Stardust (Willie Nelson album)
Stardust | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 1978 | |||
Recorded | December 3–12, 1977 | |||
Studio | Enactron Truck Studio | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 36:43 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Booker T. Jones | |||
Willie Nelson chronology | ||||
|
Stardust is the 22nd studio album by
Stardust was met with high sales and near-universal positive reviews. It peaked at number 1 in
.In 1979, Nelson won a
Background and recording
After the critical and commercial success of 1975's Red Headed Stranger, Nelson became one of the most recognized artists in country music. He replicated this success in 1976, releasing Wanted! The Outlaws (featuring Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser), which became the genre's first certified platinum album.[1] His 1977 release To Lefty from Willie peaked at number 3 on Billboard's Top Country Albums.[2]
By 1977, Nelson had decided to record a collection of
Nelson was living in the same neighborhood in Malibu as producer Booker T. Jones.[6] After one of his morning runs, Nelson encountered Jones in the neighborhood, and the two of them became acquainted. Nelson was aware of Jones's work with the M.G.'s. He later visited Jones at his home to try some of the material he had in mind for his next album.[7] The two became friends, and Nelson asked Jones to arrange "Moonlight in Vermont" for him. Pleased by the results, he later asked Jones to produce his next album.[6]
Nelson selected his ten favorite pop songs from his childhood, starting with "
Nelson then approached Brian Ahern to use the recording trailer parked at his home in the Hollywood Hills, Enactron Truck Studio. Ahern set up cables leading from the console of the truck to his own house, where the musicians played.[8] The band worked on the songs that were produced using a few takes in the living room, while harmonicist Mickey Raphael did his part in a tiled bathroom shower.[9] Jones decided to keep the arrangements sparse, without the use of backup singers or additional strings.[10] It was recorded from December 3–12, 1977.[11]
The executives of Columbia Records were not convinced that the album would sell well because the project was a radical departure from Nelson's earlier success with the
Release and reception
Stardust was released in April 1978.[15] The album started to sell well, and Columbia reversed its decision and issued more copies of it.[14] The release reached number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart (and would stay there until June 1988) and peaked at number 30 on the Billboard 200.[16] Meanwhile, the songs "Blue Skies" and "All of Me" peaked at numbers one and three, respectively, on Billboard's Hot Country Songs.[17] Stardust was certified platinum in December 1978, and it was named Top Country Album of the year for 1978.[18][19] It charted at number one in Canadian RPM's Country Albums, while it charted at number 28 in RPM's Top Albums.[20][21]
On its August 14, 1978 issue,
In 1984, Stardust was certified triple platinum, earning US$2.1 million (equivalent to $6.16 million in 2023).[23] Later, it was also certified quadruple platinum in 1990 and quintuple platinum in 1988.[30][31] It was ranked by Rolling Stone at number 260 in The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[32]
Contemporary reviews
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Rolling Stone | Favorable |
Billboard | Favorable |
Texas Monthly | Favorable |
Los Angeles Times | Favorable |
Chicago Tribune | Favorable |
New York Daily News | Favorable |
New Times | Favorable |
Orange Coast | Favorable. |
Christgau's Record Guide | A– |
Stardust received positive reviews from most publications, both for its original release and for its various reissues.[33] Rolling Stone welcomed the release as it considered that "[f]or all the sleek sophistication of the material, Stardust is as down-home as the Legion dance." The reviewer continued, "[T]hese tunes have become part of the folk music of exurban America. And that's the way Nelson plays them—spare and simple, with a jump band's verve and a storyteller's love of a good tale." Of Nelson's performance, the publication said: "[H]e's displaying the tools of a journeyman musician's trade—worn smooth and polished by constant use—and when he lays them out this way, they kind of look like works of art."[34]
Billboard delivered a favorable review. The publication felt that it was an "unusual pairing of artist and producer", while adding that it "works well". It remarked Nelson's "distinctive, soft vocal style", while considering that "all of the material seems well suited to his easygoing indication style as Nelson backs himself with guitar and gets help with guitar, drums, keyboards, bass and harmonica."[35] Texas Monthly also favored the album but noted the difference with previous Nelson recordings: "Stardust blends the stark economy of Red Headed Stranger with an underlying current of church spiritualism. More often than not it works. Though the selections are all at least twenty years old, the songs withstand the test of time. Occasionally when Willie's voice seems to crack, I do miss the more familiar hard-bitten whine that accompanies his usual fare like "Whiskey River". But nonetheless this is a sterling effort."[36]
