Red Headed Stranger

Cortita y al pie

Mejor carátula de momento, ¿no? Me ha flipao que, contando una historia y manteniéndose bastante en el mismo mood todo el rato sea lo contrario a una turra. Parece una radionovela con interludios musicales o que te la está tocando él en la época en un salloon contándote unas movidas que tuvo uno de su pueblo o algo así. Es la hostia.

Nice voice but very boring

cute. bit monotonous

Quite boring

Hiii ha! This takes me to another space and time... I liked snake oil (which is not.even in this album)

Willie was always old. Classic as they come.

Pleasant but nothing really stood out to me.

Love Willie 🥰 such a lovely record

I liked this album, but what I like more was when Spotify kept it rolling with old timey cowboy music. I like cowboy music.

An example of something I would have never listened to if not for this project. It’s wild how little I know about Willie Nelson. His 18th album???????

Liked this a lot!

Decent country music, and I'm not a country fan. Tip: listen to this at night. I listened in the morning and it's just not a morning album.

Not terrible, but nothing I'd pay for either.

Hm. It's definitely country. I have tremendous respect for Willie Nelson. And this music just doesn't set my heart on fire.

Nice twang, kinda repetitive.

Really soothing but the album is short and repetetive

COUNTRY COUNTRYING

An enjoyable album. It has a sweet, classic feel to it. I was surprised to read that this is Willie Nelson's 18th album! And it was in 1975! It was a great opportunity to listen to something I otherwise would not have listened to, and a great moment in music history.

'Now the preachin' is over / And the lesson's begun'; 'Now the lesson is over / And the killin's begun.' Willie is a pure storyteller, and no moralizer. He lets things be, and like the great painters of precarious minds coming to their ends, he passes no judgement. I'm reminded of Orlando and Don Quijote, Othello and Leontes, and several characters who populate Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. Structurally, this record is brilliant, no song doing more or less than it needs to: four instrumentals, three tracks less than a minute long, one over five. And his voice, tho high and feeble, carries this album's impressive fire.

Limp-wrist country

GREAT album. I love how circular this is in its rhythms and motifs. I just wonder what the hell he was smokin when he wrote this frickin thing….

So beautiful in its repetition and simplicity.

willie is so ubiquitous that i had never actually really listened to any of his albums - but this was straight fire . loved it - as a huge outlaw country fan this is totally my shiT! will be checking for more willie albums

This really made my day. What a beautiful album. I've listened three times just to make sure I got it right. God Bless Willy.

This album has a sort of minimalistic and calming feel, despite the lyrics being about a murderer apparently. I don't see myself listening to this one again though.

Simple in its composition but raw and powerful in its execution - how can you not love Willie? Outlaw country at its finest.

I liked it. No red cups or boot scootin' here.

Idk I didn’t listen to the lyrics and it’s a concept album I think so I probs missed a bit

Sorry, but these mellow country tunes are not my cup of tea...

I've never listened to a complete Willie Nelson so I'm glad this is on the list. Quick, solid old country songs. There's nothing here that's going to blow you away but it's great to have on in the background. 6.25/10 (3.125/5)

Great tunes! Great album!

Genre-wise this is mostly not my thing, but I liked it well enough. I am not very familiar with Willie, but his talents are on pretty good display here and I think it's raised my opinion of him.

Ничего не понял, но видимо классика, вестерн типа. Хотя мужик и прикольно поёт

Este country si lo disfruto

i cannot tell you how much i respect Willie Nelson for producing an incredibly stripped back concept album about actually regretting murdering your cheating wife in the same year as CW McCall's Convoy / Long Lonesome Road. i'd heard "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" a bit back, and i thought it was alright. then i found out "oh no it's twice as heartbreaking in context" and now i don't know if i can even listen to it in isolation anymore -- i went from being slightly entertained to realizing that listening to it without hearing the previous song is almost sacrilege. god, what a great album. what a sad album. what a human thing in the age of the overdub and Muppet guest star singalong backup vocals. there are probably grizzled boomers out there who are holding back tears by the end of this record, and i don't blame them. if you've got a friend who doesn't like country, show them this album and then, i dunno, a Dolly Parton album too. and "Convoy" if you feel like an asshole.

A decent concept album, "real" country as opposed to the sanitary stuff they put out these days. Favorite track: either "Can I Sleep in Your Arms" or "Hands on the Wheel."

quite lovely and soothing, but many tracks felt underdeveloped and left me yearning for more. 3.5/5

YAY

I’ve listened to the album a few times and own it in my record collection, but never really dive into the lyrics / story throughout. Considered the first concept album in country music, Nelson bucks the traditional / overproduced Nashville Sound with a stripped down, bare bones approach and it’s a delightful listen. Easy listening country with some great covers, including “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” I’ve been on a little bit of a Willie kick of late and loved the re-listen with this context.

Angenehm tbh

Generally not my thing, but I actually kinda liked it. A little slow so not a 5, but overall solid

Good country. I should revisit when I'm in a better headspace.

Really enjoyed this

This album launched Willie Nelson on the path of becoming a national treasure and it is a genuine listening treat. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-red-headed-stranger?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Like it 3/5

Lovely album. Can't believe I wasn't familiar with it, but I look forward to making up for that!

After getting his "Stardust" album a few hundred albums back (and not particularly enjoying the experience), it's nice to get what I imagine is a more classic Willie Nelson album, and an interesting concept for a concept album. I particularly enjoyed "Time of the preacher theme" (the 3rd track version), his classic cover of "Blue eyes crying in the rain", and his covers of "Can I sleep in your arms" and "Hands on the wheel", as well as how spare the album is musically, with his backing band at times and lots of Willie Nelson singing and playing. It was so gratifying to read that he was able to produce this album as we hear it because he had complete control, a huge contrast to so many albums in this collection from this time period by other artists. Having now heard this album as well as "Stardust", I'm sorry that we didn't get some of Willie Nelson's other interesting (and recent) musical adventures. One of the compelling aspects of Willie Nelson's career is how many collaborations he's had with a wide range of artists (I've always enjoyed his and James Taylor's rendition of Townes Van Zandt's "Leftie and Pancho", although I still prefer the original I think) and it's a shame that our only exposure to Willie Nelson is a collection of golden oldies in addition to this definitional album.

