The Words Don’t Fit the Picture (1972)

When “the words don’t fit the picture” there’s “no need to force the love scenes anymore.” So many of Willie’s songs are about empty words, empty promises. “A game we play.” A role. And we say words that aren’t our own. Just lines that people say in movies; lines that we don’t mean, though we wish we did. “And if we’ve been acting all along, and we both act right and we both act wrong, where does it say that we should cry?” No-fault romance. No need to cry. We’re both right. We’re both wrong. Everybody wins. Everybody loses. No use crying. A fairly spare recording with a prominent harmonica. Willie still sounds like he’s trying to be someone else, but he does seem to be singing all over the beat. This version of “Good Hearted Woman” does not compare well to the more famous (and rightly so) live versions. This is the first time I’ve heard “Stay Away from Lonely Places…till you learn to live alone.” It has a mournful harmonica and steel guitar. I was pleasantly surprised by the spare setting. A little Trigger work in the middle. “Stay Away From Lonely places for a while.” That “for a while” is key. The diction reminds me of “funny” in “Funny how time slips away.” I’ll be sad, but only for a while. No BFD. Everything in Willie’s universe is just for a while. Time itself is just for a while. Ain’t no thang. Fleeting and evanescent like Japanese poetry. Cry for a while, but smile for eternity. This version of “Country Willie” is actually slowed down, and the vocals feature prominently. It may have the worst back-up singing yet. Even my four-year-old said he didn’t like this song when the background singers kicked in. “London” surprised me. What is the crying cowboy doing singing (or, rather, talking) about London? This one is a real curiosity. Unlike anything else he has done. More of a Johnny Cash talking song. Willie hums along: “London, you’ve screamed the largest portion of the day…Rest your lungs, tomorrow’s on it’s way.” This version of “One Step Beyond” is funkier and bouncier than the others I’ve heard. It may be one of my favorites. Nice guitar work on several of these songs. The doo-wop singers are back with a vengeance on “My Kind of Girl.” This is the first time I’ve heard this song. “Will You Remember?” may be the best song on the album. I’ve reviewed this version previously in my blog about the compilation “Sweet Memories,” where it also appears. I have numerous versions of “Rainy Day Blues,” but I like the way the vocals stand out in this one. This album started out rough with all the strings, but it’s growing on me towards the end. Some definite keepers here. And the harmonica shines on this track and others. Is it Mickey? “If You Really Loved Me” “you wouldn’t treat me this way. And you’d be kind enough to leave some night while I’m away. And I might cry when you go, but I won’t die when you go.” Cryin’ but not dyin’. Willie bends, but he doesn’t break. Emotional ju-jitsu. Or is it judo? The one where you give ground and use the opponent’s momentum against them. Willie seems to miss a few notes on this one, but I like the way he’s stretching. Willie seems to be saying that true love is leaving someone in the middle of the night without saying goodbye. Is that like a mercy killing? True love isn’t loving someone forever, it’s knowing when to go, and going quietly in the night, no questions asked. No-fault love. Not exactly unconditional love, as it is traditionally conceived, but I guess this is Willie’s version of agape. I wanted to end on a positive notes, but he (or Chet, more likely) trots out the doo-wop singers for the last 10 seconds. Why?