Assorted Singles (not available on any Willie albums or compilations)

A few hours on ITUNES the other night yielded a few singles from various compilation and tribute albums.  I haven’t found these songs on any of Willie’s own compilation albums yet, so it is much more economical to buy these singles on ITUNES than to buy the entire albums (especially when most of the albums only have one Willie song).  Willie will need to compile and issue these songs together at some point.

“Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth” appears to have been released only as a single in 2005.  Not sure who the male and female vocalists (or the sax player) are who accompany Willie.  One website had this to say of this song:

Willie wrote this song on Christmas, 2003, and will perform it for the first time at the Kucinich for President fundraising concert in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 3, 2004.

There's so many things going on in the world

Babies dying

Mothers crying

How much oil is one human life worth

And what ever happened to peace on earth

We believe everything that they tell us

They're gonna' kill us

So we gotta' kill them first

But I remember a commandment

Thou shall not kill

How much is that soldier's life worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

(Bridge)

And the bewildered herd is still believing

Everything we've been told from our birth

Hell they won't lie to me

Not on my own damn TV

But how much is a liar's word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

So I guess it's just

Do unto others before they do it to you

Let's just kill em' all and let God sort em' out

Is this what God wants us to do

Now you probably won't hear this on your radio

Probably not on your local TV

But if there's a time, and if you're ever so inclined

You can always hear it from me

How much is one picker's word worth

And whatever happened to peace on earth

But don't confuse caring for weakness

You can't put that label on me

The truth is my weapon of mass protection

And I believe truth sets you free

“Please Come Home for Christmas” is on an acoustic country album (a friend gave it to me a few years ago, but I am just now realizing that it isn’t on any other Willie Christmas albums.  A live version of “What Was it You Wanted” (1993) can be found on “Bob Dylan: The 30^th Anniversary Concert Celebration.”  Not sure if it is Dylan or Mickey Raphael on harmonica.  Willie also sings this on “Across the Borderline” (1993).  Another version of Willie’s famous “Funny/Crazy” medley can be found on Neil Young’s “The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 1” (2006) along with a version of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”  I have over a dozen versions of this medley, but this may make my top five.  Just Willie, Trigger, and Mickey’s harmonica.  As good as Willie gets.  Surprisingly, I only have four other versions of “Mammas.”  Mickey’s harmonica shines on this version, but it can’t compete with the classic (if staged) live version with Waylon from 1978.  Somehow a reggae version of “A New Way to Cry” (2005) did not make it onto the “Countryman” album.  The only other example of this song comes from “The Ghost” (part 3).  I can’t believe this song would only be on “The Ghost,” though, so it must have another name on one of my Bear Family compilations .  Need to do some research on this.  A lovely version of “Philadelphia Lawyer” can be found on “Folkways: A Vision Shared: A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly” (1988).  Sounds like Johnny Gimble on fiddle and Mickey on harmonica.  This is the only place you’ll find Willie singing this song.        Apparently this version of “Marie” on “Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt” (2001)  was nominated for a Grammy.  Not sure how I haven’t run across it sooner.  How has this not been repackaged on a Willie compilation?  Sounds like Johnny Cash’s late albums produced by Mark Rubin.  Willie needs to record a whole album of songs like this.  Spare with just a guitar and Willie’s voice.  Willie’s version of John Lennon’s “Imagine” can be found on “Instant Karma: The Complete Recordings: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur” (2009).  Willie doesn’t attempt Lennon’s famous falsetto “Yoo-hoo!”  Mickey’s harmonica and Trigger outshine Willie’s vocals on this one.  Willie would agree with Lennon’s view of religion.  He’s a dreamer.  He’s all about karma and reincarnation.  Can’t believe Willie doesn’t sing “Lady Be Good” anywhere but on “Celebrating with Friends,” a tribute album to Johnny Gimble (2010).  He should record more with Gimble.  I’d like to know who’s on piano for this song.  A version of Willie singing “Still Water Runs Deepest” can be found on Asleep at the Wheel’s “Tribute to the Music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys” (1993).  Willie also sings this on “Pancho and Lefty” (1983) and “Last of the Breed” (2007).  A version of Willie singing “Couple More Years” with Jerry Lee Lewis appears on Jerry’s duet album “Last Man Standing” (2006).  The only other place Willie sings this is on “Waylon and Willie” (1978).  Jerry sounds great on this recording, or awful, which is the same thing in country music.  His voice sounds more ragged and gravely than Willie’s, if that’s possible.  It’s slow and full of suffering and steel and harmonica and Trigger with flamenco flecks of pain and piano sprinkled throughout.