Like Italian food, this album is about a simple approach to great ingredients. I like how spare it is and would fault it only in sing choice.

I’ve started to like country music more. This is the type of country music I didn’t like that held me back. It’s just not good.

Okay wait, this wasn’t as bad as I thought. I’m lowkey okay with country now but like older country. Definitely not Carrie Underwood (iykyk). But I don’t know if I’d listen to this much by myself. He’s definitely a great singer though.

The older I get, the more I love Willie. He just gets it

Hands on the Wheel such a great moment.

Classic Willie, album has too many instrumental breaks for me, and not enough variety in sound. Theme was a little too one note here. But still solid, and a cool concept album. First album I’ve had on this list that was a an entire artwork that requires all its parts to experience/appreciate.

17/1001 Red Headed Stranger as a concept is quite interesting, and although it consists of a lot of individually decent songs the idea of repeat motifs kinda detracts from the A-sides quality. The B-side is more so where it gets interesting with more songs of traditional nature mixed in with a few instrumentals, it makes for a decent and warm listening. Though I would say the highs of the B-side never matches those of Time of the Preacher and Red Headed Stranger on the A-side. 3,5/5

Fav: Can I Sleep In Your Arms Least Fav: Time Of The Preacher Theme Felt like by the time I was starting to enjoy a song, it would end and another similar sounding song would take its place. Thankfully the second half had songs longer than 2 minutes

Did Willie Nelson released any bad albums???? Answer: no!

Ah, Willie. The man has such a consistent sound. I only knew Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain before listening. What I didn’t know is how many of his songs I also knew because of that. But that’s folk for you. A young Willie has such a strong voice and is so quietly adept at guitar. His electric Trigger has such a unique sound. It’s groundbreaking honestly. Really cool album all said.

I noticed about 2/3 of the way through just how immersive this album actually is. It feels very purely lone cowboy of the west, and as a city slicker who prefers sex drugs and rock and roll, kudos to Nelson that I definitely felt what he was trying to convey. It’s not going to be a repeat album for me, but it was enjoyable to listen through. Nelson shows a mastery of all instruments (and mixing!) and i think he’s made a fan favorite for listeners of folksy western. Favorite - Red Headed Stranger

Great album by Willie Nelson. This is what country music should be like.

Country music ok

short, sharp, not my thing but glad I heard it. The kind of country I can get with.

Love a Willie album, this one felt much more story driven and was fun since I had never heard before.

It doesn't speak to me at all, but I can imagine people like this. Favorite song: Bandera

Great

good but i don't think i would listen again

Country music, one of my largest musical blind spots. I know "Jolene", a handful of Johnny Cash songs, and the occasional modern pop-country crap I have the misfortune to actually hear. That said, my expectations weren't totally rock bottom. I didn't know any of his music, but I knew OF Willie Nelson, and he just seems like such a chill guy. Surely it couldn't be that bad. And it turns out, it's not bad! I was pleased at how sparse these songs are. Most of them are just Willie's voice and his guitar. For whatever reason, I imagined his voice would be a bit gruff. His voice is actually kind of... the word that comes to mind is pretty. And that kind of caught me off guard. There's a mix of covers and original songs, mixed together to make a vague sort of narrative. I'm not sure if I followed it all the way through. But the lyrics to the title track is so bonkers, I love it. Bitch, don't touch my horse. Fav tracks: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Red Headed Stranger, Just as I Am

This album is all the best things about Willie with no fluff. Great singing, playing, and wordsmithing. Not an album whose greatness jumps at you, but the more you think about it and experience it the more it makes sense. A creative genius in his prime.

Not a big fan of concept albums but it's Willie so the playing and singing are wonderful

tedious .

Really good old country music. The highlight was the title track where a woman dies cause a man loves his horse too much.

Good ole' Willie Nelson. He's always good for a charming, folksy album of country songs, isn't he? Probably will be until the day he dies. He's got such a charm and charisma in his voice alone. He seems like such a kind person, and that shines through in his music. That, and his love of what he gets to do. I'm not going to tell you that I fully understand what this album means to country or popular music. And I'm not going to tell you how good a country album it actually is because, frankly, I don't know. But I'll tell you that I found it damn endearing and charming and I loved it. Willie Nelson is an American treasure and should be treated as such. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Time of the Preacher, Medley: Blue Rock Montana/Red Headed Stranger, Red Headed Stranger, Denver, O'er the Waves, Down Yonder, Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming), Hands on the Wheel

5/5. A perfect country album, Willie's voice is so soothing and sweet that even when he's talking about murder, you still feel entrapped in his stories. This is an interesting album because although it is mostly covers, they all are setup to tell a story. I've never seen this done before and should be how covers of songs should go. Although it is a short and loose story of a troubled man, it still feels complete. What a perfect album start to finish. 6 out of 5 if I could. Best Song: Can I Sleep In Your Arms, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, Hand On The Wheel

Country music, mostly, sucks (except Johnny Cash). But this album was very very good.

Not my cup of tea. Didn't hate it, just did nothing for me

5/10

Loved this!

Long live Willie! I haven’t made it through all of Willie’s ridiculously long discography, but this is my favorite of his.

Muy buen disco de Willie. Un country bien meloso tirando a folk. Nostálgico, personal.

