Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1985)—take 2

7/22/2010

I didn’t comment on any of the lyrics in my January blog, so I’ll focus on those this time. I also notice this time around that this is one of the few albums with no Willie-penned songs.

In the opening track, “Mona Lisa,” Willie asks, “Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa, or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art?” A poignant question that could apply to much of Willie’s work. The mystery, the paradox of that Mona Lisa smile puzzles Willie as it has puzzled Proust and every other artist who wrestles with the psychology of love. Freddie Powers and Willie take turns singing “Exactly Like You.” “Now I know why momma taught me to be true; she meant me for someone exactly like you.” Interestingly, Willie insists in this song that his love is better than the movies: “No one does those love scenes exactly like you.” This runs counter to many of Willie’s songs which depict women who fail to live up to the platonic, Hollywood ideals. Willie asks why he should spend money on picture shows (on art or music or literature) that depict ideal love when he has waited and found that perfect love in the flesh. “Who’s Sorry Now” has Willie crying again. His heart is “aching for breaking every vow.” Being true isn’t as easy as he made it sound in “Exactly Like You.” In “I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You),” Willie swears he loves her: “honest I do.” But he’s afraid that someday she’ll leave him. All his life depends on her, but he knows he dreams dreams of her in vain. This whole notion of confessing, of telling truth, of lying, of leaving, of pledging, promising, vowing. The truth gets so tied up in love and emotion. The legality and logic of relationships. “Won’t You Ride in My Little Red Wagon” reverts back to an optimistic, hopeful view of love. The fiddle work on this album ranks up there with the best in Willie’s repertoire. Johnny Gimble and Paul Buskirk really go at it on the strings. The title track, “Over the Rainbow,” may be my favorite track