Willis Alan Ramsey? He’d be one of the more intriguing singer-songwriters I’ve come across. His songs are atypical in the best way, and for those who are fascinated by his eponymous album “Willis Alan Ramsey,” a chance to see the man in concert is an irresistible one.
Upcoming shows
I’m seeing him at Eddie’s Attic, rescheduled for April 21st in Decatur, Georgia, which Willis has called one of his “favorite listening rooms.” He’ll be doing other shows in places like The Grey Eagle in Asheville, North Carolina the day after that. Just check his official Facebook page to see where he’s going to be.
Reverence from fellow artists
What’s interesting, but not surprising is to hear the amount of reverence great American singer-songwriters have for Willis Alan Ramsey. Like Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel: “I love Willis Alan Ramsey, and his talent is obvious.” Then, there’s Jimmie Dale Gilmore of The Flatlanders fame: “He is definitely one of the best, one of the, both his singing and his songwriting.”
But, then we look at his revered LP. Entitled “Willis Alan Ramsey,” it was named in Tom Moon’s book 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. I’ve played this one from beginning to end more times than I can count.
But, I was especially thrilled when the incomparable Lyle Lovett waxed lyrical about that album.
And Willis’s record just was such an amazing, amazing, I mean, those are such amazing songs. And as I started to learn about Willis, you know, I just couldn’t believe that those, that the record came out in 1972 when he was 21 years old, which meant he had written those songs, you know, before that. He wrote those songs before he was 21.
And to have such a work be released by such a young artist, I thought was just a tremendous accomplishment. But his young age aside, his youth aside, it is just a classic piece of work that is timeless, in my view, and holds up, you know, next year it’ll be 50 years since that record came out. And it holds up all these years later, just like it did on the first listen for me.
-Lyle Lovett
Breaking down the songs
The first thing that occurs to me is how off-beat the songs are. The album begins with “The Ballad of Spider John,” which is interesting — it’s the first song that Jimmy Buffett recorded that wasn’t his own songwriting. Buffett commented that Willis was “one of the best writers I have ever known.”
I’ve got a lot of rare interviews in my archive, and among the prized is with Willis Alan Ramsey himself. I told him about one time I listened to the song repeatedly, when I was feeling more than off, and asked him about the song. Listen.
Paul Leslie: “In the story of your song ‘The Ballad of Spider John,’ I always wondered what inspired that song?”
Willis Alan Ramsey: Oh wow. Well, there are two things mainly. My first real romance, was kind of a big deal in high school with my sweetheart and all. So, that was one influence. And I also kind of wanted to write a ballad about this loser-kind-of-guy, which was me at that time. That’s the way I felt. Must have done something to blow the relationship.”
We all feel like that at one point. Whatever the inspiration, it’s a heckuva song. The opening line. The ending. There’s no waste. Great line, after great line, like “thought I’d found the life to suit my style.”
You don’t know if you can trust Spider John, but you can’t look away.
Then there’s “Muskrat Candlelight,” a song far more elegant than people give it credit for. Susie and Sam are sung about with tenderness and gentility. The big recordings by America and The Captain & Tennille are great to listen to, but the original by Willis is where it’s at. You’ll even hear the subtle sound of Leon Russell playing vibes.
“Geraldine and the Honeybee,” shows just how magnified Willis Alan’s imagination is. Yes, it’s all from the bee’s perspective. At this point you may be thinking: Muskrats? Honeybees? What’s the theme here?
Willis explained: “I have a good musician friend, Keith Sykes who once told me: ‘Willis, when I listen to your songs, all I hear is food and sex.’ I said, ‘Actually Keith, it’s food, sex and little animals.’”
Then, there’s “Wishbone,” and you’ll get a taste for the many different ways Willis Alan can sing. He possesses several voices, to match what song he’s singing: from bluesy to a wistful lament on “Satin Sheets,” where it’s just his voice and guitar.
My favorite song on the album is “Goodbye Old Missoula,” and I’m not alone in feeling that way. It’s very country-oriented, and has a few tears on it. Jimmie Dale Gilmore thought a lot of this one and recorded his own version of the song.
“Painted Lady” is another terrific country song. Willis writes songs with lyrics that are never obvious.
I look at “Watermelon Man,” as a proud anthem for those who know the simple joys of melon-eating. It may seem like a simple song, but if you’d never heard it and someone said it was a field recording from Smithsonian Folkways — you’d believe it. Speaking of folk music…
“Boy from Oklahoma” is a biographical song about Woody Guthrie, and it’s remarkable how many details he injects into the lyrics, along with Willis Alan’s own commentary. The narrator’s appearance in the lyrics almost gonzo journalism. I suspect Woody would’ve been tickled by the cleverness.
The most seemingly personal song on the album is the romantic “Angel Eyes. It’s a sparse recording with Willis on guitar and a cellist named Cathy Pruitt. Willis gives an earnest vocal.
But, the album ends with an adulation to the women of a specific geographic area. Entitled “Northeast Texas Women,” it leaves the listener with a smile. You get a sense that this Willis Alan Ramsey just doesn’t think like other writers: “cast iron curls,” “aluminum dimples,” and “cotton candy hair.” You somehow know exactly what he means.
Related: Paul Leslie’s interview with Arlo Guthrie.
A timeless classic
When you put all of the songs on “Willis Alan Ramsey” together, you realize something. There isn’t any artist quite like him. There may be similarities, but Willis is his own deal. And there’s not likely to be anyone quite like him again.
I’ll see you in Georgia.