ALERT not sure what happened but songs in the key of life is most certainly NOT four but a FIVE STAR album. I don’t know that happened, I am dreadfully sorry All albums will be 1, 3 or 5 stars, with no further commentary or explanation given. Played via streaming, re-listen.

I love concept albums <3

My grandfather definitely listened to this! I remember him listening to it as he was laying on the couch trying to nap. Gives me good vibes though - nice old chill music.

Nice for a quite lazy afternoon of gentle easy music listening. Lay back with a nice drink and hmmm the afternoon away. A beautiful Willie in his early 40's - vocals are clear and crisp vs more ageing vocals

Average country album this one. I usually like more upbeat country and this one was pretty sad the whole way through.

Classic

great stuff!

# Album Name: Red Headed Stranger # Artist: Willie Nelson # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Willie nelson is like the American version of Mick Hucknall - a red headed sex panther. The dudes packing over 8m listeners a month of spotify! What a fire cracker. Really enjoyed the finger picking style of some tracks. Willie has a nice voice and mellow vibe. Cant believe this was his 18th album!!! It was a decent listen. I quite enjoyed it. Wasnt the best but you could feel the quality of the tracks for this genre. Its tough to rate. im torn between a 3 or 4. I'd probably give it a low 4. The quality of the tracks just pull this up from other 3-rated steady as she goes albums. # Top Tunes: Blue eyes cryin in the rain / Red headed stranger / O'er the waves # Would I listen to it again? Probably once or twice.

Loved it! 5/5

Interesting idea for a concept album, but didn't grab my attention enough for another listen at this time. Going on the pile to re-listen once this project is over.

Not bad.

Genius

I kind of took my time with this one as it's really an interesting listen. I love the storytelling and wish I had heard it as a young songwriter. But, maybe there are too many covers and the songs aren't quite long enough? I DO like how he stuck by the album and fought the record execs to release. Probably more of a 3.5, but going:

Listened to this quite a few times and nothing quite stuck with me. Sounds nice.

Uh… yeah

4/10 - the red headed stranger was a crazy song. It sounds like most of the other country albums. But this time I wasn’t in the mood for it

Willie Nelson was the first artist that made me realize I didn’t dislike country. This is a great album

Yeeeeeeeee haw. But unironically its... alright.

Without judgement

Nice enough country western album. Good storytelling. I don’t care much for Nelson’s nasally vocals but it works perfectly with these songs and their stripped down arrangements. The songs/album is pretty short so there isn’t enough time to be irritated by his vocals which I find easier to take in small doses.

This must be a classic country album. I found it ok never been a fan of the genre and I found it kind of hard to get through but it had some interesting parts.

The album is calming, and oddly a good balm for loneliness but without being whiny. It feels like a chat with an old friend: mellow, reassuring, maybe even a little bit commiserating. And, above all, worth your time.

Not my bag

Inte min smak direkt, men bra för genren

Mellow

Canonical country. In the context of all the other albums, it's pretty clear that Willie is just twangy + crooner. I say "just", but he really nailed it. It is earnest and simple in a way that's unfortunately hard for me to appreciate these days, so hard to go beyond two stars. Nonetheless, I respect Willie a lot, and believe he's a national treasure.

4 good throughout

Never really been a fan of Willie's voice. So havnt previously taken time to listen to any of his albums. However about halfway through the first listen through I realised what a brilliant album this is. There are loads a lovely musical touches through the album that make it a great listen.

Just as I am is mad good And blue eyes crossing in the rain Can I sleep in your armssssssssss. Very good really good super good

Now we’re talking. This is fantastic. I’d never have listened to this if it wasn’t suggested here, but will definitely be listening again.

As a certified country music hater, this album is fine. He has a nice voice, and has some good melodies. Every song does kind of sound the same though, and that is despite Time of the Preacher appearing 3 times. High 3.

So much love and respect for Willie (but also did find a lot of the songs to sound similar lol).

Willie Nelson has an incredible voice. His style of music is not something I really listen to all that much, but you have to love the way he sings. I'm also really enjoying the guitar twangs. Mostly a fun album, with a few duds dragging it down. We didn't really need three versions of Time of the Preacher (I don't think we even needed one). The standouts are I Couldn't Believe It Was True and the title track. Best song: I Couldn't Believe It Was True

Iconic country and western

This is the archetypal outlaw country that comes to mind when someone mentions the term.

I liked this album more than I thought I would. The vocal harmonies were soooo good. I really liked a lot of the instrumental songs too. Normally I am not a fan of country at all but this was pretty good. I LOVED "Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming)." Actually a 2.5. Liked Songs: "I Couldn't Believe It Was True" , "Red Headed Stranger" , "Denver" , "O'er the Waves" , "Down Yonder" , "Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming"

Feels like drinking moonshine at the saloon. I actually don't mind this album, it sounds like country as it should be. 3

Beautiful album. I loved the little snippers of songs, especially the preacher theme clips. Can I sleep in your arms was just sensational. Definitely would own this album if I had the opportunity. Reading up about the album and the theme of the preacher who killed his wife and her lover and then went on the run makes it even more interesting

Great music. Legend!

4.5

Respect, even tho this ain't my jam

Can't help but think about how bad modern country music is when compared to stuff from the 20th century. I don't go out of my way to listen to this older country stuff (unless I wanna feel like a cowboy) but when I do I typically really enjoy it

I think I enjoy my country to be a bit more upbeat. This was a calming album, but a bit depressing at times. He's a hell of a harmonica player tho!

Wow im surprised how much I am enjoying this. This is a solid old school country album.

Kinda shit

It's not really my genre, but I enjoyed this a decent amount. You could clearly tell the difference in quality between this album and the stuff Spotify autoplayed when it finished.

