunch of likes and they all hit hard. Very relaxed and chill and very good all around. Moonlight in Vermont is the best one but you cant go wrong with anything here.

Some pretty solid country(?) music with noticeable blues and gospel influence. I think cute or cozy or good words to describe the vibe. The singer might annoy some people, but I thought he was serviceable. The instrumentation and compositions were pretty good (some covers in there?), and I think I'm going with my gut for a 3

I remember when I was maybe in high school, and your Granddad bought a Willie Nelson album (so around late 70s, I think), and I was mystified (country music? yuck!). I've long since come to appreciate Willie Nelson, though, and country music, in general. I wasn't familiar with this particular album (although I am familiar with all 10 songs), and I'll admit to being a little surprised by how much I enjoyed it (although I did expect to like it). I was also a little surprised to see Booker T. Jones playing a major role (organ, piano, production, and arrangements). Which makes me feel a little less surprised that I liked this album so much. Booker T. is best known, I think, for Booker T & the MGs (and especially the classic instrumental hit, "Green Onions"). You know who else liked Willie Nelson? Your great-grandmother (G.G.). And who else? Me, that's who. So this one is for sure between a 4 and a 5, and I think I do have to give it 5 stars, even though it's only 10 songs, and none of them new. But Willie and these musicians did with these 10 songs is pretty much just about perfect, to me. So, yeah, 5 stars.