The Los Angeles Times favored the album; for the reviewer, the tracks represented "a warmly refreshing merger of earthy rural vocals and sophisticated urban songs." It called Nelson's performances "spare, sincere, soft and warm enough to invite comparisons with Crosby and Sinatra."[37] The review concluded that the release showed that Nelson was "also at home in more conventional pop streams" and that he " not only knows how to create good music, he knows where to find it—and how to bring it out in all its sublimity."[38] The Chicago Tribune stressed Nelson's decision to record classic tunes, as the review noted that he "directs the attention of his throng of young fans" to music "for his own (or an older generation)." It compared his vocal performances to those of his own repertoire numbers, "Night Life" and "Crazy". Meanwhile, Jones's production was considered "appropriately simple, clean and respectful of both songs and singer."[39] The New York Daily News deemed it an "interesting and enjoyably flavored album."[40] The Pittsburgh Press mentioned Nelson's phrasing that resulted in "a pure, plainly pretty sound."[41] In its review, the Gannett News Service considered that "Hoagy Carmichael would be proud."[42] New Times wrote: "In Texas, some folks swear that Willie could sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and make it sound soulful. This collection of hoary old standards is the next best thing to testing that proposition directly."[43] Orange Coast praised Nelson's performance of the standards: "Willie Nelson is perhaps the finest male singer in country music. [...] [H]is phrasing and sense of understated drama have caused him to be compared with the best jazz singers. Now he's released an album of old pop standards, Stardust (Columbia), and you can almost hear the stirrings of an outlaw uprising between the grooves. [...] [A]lthough it's definitively no step forward in Nelson's career, it's still a pleasurable showcase of his considerable artistry as a vocalist. Plus, even though he's dealing with the sophisticated likes of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Kurt Weill, he remains essentially country."[44]
Legacy
Stardust was reissued on compact disc in 1985.[46] A 1999 release of the album included the additional tracks "Scarlet Ribbons" and "I Can See Clearly Now".[47] In 2008, Columbia Records issued a version of Stardust subtitled 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition. The album contained a 16-track bonus disc of standards from Nelson's other albums. None of the bonus tracks date back to the original Stardust sessions.[48]
For the 35th anniversary of the release, Nelson performed the entire album live with the accompaniment of an orchestra directed by
Retrospective reviews
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Zagat Survey | [53] |
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said that the album "showcases Nelson's skills as a musician and his entire aesthetic—where there is nothing separating classic American musical forms, it can all be played together—perhaps better than any other album, which is why it was a sensation upon its release and grows stronger with each passing year."[51]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | " All of Me" | 3:54 | |
5. | "Unchained Melody" | 3:50 | |
Total length: | 19:31 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "September Song" | 4:35 | |
2. | "On the Sunny Side of the Street" | 2:36 | |
3. | "Moonlight in Vermont" | 3:25 | |
4. | "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" | 2:33 | |
5. | "Someone to Watch Over Me" | 4:03 | |
Total length: | 17:12 |
Reissues
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | " Scarlet Ribbons" | 4:30 | |
12. | "I Can See Clearly Now" | Johnny Nash | 4:18 |
| 4:50 |
Personnel
|
Recording studio[55]
|
Chart performance
- Albums
Year | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|
1978 | US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[56] | 1 |
US Billboard 200[57] | 30 | |
Canada Country Albums (RPM)[20] | 1 | |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[58] | 28 | |
1980 | RIANZ Albums Chart (New Zealand)[28]
|
1 |
Australia (Kent Music Report)[59] | 5 |
- Year-end charts
Year | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|
1978 | US Billboard Top Country Albums[19] | 1 |
1980 | Australia (Kent Music Report)[59] | 6 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[60] | 6 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[61] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[62] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Kingsbury, Paul 2004, p. 375.