The power of simplicity. And what a contrast to Stardust. Willie could do it a lot of ways, but has always been original throughout. He gets such mileage out of just a few plucked notes and the simplest of chords, that distinct, echo-y warble just goes a million miles. And the inimitably nasal vocals, always credible, are as distinctive as Dylan, really. This is vaguely predictive of Teatro (put another: if Lanois had produced this, it would've been Teatro, basically). There's not really a hit here, but "Hands On the Wheel" and "I Couldn't Believe It Was True" are excellent (one's personal fave) and every cut works and offers good value. And it's the lovely, patient pacing that makes the record – the brief, tasteful soloing (many of which might've been extended to even more satisfying effect).

Nothing really jumped out and grabbed me. Very middle of the road. 1001 album worthy: Sure - 10/19

not bad country staff. a solid 3 star. flow really good didnt hear translations between songs.

Taken as a whole this record works.

I get why people love Willie Nelson. It's certainly a better listen than modern bro country, but still not my thing. 3 stars.

I think I liked it, but I'm not really a huge fan of this era of country. I respect Nelson, but I don't tend to like his music, which is interesting, because recently, he's been endorsing and elevating some of the best of country, like Kacey Musgraves, Brandi Carlile, and Orville Peck.

Aika söpöjä biisejä. Salonkikelpoista countrya mutta sopivasti (melodramaattista) huumoria. Jää tosin siksi vähän disneykiillotetuksi.

Tämän musiikin tarkoituksena on säestää tarinaa standardisoitunein keinoin, mikä ei saa kuulijaa kiinnostumaan tarinasta. Artisti tosin tulkitsee poikkeuksellisen hyvin.

The first half is definitely very country, but it's not grating, and I liked the recurring Time of the Preacher theme. The second half is better, with interesting instrumentals like the acoustic guitar and piano driven Just As I Am and ragtime jaunt Down Yonder. At a tight 33 minutes, one to revisit.

What a warm hug of a voice. I will always appreciate Willie. A tad too County to appeal to my tastes but welcome nonetheless. I prefer his mainstream covers. 4/5

I get why Robert Redford said no.

7.5/10

not too big on country but it was cool and short

Synes det var kedeligt. Instrumenteringen er for sparsom, ofte kun en akustisk western guitar. Og så synes jeg ikke melodilinjer med plekter på westernguitar lyder særligt godt, alt for underproduceret. Den redder sig fra bunden ved at Willie Nelson har en helt fantastisk sangstemme.

Willie nelson has a great voice, this is perfect for riding on a horse towards the setting sun, turning your back on your love for promised fortune.

While I like older country and Willie Nelson is obviously a legend, it was a little slow for me. It was pleasant driving music but that's about all I got out of it.

I listened to this album three times today, after not having heard it for several years. This was the album that convinced me to vote Willie Nelson for president. I love the recurring themes and story telling and overall vibe of this record. It’s nearly perfect-I will round up to 5 stars, even though it’s probably a true 4.5 for me.

Lo siento. Un poco rollo. Venga, un 3, porque es Willie Nelson.

Nice enough, but too straight-ahead country for me.

Blues, Country, 1975 -> 2

Låååårt.

Hvis jeg nogensinde får brug for akut at kaste op, så sætter jeg det her album på igen. Ikke før eller siden 🤮🤮🤮

Pleasant outlaw country. Nothing really stood out but it's nice background music. I really love willie's voice. 3.5

This was the first time I’d listened to a Willie Nelson album. It was nice enough. It got a bit repetitive, but was only 33 minutes long, so not too bad. I’m not a huge fan of Willie’s voice, I mean, he sings well, but the way his voice sounds can get a bit annoying 😕 “Just as I Am” is one of my favorite hymns, but this one sounded a bit too similar to a MIDI file 😅 My favorites were “Can I Sleep In Your Arms” and “Bandera.” “Red Headed Stranger” was good too. I like how Can I Sleep In Your Arms was to the tune of Red River Valley. It was just a sweet little song. Overall not too bad.

Better than I thought it’d be

Fast and straight to the point. Good one.

"Red Headed Stranger" n'est pas un album, c'est un film pour les oreilles. Un western crépusculaire et poussiéreux, qui sent le whisky bon marché, la poudre et la solitude. Quand on lit le concept, on se dit que le mec était complètement cinglé ou visionnaire : raconter l'histoire d'un prédicateur en fuite qui, dans un accès de rage, bute sa femme infidèle et son amant avant de traverser le pays avec le cadavre de sa bourrique. Le tout sur un disque de country. Il fallait oser. Et c'est là que réside le premier coup de génie de l'album. La narration car Willie Nelson ne se contente pas d'enchaîner des chansons, il tisse une véritable trame, avec des interludes, de courts poèmes, des reprises de vieilles chansons qui viennent commenter l'action, comme le ferait un choeur antique dans une tragédie grecque. On suit ce "prédicateur au regard de fou" dans sa quête de rédemption, on ressent sa peine, sa violence, sa quête désespérée de réconfort. C'est d'une ambition folle pour un genre musical qui, à l'époque, se contentait de formats de trois minutes pour la radio. Le deuxième coup de génie, c'est le son. Quand les pontes de Columbia Records ont reçu les bandes, ils ont cru à une mauvaise blague. Ils pensaient que c'étaient des maquettes. Le son était nu et dépouillé, pas de cordes, pas de choeurs dégoulinants, juste la voix nasillarde et pleine d'émotion de Willie, sa guitare "Trigger" et un piano bastringue. C'était l'anti-Nashville et les boss du label ont supplié Nelson de ré-enregistrer, d'ajouter des arrangements. Willie, qui venait de signer un contrat lui donnant un contrôle artistique total (une rareté à l'époque), les a envoyés paître. Et il a bien fait car c'est cette nudité qui fait toute la force de l'album. Chaque note, chaque silence, est au service de l'histoire. La voix de Nelson n'est pas celle d'un chanteur technique, c'est celle d'un conteur. On a l'impression d'être assis au coin du feu avec lui, tandis qu'il nous déroule son récit tragique. C'est du pur Americana, au sens le plus noble du terme. Ça sent la terre, la poussière, les grands espaces et les âmes perdues. Et le miracle, c'est que ça a marché. Contre toute attente, cet album aride et conceptuel est devenu un succès monstre. Le single "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain", une reprise d'une vieille chanson de Fred Rose, est devenu un tube planétaire. Le public, lassé par la soupe country de l'époque, a plébiscité cette authenticité, cette prise de risque. "Red Headed Stranger" a fait de Willie Nelson le chef de file du mouvement "Outlaw", et a prouvé qu'on pouvait vendre des millions de disques de country en refusant de faire des compromis. Alors, pourquoi un solide 4 sur 5 et pas le 5/5 indiscutable ? Parce que l'album est si dévoué à son concept, si radical dans son dépouillement, qu'il demande un effort à l'auditeur. Ce n'est pas un disque qu'on met en fond sonore pour faire la vaisselle. C'est une oeuvre qui exige une écoute attentive, presque religieuse et si on n'est pas d'humeur à se laisser embarquer dans cette chevauchée funèbre, certains passages, certaines transitions, peuvent paraître un peu longs, un peu austères. C'est un chef-d'oeuvre, oui, mais un chef-d'oeuvre exigeant. C'est un bloc, une expérience totale, à prendre ou à laisser. Un disque qui se moque des modes et du temps qui passe. Il suffit d'un feu de camp, d'un ciel étoilé et de la voix de Willie Nelson pour que la magie opère, hier comme demain. Un classique absolu.

