It's WAY too early to be crying on a Thursday morning... Today,
Willie Nelson released the second song from his 76th solo studio album (and 153rd album overall)
Last Leaf On The Tree , a heartfelt cover of the Flaming Lips classic, "Do You Realize??" Of course, it was released as the first single from their 2002
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots album, and quickly became one of the band's most popular songs when it reached #32 in the UK Singles Chart. It has been played at pretty much every live show since then, and never fails to pull on the heartstrings in my very humble opinion. Willie's new album, according to his son Micah who is in the producer's chair for the first time, will have a “through-line” in the project that faces "death with grace":
“There are little side-quests, but that became the through-line — facing death with grace.” While a world without Willie Nelson is not something I want to think about, he’s never been one to shy away from what’s on his heart and mind and clearly this is no exception. At 91 years old as of April, this record marks his 76th solo studio album (and 153rd album overall), and the fact that we're still lucky enough to be getting new music from him is truly a gift. The lyrics of "Do You Realize??" perfectly capture the feelings and sentiment I think Micah and Willie were going for, and feel all the more poignant and resonant coming from Willie, a seasoned musician who celebrates the golden years of his life and continues to do what he loves:
"Do you realize That you have the most beautiful face? Do you realize We're floating in space? Do you realize That happiness makes you cry? Do you realize That everyone you know someday will die? And instead of saying all of your goodbyes Let them know you realize that life goes fast It's hard to make the good things last You realize the sun doesn't go down It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round" I saw a comment somewhere where someone said Willie's cover here is on the level of what Johnny Cash did with the "Hurt," and while I hate two compare two country icons and their music, that's a compliment of the highest order and I wholeheartedly agree — it's that good. Micah says he took a “sculptor’s approach” to producing his father’s album and was involved in every aspect, including played on more than two dozen instruments on the record, from guitars and pianos to “sticks and branches, logs and dead leaves”:
“It’s an approach that I really love and have used a lot over the years — just throwing the clay down and stepping back, then maybe adding a little more, and then maybe shaving down here, and kind of building the tracks that way.” Willie already released "Last Leaf," which was originally recorded “Last Leaf” and included it on his 2011
Bad As Me album, with Rolling Stones legend Keith Richards lending his vocals on that track. The longtime friends have worked together in the past, and clearly Willie admires his work because there’s also a cover of “Robbed Blind” on the tracklist. The album is due out everywhere on November 1st, and it's once again shaping up to be an incredible strong, meaningful project from the red headed stranger. Do yourself a favor and check it out... but you might want to grab a tissue first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RTAbAjfTes
"Do You Realize??" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPXWt2ESxVY
Last Leaf on the Tree tracklist: 1. Last Leaf (written by Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan) 2. If It Wasn’t Broken (written by Sydney Lyndella Ward) 3. Lost Cause (written by Beck David Hansen) 4. Come Ye (written by Nina Simone) 5. Keep Me In Your Heart (written by Warren Zevon & Jorge Calderon) 6. Robbed Blind (written by Keith Richards) 7. House Where Nobody Lives (written by Tom Waits) 8. Are You Ready For The Country? (written by Neil Young) 9. Do You Realize?? (written by Wayne Coyne/Steven Drozd/Michael Ivins/David Fridmann) 10. Wheels (written by Micah Nelson) 11. Broken Arrow (written by Neil Young) 12. Color Of Sound (written by Willie Nelson & Micah Nelson) 13. The Ghost (written by Willie Nelson)
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