- ^ Billboard staff 2021.
- ^ Country Music Magazine Editors 2009, p. 264.
- ^ Nelson, Willie & Ritz, David 2015, p. 264.
- ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 336.
- ^ a b c Nelson, Shrake & Shrake 2000, p. 147.
- ^ a b Nelson, Willie & Ritz, David 2015, p. 265.
- ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, pp. 338–339.
- ^ a b Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 339.
- ^ Nelson, Willie & Ritz, David 2015, p. 266.
- ^ Mojo Magazine staff 2007, p. 407.
- ^ Scobey, Lola 1982, p. 352.
- ^ a b Nelson, Willie & Ritz, David 2015, p. 267.
- ^ a b Patoski, Joe Nick 2008, p. 340.
- ^ Sakol, Jeannie 1983, p. 161.
- ^ Billboard staff 2 2021.
- ^ a b Billboard staff 3 2021.
- ^ Wood, Gerry 1979, p. 4.
- ^ a b "Year End Charts – Year-end Albums – Top Country Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2006. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
- ^ a b "Country Week 25 Albums". RPM. 29 (22). August 26, 1978. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "100 Albums". RPM. 29 (16). July 15, 1978. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ Axthelm, Pete (August 14, 1978). "King of Country Music - Willie Nelson". Newsweek (252).
- ^ a b Draper, Robert 1986, p. 170.
- ^ "Be Gees, Billy Joel Grammy Award Winners". The Republic. UPI. February 16, 1979. Retrieved April 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Grein, Paul 1986, p. 70.
- ^ Foster 1998, p. 147.
- ^ Browne, Pat 2001, p. 574.
- ^ ISSN 0006-2510.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Flint, Joseph & Nelson, Judy 1993, p. 234.
- ^ "RIIA Searchable data base". RIAA's Official website. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 260: Stardust – Willie Nelson". Rolling Stone. May 31, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
- ^ Nelson, Willie & Ritz, David 2015, p. 268.
- ^ Swartley, Ariel (June 29, 1978). "Stardust album review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ^ "Stardust". Billboard. 1978.
- ^ Patoski, Joe Nick 1978, p. 144.
- ^ Atkinson, Terry 1978, p. C84.
- ^ Atkinson, Terry 1978, p. C85.
- ^ Hurst, Jack 1978, p. 16.
- ^ Adams, Ace 1978, p. C8.
- ^ Morgenstern, Dan 1978, p. D-8.
- ^ Hance, Bill 1978, p. 14B.
- ^ New Times Communications 1978, p. 71.
- ^ Kemnitz, Robert 1978, p. 67.
- ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 8, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Nelly, Tim 2002, p. 864.
- ^ Stereophile staff 1999, p. 185.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Stardust [30th Anniversary Legacy Edition]". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ Doyle, Patrick (July 12, 2013). "Willie Nelson to Perform 'Stardust' LP in Its Entirety for First Time". Retrieved July 12, 2013.
- ^ Allers, Hannahlee (December 19, 2014). "Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Recordings Among 2015 Grammy Hall of Fame Inductees". The Boot. Taste of Country Network. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Stardust". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
- ^ a b Deusner, Stephen (August 15, 2008). "Willie Nelson Stardust: Legacy Edition". Pitchfork Media. Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
- ^ a b Zagat Survey 2003, p. 125.
- ^ Nelson, Willie 2008.
- ^ a b Nelson, Willie 1978.