Calmo, suadente, toccante.

Gran disco. De esos que pareciera imposible que a alguien no le guste. Genial buena vibra, que de un track súper nostálgico puede pasar a otro absolutamente feliz, para al final quedarse con ganas de echarse un grito de vaquero e ir a observar el horizonte al atardecer. Y lo mejor de todo es que tiene una versión country de Sobre las olas. Qué genio.

From one country music icon to another. And from one dramatically sparse record to another. I am not familiar with Willie Nelson in the slightest. I could say this about the majority of the big country stars from the last 60 years because it’s not a genre I listen to. And aside from a few standouts here and there, none of the albums I have heard have made my opinion of said genre become any more positive. I still really don’t resonate with it on as deep of a level as some do. Some people live and die by this shit. I was still open to hearing what Willie had to offer. Unfortunately, I don’t find it to be much. To start with the good, he’s got a great voice. One of the best I’ve heard in country, and one that feels immediately iconic. It’s also one of the most seminal releases for the history of the Outlaw Country movement. So it’s nice to see people like him and Johnny Cash inspiring others to fight for creative freedom. But that’s where the positives end for me. This is basically a pseudo-concept album about a fictional outlaw on the run. But I’m not really sure how well that story comes through. And his guitar playing is anything but remarkable. This entire album is composed of relatively short and simple songs. But these aren’t really the kind of short and simple songs that I enjoy. He recorded everything by himself, and there are sparse instances of something other than just his guitar here and there. There is just so little going on, and Willie’s songwriting and lyricism do not make up for that fact in the same way as people like Marty Robbins or the aforementioned Johnny Cash. Rating: 5/10

Fun country

love the mood setting, the calm story telling, the beautiful background instrumentals .. the concept and lyricism in intriguing and makes me wana listen more intently. I will revisit this for sure until i have feel like i have graspped the full story but its a very fun listen without it still

It's really relaxing, albeit a bit boring, but still a chill listen.

Yes, Willie Nelson is an icon, but this album just sounds like the same song 15 times over - that would be too much, even if I liked the song. 2/5

Better than anything Bob Dylan has put out

Something from the 70’s I actually kinda liked.

Unlike a lot of old country music this doesn't sound racist!

Nice voice but bit boring sorry Willie

Country ain't my thing but if I were to listen to it this would be it.

Simple and too the point old school Country album. With a little grit played by Willies fingers. It has a theme and songs that pop in and out of the tracklist Beautiful for all the wrong reasons. His voice tells a story and he tells it like it is. 4/5

Awesome awesome awesome country music. Willie is one of the GOATS of music in general.

Already listened, loved it

Still not a huge country guy, but Willie is a classic.

Well of course this is going to be awesome.

Up until now, although I was aware of Willie Nelson’s music, I mostly associated him with his activism, especially around marijuana legalization and LGBTQ+ rights.I was genuinely surprised by the stripped-back production—it feels so raw and honest. I later found out that this style was actually a deliberate pushback against the more polished, mainstream Nashville Sound, which just added a new layer of appreciation for me. This discovery led me down a bit of a Google rabbit hole, learning more about the “outlaw country” movement, which is all about authenticity and breaking industry norms. There’s something timeless and soulful about Nelson’s voice and his storytelling; he captures emotions in such a simple yet powerful way. I’ll definitely be coming back to this album—it’s clear now why he’s so revered not just as a musician, but as a true artist with a unique voice.

Snoozy at first but it picked up towards the end. If the first 20 minutes were as good as the rest of the album this would have been an 8/10 for me. Acoustic only tracks could have used more flare. Favorite songs were: 11. Down Yonder 13. Hands on the Wheel 6/10

I like Willie Nelson and his vibe, never listened to his music really before this, pretty meh.

I really like Willie Nelson's voice. I love a lot of these songs. "Down Yonder" is my favorite. I wish more of the songs were in this style rather than the slow soothing ballads. I like this a lot too though. 7/10

Una onda media ranchera

It was nice, mellow and easy to listen to.

Willie Nelson to me is an older guy who shows up as a side character for a single scene in where the joke is about smoking weed in random movies. That being said I got kind off excited when this was todays album since I've never heard his music. I really liked this album. Slow country music with guitars and a really nice voice. This seems perfect to put on at home and just leave playing while reading in the evening.

