From the opening lines of the opening song on Willie Nelson's new album, the tone and the direction his 76th solo album is clear.
A legendary figure in popular music, now 91 years old, is looking back at a hard-to-imagine life and acknowledging some day it will end.
You might expect the songs on the album to be new originals with intensely autobiographical stories from along the way. But Last Leaf on the Tree, produced and curated by Nelson's son Micah, is largely a covers album — a reminder that although Willie is one of the preeminent songwriters in music, he excels just as much as an interpreter of other's music.
The track that kicks off the album is "Last Leaf," which finds Nelson comparing himself to the final leaf hanging on after autumn winds have blown away the rest. It sounds like Nelson sat down at a piano, thought about his age and the friends he's lost along the way, and let the words come out. It's a Tom Waits song from 2011.
Early on, Last Leaf on the Tree was going to be exclusively Waits songs, and although the project expanded to many other sources, you can see why the Waits song is the album's namesake and opening song.
Another standout is "Lost Cause," a Beck song from the album Sea Change. Micah Nelson's arrangement adds a country element to the pastoral folk of the original, with longtime Willie collaborator Mickey Raphael adding harmonica.
For the most part, the younger Nelson's production choices are understated and subtle, keeping the focus on Willie's voice and the lyrics.
Warren Zevon's "Keep Me In Your Heart" is one of the most famous end-of-life songs out there. Written after Zevon was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, it's a simple plea to not be forgotten after you leave this world.
As far as we know, Willie Nelson has not recently experienced a decline in health. From a recent interview with the AP, "I don't feel bad. I don't hurt anywhere. I don't have any reason to worry about dying. But I don't know anybody who's lived forever," he said. "I take pretty good care of myself. And I feel like I'm in pretty good shape physically."
Nonetheless, Nelson is 91 and the end of his life, whenever that might come, is clearly on the mind. Micah Nelson also identified the theme of the album as "facing death with grace."
Seemingly confirming his assessment of his health is the strength of his singing throughout Last Leaf on the Tree. Nelson's voice remains expressive and full of life, front and center across the 13 songs. It is his strongest album in years and it's our Album of the Week on KAXE.
Must listens
- "Last Leaf"
- "If It Wasn't Broken"
- "Lost Cause"
- "Come Ye"
- "Keep Me In Your Heart"
- "House Where Nobody Lives"
- "Are You Ready For The Country"
- "Do You Realize??"
- "Broken Arrow"
