Willie Nelson Album: “Across the Borderline”

Although his recent The Great Divide has some good songs/music/duets on it, it comes nowhere near Across The Borderline. This is the perfect Willie Nelson album for song selection/production/music/feeling. Songs like American Tune, Don't Give Up, Graceland are given a classic Willie americana/country treatment. Duets with Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan,and Sinead O'Connor are mixed beautifully between great Nelson songs and interpretations of John Hiatt, Dylan, Lovett, and Dixon. The Nelson/Dylan song Heartland, sung by both, is the best collaborative song that Dylan has done since his 'Sign Language' song written/sung with Clapton. This is great music.

Perhaps only a lyricist as talented as Willie Nelson has the vision to select such well-built songs and craft them into a quilt of American Folk. The songs are all beautiful, and run the range of emotion from hope in the face of failure (Heartland) to selfless love (Valentine). Buy it.

This is one of my favourite Willie albums, although "Spirit" still occupies the number one spot. But this album really is fantastic. The songs and the guest musicians are great. Joining Willie are Sinead O'Connor, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Bonnie Raitt. The songs range from country, to folk, to pop, to blues, and every one Willie makes his own. He has never sounded better, and this is a must have for all of Willie's fans. The 28 page booklet contains all lyrics and some wonderful photos. Highly recommended.

Just a quick note. Amazon lists this album as OUT OF PRINT. As a stand-alone, this is true; however, it is available in the "Triple Feature" multi-CD pack along with "The Sound In Your Mind" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

i know this isn't one of willie's best known albums and it's mostly cover tunes but they're great songs and no one sings them like willie.