What a fun little listen! This is my first Willie Nelson album, and given his popularity, I was initially caught off guard by how minimalistic and rudimentary everything sounded here. Obviously, that didn't last long, you get a song like 'Down Yonder' deep into this album that sounds like something you'd hear in a saloon. I'd say the music and instrumentation open up and become more varied as the album progresses, which feels intentional given the story progression. Willie Nelson is a great singer, but this album's obvious draw is its overarching story about the "stranger" protagonist. I mean it certainly lives up to its "outlaw country" genre tag, that guy kills his spouse for cheating and then kills a lady for touching his horse? Only to get to Denver and fall in love again. The love songs closing out the record, I assume targeted at this new love interest, were the highlights for me - specifically 'Hands on the Wheel' and 'Can I Sleep in Your Arms'. Given the guy is a borderline psychopath, the song 'Hands on the Wheel' detailing his aging and getting a family with this new girl was still very heartfelt and warm somehow. Speaks to Nelsons' talents I suppose. Something about this album just feels really authentic. No unnecessarily long runtime and no posturing - just a nice little sonic journey through the country that's performed and written exceptionally well.

Red Headed Stranger is just another country album with all the quirks and flaws that come with most albums of the genre in my eyes. The album itself sounded pleasant enough and never really got unbearably bad to listen to (aside from that weird horn noise that most country albums use that i just don't like hearing all that much). But the album just hardly deviates from it's own formula or tries enough different things with each song which causes nearly all of them to sound the same. I also think that the songs end too quickly and unnaturally to the point where i have to check the tab the song was playing on in order to see if i was on a new song or not. This album isn't bad but it's not very great either. Best Song: Down Yonder Worst Song: O'er the Waves

Lemppari: Can I Sleep In Your Arms Vähiten lemppari: Down Yonder

Very pleasant, but a bit sleepy / down tempo. I was excited to listen to this and on a first listen it didn't really do it for me. I think future listenings might be more rewarding.

country at its best; mournful and gorgeous and aching. such pure, tight songwriting. i love folk and old school country, but am embarrassingly unacquainted with willie nelson. what a wonderful introduction. timeless. those last three songs, wow. also, this mf has 153 albums????? they don’t make em like this anymore.

Love Willie as a person, but this album is pretty one note. “Down Yonder” is the one exception, was not expecting to hear a kazoo.

America’s heart

Perfect story and very nice album. I like it. Masterpiece.

Definitely a cooler concept than Stardust but still like it a little less. Still amazing and so comforting. Rating: 4.4

I’ve listened to this twice now and I still feel indifferent to it. It’s the kind of album you enjoy once it’s on but not something you’d necessarily specifically pick out to put on. Nelson’s voice is amazing though and I am probably going to listen to a few more of this albums because I feel like I have potential to really love his music if only I find the right album.

awful

Willie really broke it down in this concept album; his voice and guitar carrying the bulk of the weight. The album tells a simple, haunting story about a preacher drifting from town to town, looking for something he lost. After his wife leaves him, he carries a mix of hurt and anger, trying to find peace but holding on to a bit of revenge, too. Each song feels like a scene from an old Western, raw and honest. The quiet music pulls you in close, making you feel like you’re right there, riding along on dusty roads, watching his journey unfold. It’s a story that feels real, like it’s told around a fire on a cold night.

-more Willie Nelson. I think I like this album more than the other one. I’ve never been a huge country music / Willie Nelson-type of person but I can appreciate the quality and legacy. I found myself actually wishing a few of the songs were longer so I could have more to go off of though -Favorites are Time Of The Preacher, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, and Red Headed Stranger

His voice and the feeling behind every line is amazing. And the sparse instrumentation lets the story shine.

aaaaahhh nem esküszöm meg rá, de sztem ez az az album, amiről Dylan a könyvében úgy lelkesedett, hogy olyan a production, illetve hát olyannyira nincsen, mintha a konyhában vette volna fel. és valóban. :D és nevetségesen szép is pont emiatt omg.

Loved it!

Enjoyable

I have no notes.

Interesting concept album

не съм в настроение за кънтри, такъв му бил късмета

Very old west / country / twangy, which is not my style, but is great for this genre and time period.

Not my style of music I found it to be super boring sounding and wouldn't listen again

Wish I liked his music cause he's a cool dude

When I tell people that I like some country music, this is what I'm talking about.

Really nice chill country music, almost felt like one continuous song. Fave songs were ‘Just As I Am’ and ‘Red Headed Stranger’.

This is a smooth, sensitive, heartfelt album that puts you in a time and place. I feel like I can smell the barroom, taste the light beer, and see the cigarette dangling from the steel guitarists lips. The country guitar, lilty piano and Jews harp jams, mixed with the slow and thoughtful lyrics, make for a sweet romp.

Opening track is pretty solid. I should probably dislike this more, but the for how laid back it is makes it a different experience. I'm also a sucker for storyteller albums. The longer it goes, the less enthused I am about it. It's not bad though can I sleep in your arms is pretty decent. The instrumental for remember me is bluesy which is a nice change of pace.

Very slow in parts. It's fine if boring in parts. This is my second Willie Nelson album. I preferred Stardust. This is nowhere near terrible, but I doubt I will come back to it.

Great skill undeniably but you could never convince me country music isn't cartoon music

I am not a huge fan of "theme" albums, which is why I can't totally get into bands like The Who. Pete Townsend is obsessed with making rock operas and it doesn't always work for me. Red Headed Stranger is different though. There's enough variety here to warrant repeated listenings. These songs can be heard as a theme or just heard individually (like Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain always has been) as great music. I am more of a "greatest hits" Willie Nelson fan still, as there just is not a time when I want to put a Willie Nelson album on. I think if I just kept listening to this album, then my mind could change. This is an essential album in my opinion, because there isn't a "bad" track on here and Willie delivers the songs in his laid back manner to where I was compelled to pay attention to the lyrics. Two of the best songs are among the last three tracks on the album, which isn't something most artists could say when it comes to a "thematic" album, because usually it runs out of steam at the end. Not on this one though.

