Track Listing

1. The Nearness Of You
2. Fly Me To The Moon
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. If I Had You (feat. Diana Krall)
5. Ain't Misbehavin'
6. I Miss You So
7. Because Of You
8. Baby It's Cold Outside (feat. Norah Jones)
9. Angel Eyes
10. On The Street Where You Live
11. Since I Fell For You
12. Always On My Mind

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11235 in Music
• Published on: 2009-09-15
• Released on: 2009-08-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Album Description
2009 release from the Country/Pop icon. American Classic is Willie Nelson's return to the Great American Songbook, a crossover standards album by the man who invented the genre with his landmark, best-selling 1978 album Stardust, which has been certified five-times Platinum by the RIAA. Produced by Tommy LiPuma and featuring guest duet partners Norah Jones on the classic tale of seduction 'Baby It's Cold Outside' and Diana Krall on 'If I Had You.'

Customer Reviews

Willie sounds good singing these standards
Willie sounds great on this new disc of American song standards. This music puts me in a good mood. The musicians on the disc are so good. I love Mickey Raphael on the bluesy harmonica on the track "Since I Fell You". Joe Sample plays the piano on the "On The Street Where You Live". This song is pleasant to listen to. Joe provides the musical arrangements for these tracks. Every track sounds new and fresh, so Joe does his job well here. Willie duets with Diana Krall on "If I Had You" and Norah Jones on the track "Baby It's Cold Outside". Their vocal talents give these classic tracks a sensual sound that I love. "Angel Eyes" is a song about missing a loved one. This song sounds very romantic. Because Of You is a very pretty song. I like the sax playing on this track. I like the sentimental feeling Willie sings with on the track "Come Rain Or Come Shine". "Always On My Mind" is Willie's original song. I have never heard this song featuring piano playing before, and it sounds beautiful. This is a very enjoyable disc of music from Willie Nelson.

Willie not up to speed, literally. . .
I love Willie and I love most of these classic songs. But whoever produced this CD must not have listened to it carefully. Thinking I was getting another "Stardust," or some really cool dinner party music, instead "American Classic" left me scratching my head. . . I played it five times, trying to embrace this CD before setting it on the back shelf. Basically, in nearly each song it seemed as if someone was holding Willie back. As well, the beat and the rhythm was off on the first six songs, slower than it should have been, ( my early childhood years sitting before my piano with the piano teacher's metronome in play told me so) and basically, Willie's heart just wasn't into this record. You know what, Willie's better than this. . . save your money. . .

Classic Indeed
Every song here is given a wise and heartfelt (soulful) treatment, and they are great songs. What more could one wish for? I have listened to this album up close and personal on my car's CD player, and I know each song/performance intimately as a result. I do not have time to describe each, but I must say that I do not understand the negative reactions of some of the other reviewers. My love for this album made me want to write this to offset that wrongheaded reaction. This is one of the most consistently endearing and engaging things Willie Nelson has ever recorded. Maybe it helps to be getting old and to love his old but wise vocals. He's laid back, but laid back like a fox. The man knows how to sing and how to interpret, and knows less is more if you know what you are doing. If the samples are not enough, and they may not be, borrow it from your local library and drive around with it for a week or two. If you give it half a chance, this music making crawls into a permanent place in your heart. This is Willie Nelson, and music making, at their very best. Don't be discouraged by the negative reviews some have written. Try it for yourself.

mbazin