Nashville was the Roughest (disc 7)

Nashville was the Roughest (disc 7)

This disc includes the entire albums of “Texas in My Soul” and “Yesterday’s Wine” followed by a few versions of songs that would later appear on “Phases and Stages” for Atlantic.  I have commented on these albums in previous blogs, so I will focus on the material that is only available here.  These recordings with just Willie, Paul English (drums), and Bee Spears (bass) are as raw as anything in Willie’s catalog except for the Pamper demos.  This version of “Pretend I Never Happened” (track 23) may be better than the one that ended up on “Phases and Stages.”  “Sister’s Coming Home” (track 24) and “Down at the Corner Beer Joint” (track 25) aren’t as strong, but still well worth owning.  “I’m Falling in Love Again” (track 26) is as good as Willie gets.  The disc ends with two novelty songs: “Chet’s Tune” (on which Willie only sings a phrase) and “Poor Old Ugly Gladys Jones.”