Not my kind of vibe

Trevlig chill country

Good instrumentation, fun concept album.

First Willie Nelson album that pops up. It ain't "bad" at all, but like with many of the english speaking folk artists, my permanent impression is something close to "meh". Don't wanna be disrespectful, but being honest, could have had more fun sucking a nail. Not my cup of tea

It’s country, so there’s a pretty set ceiling on how much I like it, but fairly enjoyable all things considered

80% Best: Time of the Preacher; Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain; Red Headed Stranger; Can I Sleep in Your Arms; Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming) Must-Hear? Almost

Second time in a couple of weeks where I start the review with "I don't like country, but ...". Willie Nelson has a great voice; very listenable, and the material is suitably simple. This works pretty well for me.

not bad, but i like other nelson projects way more so this dont stand out to me...

Overall, I liked it. I'm not into country, but there's a pleasant nostalgia that comes from Willie's style in this album. I definitely saved a few songs for later.

I went into this album expecting to not like it even though I didn't have much prior Willie experience. I was correct

Didn’t expect to like willie but super relaxing

Agree that the other Willie album was better.

I liked this album as far as easy listening. I liked his other album better though

nice enough outlaw country listen.

not my kind of music, but not bad at all

Grad lust in Alabama paar UFOs mit minere Shotgun us mim Pickup go jage und ahschlüssend ane QAnon Konferenz z gah. Yee ha!

zimli whack, wenn mer nöd grad mitm Pferd dur Prärie rieted. Vlt ja muskialisch na guet, Aber am ne mentig morge sound vo 1975 lose, wo tönt als obs vo 1850 wär isch sehr ahsträngend.

han mich wäred em lose schüch rasistisch gfühlt, keih ahnig warum aber ich glaub das hetts so ah sich trotzdem nume zwei sterne wells irgendwie keim banger gha hett

min innere country boy isch doch nöd so fescht gweckt worde wieni erwartet han… chönt aber au dra ligge dasi's in züri im büro glost han und nöd ufere ranch in texas struggle zwüsched 2 & 3 stern

The Red Headed Stranger sure can spin a yarn! The album itself is a little sleepy, but despite the fact that it’s country you can still listen to it. Best song is the instrumental Down Yonder when Willie goes into a dance and doubles on kazoo. He also plays some great ragtime piano. Interested in seeing the movie sometime if anyone else is in. (3.8*s)

The man can tell a story, I'll say that. This album will make you feel like you're next to a campfire using yer boots as a pillow. The right mix of sleepy stories and knee-slapping strings. I liked the closer, it's a nice combination of piano and harmonica but overall the album is a little bland. I'll give it a 1.55.

Everyone has heard of Willie and I had yet to hear a song of his. Took 18 albums for him to get on the map and this one landed right in the heart of Texas. It's got some old country cowboy tunes that would work in any saloon. A lot of shorties (thankfully). It's better than some others from the genre on the for sure but this is from the 70s. I bet his earlier albums get pretty honky. I don't think I will ever be that into country music. Just not my can a beans...1.6.

It's hard to imagine Willie Nelson as a young man in any way. He's been an old stoner for as long as I can remember, and while he is associated with music he has been represented more as an icon of past years than a relevant musician during my life. While I'm not upset to hear an old Willie Nelson album there's really nothing here for me. It's a handful of very short, relatively slow blues country songs, none of which stay with me after a listen. I imagine I could listen any of the many albums in his collection and lump them together as skippable. I don't identify with this genre in any way so overall its just a skip from me. 1.3 stars

Listened Before? Y Yep, one of my favorite albums of all time. This one is a classic and I already have it in my library. This is a good excuse to listen to it today! Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Time of the Preacher

Damn he got a nack for storytelling, Would listen again

Compared to the shit albums we have been getting, this ones a masterpiece. Just some nice relaxing country blues.

A low down hoedown from the big Willie himself

I get my Willie out, but not just to give it some air, so suck on it!!!!!

Songs: Blue Eyes Cryin in the Rain

I’m not a fan of Country music, and this did nothing to change my prejudices. Even if I am a red head.

I respect Willie and his songwriting talent, but at the end of the day it's still country music and not my cup of tea.

I enjoyed how sparse this album sounded - it allows Willie Nelson’s voice and lyrics to come to the forefront and not stand on their own. This risk not to hide behind instrumentals and production worked here! Simple and clean. I’m not often into country music but Willie is, deservedly, one of the great legends of the genre. 3.25/5

i dont imagine there's a tonnnn of country on this list but there's probably enough to trip me up a little because, as is the case with most Online Music Fans, it is not a genre i have rly found a consistent way into yet in an album presentation. however not only is this rly good but its also v different from the couple of more nashville-y country records ive rolled so far...its a lot sparser and spacier and while thats not usually my intuitive preference i think opening up the space rly rly does something for my appreciation, simultaneously bigger and even cosmic while also being comfier and more intimate. some sparkling pianos on here i always love, and clearly beautiful country melodies even tho its not an idiom i can seamlessly navigate atm. if anyone has country recs (from any era really) lemme know, ive been living in texas for over half a decade now im running out of excuses!

I don't really like country music. To my surprise, I didn't like this album that much. I probably won't listen to it again, but for this time I found it quite interesting. 3/5

Another Willie Nelson album. I really enjoyed it, but don’t have much more to say besides that. More of the same, and it’s good. Standouts: Time of the Preacher, Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain, Red Headed Stranger, Just As I Am, Can I Sleep in Your Arms, Hands on the Wheel, and Bandera.

