Willie Nelson – Gravedigger
The fine folks at the 9513 have done a fine job of reviewing the new Willie Nelson cut “Gravedigger” from Willie’s forthcoming release “Moment of Forever” (Lost Highway – January 22nd) and I have to admit though a Dave Mathews penned and Kenny Chesney produced song doesn’t look promising to me on paper, I’ll be damned if the Texas Yoda doesn’t pull it off!
January 11th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I love Willie’s phrasing on the song. The video is eerie! Willie said they stayed in NYC, after Farm Aid, and spent the night in the cemetary. Then, on 9/11, they started filming at 6:00 a.m. in the morning, and filmed all day in the rain, and when he sings, “…so I can feel the rain,” it really started pouring. . I love the black and white. Didn’t like seeing Willie in a coffin, though!
January 13th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Texas Yoda. I like that.
March 28th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Totally eerie and very cool. Love the rendition. BTW, Willie has a new box set out 4/1/8. 100 songs, 4 cds (”One Hell of a Ride”). This song is not on it but I guarantee you’ll love it anyway!
April 15th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Holy. Saw the vid last night for the first time and it knocked my sox off. This is what it’s all about….
December 26th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Are you guys kidding? This is one of the laziest most inept covers I’ve ever heard. Mathews’ song carries at least some emotional range, and Mathews’ performance reflects the hope and heartache, and the unfairness of it all. Willie Nelson’s version sounds as if he doesn’t even know the words he is singing- as if he’s just reading the lyrics of a cocktail napkin and wrapping a recording in one take. Willie Nelson has been a lazy non-artist for years. He gets by recording other people’s songs in his lazy unadventurous style and gets to call if “outlaw country.” What a crock.
December 26th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Lloyd: each to his own, but to argue about the emotional depth of Dave Mathews’ music is like discussing the concept of subtlety with Madonna.
And you you can kiss my ass for bad talking Willie.