This was the first disc I ever heard of Willie Nelson back about 25 years ago, and it has to be one of his best. This is a bit more lively than Red Headed Stranger, an excellent and understated album made the year before this one, but the same instrumentation with a few more drums - a very few more. This is very mellow except for the Lefty Frizzell track "If You've Got The Money" and the "Night Life" portion of the final track. But this is an uplifting album. Willie does a fine job with all the songs, making them all sound like his own (4 songs are cover songs, but they're well chosen).
One of the highlights on here is the Medley (Funny How Time Slips Away/Crazy/NightLife) where he does 3 of his self-penned standards at once. Willie still plays this medley on a pretty regular basis in concert and the end has some nice guitar work.
The set opens with That lucky old sun, a song that provided Frankie Laine with an American number one hit in 1949. Amazing grace has been covered by countless singers but Willie's version is just what you expect - excellent. A penny for your thoughts (an original song) is very sad. The healing hands of time, a ballad about recovering from sadness, is a classic. Thanks again, I'd have to be crazy and the title track are all excellent.
Perhaps this is not Willie's best album but it has a little of everything - pop oldies, country oldies, re-recordings of his own oldies and original songs. It definitely belongs in the collection of any Willie Nelson fan.