I like Willie Nelson, like him a lot... but yesterday wasn't the right day to listen to such a melancholic and quiet album! Other than that, I would love it :-(

Did not listen

Pretty good.

this album reminds me of rdr2 (recently finished the game) great album

????? - me listening to this album

8/10. It was a slow, calm collection of songs. They were all very good and felt very cohesive from one to the next.

Willie as his popularity grew.. Raw and simple, a delight

Surprised how much I liked this. To me it sounded like it hewed a little more closely to what I would consider folk than country. Vocals sounded great and it had a lot of variety packed into 33 minutes. 3.5, rounded down for all the murderousness.

formative album for me, engendered a love for concept albums in me that essentially no one else has ever satisfied.

Honestly, this was way better than I thought it was going to be. I'm not a huge country fan or a fan of Willie Nelson, but the songs were well-written.

This mostly just made me want to listen to other Willie Nelson

Personally the best country album

LOVED it. This came out about the time I saw him at one of his 4th of July picnics. Good times!

Country music is lost on me.

Fantastic country music that makes you feel like you're riding a horse across the Wild West

I've always said The Red Headed Stranger, and Johnny Cash are the only Country Musicians I like, but unfortunately, this album is a dud. It sounded too much like normal country for me. Favorite Track: "Red Headed Stranger"

Does all Willie Nelson sound the same?? It's ok

This album is lovely. It's not my usual genre but I really enjoyed having it on. What the heck? I'm giving it a 5.

5/5 very easy to listen to, old school country

- Guter Mann - solides und entspanntes Konzeptalbum, das eine nette kleine Geschichte erzählt - Sticht nix besonders raus, kann man aber gut nebenbei hören Rating: 3/5

- Der alte kiffende Sack ist mir einfach super sympatisch und auch wenn ich nicht ganz so viel mit country anfangen kann, hat mir das hier ganz gut gefallen - eventuell liegt es daran, dass er es irgendwie schafft ein paar authentische folkklänge mit einzubringen und seine Texte in den Vordergrund zu stellen. - könnte man gut weghören, auch wenn ich mir kein Song gespeichert habe und nicht weiß, ob ich die Scheibe nochmal höre. 3,25/5

- entspannt - hätte nicht gedacht, dass es mir gefällt

Old time country, if you like that stuff, which I don’t

Old times country

Love the short little ditties on this album. The 2 instrumentals break it up nicely.

Too folky for me, maybe if i was really sad going through a breakup then it would hit. Not bad at all, would listen to again, but 2 stars because i found myself spacing out and not paying attention to the music

Very relaxing.

It's really hard for me to be objective, this kind of music is incredibly nostalgic, due to my mom being from the south. With that said, this Willie Nelson album is like a warm blanket wrapped around your shoulders on a silent Texas Prairie night, smoking on the porch, looking at the stars. Oddly lonely, but still comforting. Nice break from the over produced nashville sounds I've heard on my list recently, too.

Someone protect this adorable little stoner at all costs. Truly music that you feel in the soul and spirit. It will be a sad sad day for country music when this man is no longer with us.

It's fine? Fav Track - Bandera

Classic. Loved it.

There's not much to dislike here. Just classic outlaw country at its finest.

Good album. Quiet and mellow. Good for camping and road trips.

Classic Willie. Not sure what else to say.

Not my genre.

Varsin positiivinen ylläri! Hyvää (tausta)musiikkia, pitää kuunnella uudelleen.

2.5

A different kind of country album. Loosely structured with most of the tracks being 1-2 minute interludes and very sparse instrumentation, it still worked for me as it created a mood. The storytelling was also very evocative.There are only a few fully developed songs (but that maybe be a creative choice) in this and out of them I absolutely loved the gentle and mostly silent 'Can I sleep in your arms'. No other song on its own attracted my attention. But like I said, the whole thing sets a mood. So it was okay for me.

😴

Yee-haw 🤠

Exactly what I expected. Nothing to elaborate on here.

I did not think I like country music, but this was really relaxing

Besides the harp-play, old-fashioned country is not my jam.

This is very good. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” never fails to make me emotional. I think having the same song three times, albeit different iterations, is a bit weird. Especially when that’s only for the first half. Would not hesitate to listen to this again. 4/5

More generic-sounding country music.

A lovely introduction into the master of country and weed.

When I first put it on I absolutely thought I would give it a two or less. I mean the whole thing leans heavily on his voice and guitar, both of which do not seem to be capable of the heavy lifting and songs are repeated over and over. Despite my initial reaction to this record there’s something very charming about it, by repeating a song three times it already feels on the first listen like you know the album by heart and the simplicity of the songs helps with that. The instrumentals are fantastic and help build the pretty great atmosphere that is this record. I don’t however fancy the songs all that much so while I can appreciate how well built the record is I won’t be giving it a high score

Pretty meh to be honest. I was expecting there to be a bit more to this one...

Very very country…

Really not my sort of thing although not terrible. I like his voice.

Easy listening. No notable songs.

I tend to avoid Country music as I’ve always felt it was one of the worst genres, a brief listen to some of this album confirmed my bias. Awful.

This was fantastic. I've heard various willy Nelson but never listened through a full album. Enjoyed almost every track

On the road again

Enjoyable but not as memorable as some of his other stuff imo

This is about as much as I’ll ever like country music this side of Johnny Cash.

If you like Willie Nelson, I can imagine this is a very good Willie Nelson album. The storytelling and songwriting are excellent, and the stripped down feel is unique. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of Willie and his style, but I respect the hell out of him, and this only reinforces that. Just not something I’ll be putting on repeat.

This was a phenomenal album. I’ve never listened to Willie Nelson but now I see why people love him. This was so good.

Nice