Honky Tonk Heroes (1999)

Here’s another hard-to-find album that doesn’t appear on many discographies.  This is also another album where an artist was recording an album at Willie’s Pedernales studio, and Willie wanders in and takes over.  Eric Paul and Eddie Shaver began producing this album of Billy Joe Shaver songs in 1989, but it didn’t get released until 1999.  In the meantime, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings wandered into the studio at various times to add tracks to the album.  The album opens with Shaver’s “Honky Tonk Heroes (Like Me).”  Willie and Waylon (I think; the liner notes do not indicate who sings vocals on each track) share vocal duties.  Waylon sings this song on “Wanted: the Outlaws,” so that makes me think it’s him and not Billy Joe.  The band includes Eddy Shaver (guitar), David Crockett (drums), David Cochran (bass), and Bucky Meadows (piano).  “Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me” (track 2) appears to have Kristofferson on vocals.  It contains this great line: “moving’s the closest thing to bein’ free.” And this: “Willie, you’re wild as a Texas blue norther, ready rolled from the same makin’s as me, and I reckon we’ll ramble ‘till hell freezes over.”  This must be Shaver’s autobiographical song about life on the road with Willie.  He adds, “there never will be a single soul livin’ can put brand or handle on Willie the wandering gypsy or me.”  Willie does seem to defy brands, labels, and handles.  “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal” (track 3) also appears on Willie’s compilation album “Joy,” which I have reviewed in a previous blog.  “Ain’t No God in Mexico” (track 4) features Willie and Waylon.  I can’t find this song on any other Willie album.  Reminds me of Cormac McCarthy’s border trilogy: “that border-crossin’ feelin’ makes a fool out of a man.”  The line “If my feet could fit a railroad track, I guess I’da been a train” fits Willie and his life story.  “You Asked Me To” (track 5) opens with Billy Joe singing.  Willie and Waylon join him as the song progresses.  Willie’s vocals and guitar shine on this track.  Waylon co-wrote this song with Billy Joe.  Kristofferson joins the trio on vocals for “Oklahoma Wind” (track 6).  They sing of “dead tomorrows planted yesterday.”  “I Couldn’t Be Me Without You” (track 7) is all Willie and, not surprisingly, the best track on this album.  Worth the price of the cd.  I haven’t found Willie singing this on any other album.  Billy Joe sings lead on “Tramp On Your Street” (track 8).  Willie sings a faint back-up.  I feel like I’ve heard Willie sing this before, but I can’t find it at present on any other Willie album.  Willie certainly agrees with Billy Joe’s lyrics: “I don’t count on tomorrow.  I just live for today.”  “Easy Come Easy Go (aka: Ride Me Down Easy)” (track 9) opens with Willie singing this great line: “The highway she’s hotter than 9 kinds of hell.”  Willie takes the lead vocals on this track, which makes it one of the two best tracks on the album.  The album closes with all four honky tonk heroes singing on “We Are the Cowboys” (track 10).  The song tries to be serious, but the lyrics don’t make much sense.  Even these legendary country vocalists can’t save these jumbled lines.  An inconsistent album, but worth owning for tracks 7 and 9.