- ^ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4598a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
- ^ ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ "Kent Music Report No 341 – 5 January 1981 > Platinum and Gold Albums 1980". Kent Music Report. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Imgur.com.
- ^ "American album certifications – Willie Nelson – Stardust". Recording Industry Association of America.
- Sources
- Adams, Ace (May 20, 1978). "Mini-reviews". New York Daily News. Vol. 59, no. 282. Retrieved April 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Atkinson, Terry (July 16, 1978). "A Celebration of Americana". Los Angeles Times. Vol. 97. Retrieved April 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Billboard staff (2021). "Top Country Albums: The week of July 30, 1977". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- Billboard staff 2 (2021). "Chart History: Willie Nelson - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Billboard staff 3 (2021). "Chart History: Willie Nelson - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Popular Press. ISBN 978-0-87972-821-2.
- Country Music Magazine Editors (2009). The Comprehensive Country Music Encyclopedia. Times Books. )
- Draper, Robert (October 11, 1986). "Poor Willie". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 41. Prometeus Global Media. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Flint, Joseph; Nelson, Judy (1993). The Insider's Country Music Handbook. Gibbs-Smith. ISBN 978-0-879-05563-9.
- Foster, Pamela (1998). My Country: The African Diaspora's Country Music Heritage. My Country. ISBN 978-0-9662680-1-0.
- Grein, Paul (October 11, 1986). "The Long-Playing Hit-Studded Records of one of the Most Prolific And Successful Artists in Music History". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 41. Retrieved April 13, 2021 – via Google Books.
- Hance, Bill (May 14, 1978). "Willie Nelson Bouncing Back". Gannett News Service. Vol. 193, no. 273. Poughkeepsie, New York: Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved April 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Hurst, Jack (May 7, 1978). "Rock, country". Chicago Tribune. Vol. 131, no. 127 (section 6). Retrieved April 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Kemnitz, Robert (August 1978). "Stardust". ISSN 0279-0483.
- Kingsbury, Paul (2004). The Encyclopedia of Country Music: The Ultimate Guide to the Music. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517608-7.
- Mojo Magazine staff (2007). The Mojo Collection (4 ed.). Canongate Books. ISBN 978-1-847-67643-6.
- Morgenstern, Dan (July 6, 1978). "Records: Roundup of Current Discs". The Pittsburgh Press. Vol. 95, no. 13. Retrieved April 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Nelly, Tim (2002). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records: 1950-1975. Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-873-49471-7.
- Nelson, Willie (1978). Stardust (LP). Columbia Records. JC 35305.
- Nelson, Willie; Shrake, Bud; Shrake, Edwin (2000). Willie: An Autobiography. Cooper Square Press. ISBN 978-0-8154-1080-5.
- Nelson, Willie (2008). Stardust: 30th Anniversary Legacy Edition (CD). Legacy Recordings. 88697 29087 2.
- Nelson, Willie; Ritz, David (2015). It's a Long Story: My Life. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-0-316-40356-6.
- New Times Communications (1978). "Album reviews". 10. New Times Communications Corp.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - Patoski, Joe Nick (June 1978). "Unchained Willie". Texas Monthly. 6 (6). ISSN 0148-7736.
- Patoski, Joe Nick (2008). Willie Nelson: An Epic Life. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-0-316-03198-1.
- Sakol, Jeannie (1983). The Wonderful World of Country Music. Putnam. ISBN 978-0-399-50819-6.
- Scobey, Lola (1982). Willie Nelson: Country Outlaw. Kensington Pub Corp. ISBN 978-0-89083-936-2.
- Stereophile staff (1999). Country. Vol. 9. Stereophile Inc. )
- Wood, Gerry (March 10, 1979). "CBS Country Wing Refines Marketing". Billboard. Retrieved April 13, 2021 – via Google Books.
- Zagat Survey (2003). Zagatsurvey Music Guide: 1,000 Top Albums of All Time. Zagat Survey. ISBN 978-1-57006-543-9.